PsychobiologyPolitical ScienceSociologyPre-LawEnvironmental Studies
Psychobiology -
" My responsibilities were to clean the cages of Chato, Techi and Peaches, water the cats, do the dishes, break apart the meat, feed the domestic cats and help watch the public. The first cat I was allowed to go in with was Peaches, the ocelot. In addition, I wanted to be able to identify the different kinds of cats and achieved this goal. I also learned about surgical procedures and surgical equipment. I enjoyed my Co-op a great deal and plan on visiting them in two years."
Melissa Breding, Exotic Feline Breeding Compound, Rosamund, CA
Psychobiology -
"I have been involved in many out of the ordinary things that go on at the Aquarium. Minor surgery of a Sea Turtle, preparation and moving of a Walrus for surgery, and behavioral conditioning of various animals. I have been devising a Walrus ethogram to pioneer a behavioral study on the habits and everyday behavior of our Walruses. It is physically and mentally challenging but it is definitely what I want to do for the rest of my life. After working with these animals I can truly say that I have found my passion."
Philip Strom, New York. Wildlife Aquarium, NY
Psychobiology -
"When I first began my summer Co-op at Olde Towne Animal Hospital, I was a little nervous. But my first day there went by with ease. I was welcomed with kindness and understanding. The doctors gave me every opportunity available to learn many different procedures. I know in my heart that I cannot be a vet because I found it hard to deal with watching animals being put to sleep. Due to this experience, I've made the decision to pursue a job working with marine mammals and hope to make a difference in the life of more animals."
Nancy Stewart, Olde Town Animal Hospital, NY
Environmental Studies -
"It was very exciting to be in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of an advocacy group. But that is what I believe a Co-op should do for someone. It allows room for learning something and becoming more comfortable with something you are not very good at. Putting so much work and dedication towards a cause you are passionate about and getting even the slightest bit of success from it makes every moment of work a major accomplishment. Everything I learned from this Co-op can be used throughout my life whether it is in school, at work, or just in conversation. I recommend students do a Co-op because it really helps prepare someone for what is to come in the future."
Jennifer Black, STAR Foundation, NY
Psychobiology -
"This Co-op experience has strengthened my belief that I want to work with dolphins. Their intelligence amazed me daily. I plan to return to the DRC at some point in the future as a volunteer or intern. It was one of the best and most memorable experiences of my life. Before I worked at DRC I was somewhat torn on the issue of dolphins in captivity. I now believe that in the right setting and atmosphere it can be positive."
Emily Oravetz, Dolphin Research Center, FL
Psychobiology -
"The tasks that I was involved in required using therapeutic play as a vehicle to help make the patient become more comfortable in the hospital setting. The staff along with the Child Life Specialist I was under, helped me to learn to listen to the patient's body language and to be able to define underlying messages in a conversation. It was very encouraging to know that I could use the courses that I took at college and relate them to real life situations."
Tracy Vaselin, The Children's Hospital, MA
Sociology -
"I have finally touched ground in my field and have some hands on experience helping victims and/or directing victims of domestic violence in the right direction. My work at the shelter has opened my eyes to what the women and children in abusive situations suffer through and made me realize why I want to be in this field in the first place: to help people that are less fortunate than myself. I will finish school at Southampton Graduate Campus and go on to get my master's in Social Work."
Amanda Petryk, The Retreat, NY
Liberal Studies -
"This co-op was my first experience at a professional job and I loved every part of it. It has given me a new drive to go to graduate school when I finish at Southampton and has introduced me to a field that I am interested in learning much more about."
Katherine Weslar, Seafield, NY
Environmental Studies -
"As an Environmental Compliance Intern, I learned about all aspects of supporting governmental agency compliance assessments. In addition I did extensive research on state, local and federal environmental laws and regulations. This has been a terrific "hands on experience."
Kevin Brazanskas, e2m, Englewood, Colorado
Psychobiology -
"The research done by interns creates a broad base of knowledge from which the public can learn. The learning obtained in the classroom is no comparison to learning in the field. The taped sounds of whales do not sound the same as those heard "live". This internship was a great experience and a very competitive position to obtain as a freshman. The knowledge and memories that I gained will stay with me forever."
Eileen Murphy, New England Aquarium, MA
Psychobiology -
"From the study of dolphin vocalization, I learned more about conducting a research project. Working with the two different programs, structured and unstructured, reinforced my beliefs that I do not want to work with dolphins in a "performance" capacity. As a career, I am still unsure of what I would ultimately like to do, but dolphin research and a program resembling the unstructured program at Dolphins Plus are both very appealing to me."
Kristy Beard, Dolphins Plus, FL
Psychobiology -
"This summer, during my co-op I had a great time and would do it all over again. I learned a lot of valuable information that I will take with me the rest of my life...I also learned that the harder that I worked the better I felt about my achievement."
Amber Heavner, Dolphins Plus, FL
Psychobiology -
"I had a wide range of responsibilities...assisting in the preparation of fish buckets, pulling and defrosting fish, cleaning of fish buckets, sanitizing snorkel vest, masks and fins. Dolphins Plus gives the general public the chance to swim with or have a hands on interaction with the dolpins. As a result of this awesome experience, I now have a direction to head in for a future job. I have the confidence to go out and start in an entry-level position as a dolphin trainer."
Cory Bandy, Dolphins Plus, FL
Psychology -
"Services for the Underserved targets populations of individuals with mental illness, developmental disability and the frail elderly. Working with this agency was a great experience and I would recommend it for other psychology majors because you get to observe the behaviors that you study in class. You also get the opportunity to sit in on counseling sessions and read patient's charts."
Antonia Wilson, Services For The Underserved, NY
Psychology -
"My major responsibility was writing a portion of the new Marine Resource Management Plan. The job was filled with challenges that I thoroughly enjoyed, researching issues and writing up summary reports. The Piping Plover project was extremely interesting. My enthusiasm and hard-work paid off. I was hired by the town at the completion of my co-op!"
Shawn Kiernan, Southampton Town Planning Department, NY
History/Political Science -
"My major responsibility was to research constituent concerns. Many times I needed to exhaust available resources to determine a solution. Becoming familiar with the Albany research center was amazing. This is the first job I have ever had which enabled me to apply my classroom skills to the "real world". I now know that I have found my niche!"
David Catalano, Assemblyman Fred Thiel's Office, NY
Typical Co-Op Placements
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