WASHINGTON, PA (July 19, 2017) - Adventures are guaranteed for students who seek them in the Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) Environmental Studies (EVS) Program.
W&J has standing, all-expenses-paid internships with Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance (JHCA) in Jackson, Wyo., and the Matador Wildlife Management Area in Paducah, Texas. Interested W&J students are guaranteed a spot in either program. W&J also works with numerous local and regional partners to place students in internships.
This summer, Ingrid Lexova ’18 is interning with JHCA and is helping to organize wildlife crossings in Teton County. She’s working with the organization to help manage volunteers, conduct surveys to learn more about the local voters’ knowledge and attitudes toward the surrounding wildlife, and to help prevent possible vehicle-wildlife collisions to protect the people and animals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
A native of Austria, Lexova is excited to be exploring the west, and is grateful to the Director of the EVS program, Robert East, Ph.D., for helping her get there.
“I absolutely have Dr. East to thank for this opportunity. Without his initiative and help, I wouldn’t have known about the internship in the first place,” Lexova said. “I got interested in it because I had never been in the west, and living in Jackson Hole was something I simply couldn’t pass up. The prospect of biking, hiking, and backpacking in one of the most beautiful sports in the U.S. while also learning about how it’s protected and kept wild despite its popularity as a tourist destination really drew me in.”
Ingrid noted that funding from the EVS program has made her journey possible, and studying at W&J has given her knowledge that will help fuel her career.
“Being a part of the EVS program has given me the chance to discover several areas of study within the discipline of Environmental Studies,” she said. “The major thrives by offering diversity and the chance to learn about different fields of study and ways of approaching environmental work. Being a part of the program has shown me that EVS is not just “renewable (resources)” or “global warming” (although they play a big role), and has opened my eyes to the wealth of valuable work or further studies that can be pursued after graduation.”
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit www.washjeff.edu, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
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