Press Releases

November 9, 1999
Jill Mandel, Southampton College Student, on Internship in South Africa

Student Studies Seabirds at Dassen Island Nature Reserve

Contact:
Debbie Hare
(516) 287 8313
Fax: (516) 283 4081

Jill Mandel, of Clay, N.Y., a senior majoring in Marine Science with a concentration in Biology at Southampton College of Long Island University, is spending her fall semester at the Dassen Island Nature Reserve in South Africa studying seabirds.

Jill is taking part in Southampton College's Internship program, which provides students opportunities in experiential education around the world. The Dassen Island Nature Reserve, located north of Cape Town, South Africa, is home to the second largest breeding colony of African Penguins and numerous other species of seabirds. Jill will be doing research for her thesis as part of the Honors Program at Southampton College.

Cooperative Education and Internships are a fundamental part of the experiential educational offered at Southampton College. Jill gained work experience in marine science on a co-op in 1997 volunteering for the New England Aquarium in Boston. Working on a co-op gave her the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience in her chosen field as well as earning academic credit toward her college degree. Jill's internship on Dassen Island gives her the opportunity to do in-depth research for her honors thesis.

Binoculars, spotting scopes, telescopes, video cameras and laptop computers are only some of the equipment used in the research on Dassen Island. Observing breeding colonies of seabirds and penguins, recording and analyzing data, and writing up the study are all part of the job. Dassen Island offers the most basic of accommodations, with electricity provided in the evenings in the form of a diesel generator. All appliances, stove, fridge and geysers are gas powered. Protection and preservation of the nature reserve is the goal of the research on the breeding colonies of seabirds residing there. All research must be approved before a permit is issued in order to prevent destruction of the Dassen Island Nature Reserve.

Jill has received many awards in her four years at Southampton College including, Dean's list all semesters, Faculty Honors List all semesters, Natural Sciences Division Honor for Freshman, Sophomore and Junior years, University Scholars Award, and the Evan Frankel Scholarship. Jill is the daughter of Judy and Robert Mandel of Clay, New York.