, Author at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Stories

Zoo InternQuest is a seven-week career exploration program for San Diego County high school juniors and seniors. Students have the unique opportunity to meet professionals working for the San Diego Zoo, Safari Park, and Institute for Conservation Research, learn about their jobs, and then blog about their experience online. Follow their adventures here! Hi everyone! My name’s Bami and welcome to the beginning of my exciting journey as an intern at the San Diego Zoo. An introduction would be fitting, so here are just a few things you should know about me. We’re all friend here! Originally from Chicago, IL, I moved to San Diego when I was five years old. Whether it is on the court or in my community, my life has never been dull. Since the 9th grade, I have played basketball and volleyball. I am also actively involved in my school’s community. This includes being president of my school’s chapter of the California Scholarship Federation, as well as Vice President of Environmental Club. Outside of school, you will most likely find me playing basketball at the beach with my friends, working out at the gym, or relaxing with my dog, Duke.My love for animals stared at an early age when I was first exposed to a multitude of species at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. From the chimpanzees to the red pandas, these early encounters with different species sparked my interest in biology before I even knew the meaning of biology. After I moved to San Diego, my curiosity for animals only increased. My mom used to take me to visit the San Diego Zoo almost every weekend during the summer. My fond memories of watching the lions rest and petting the goats are vivid when reminiscing about the zoo. For the next seven weeks throughout InternQuest, I will be focusing on many different careers at the San Diego Zoo. From as early as junior high, the thought of choosing a career goal has been engrained in my mind. Questions like “What do you want to be when you grow up” passed through conversations repeatedly. Even though I have an amazing support group, I never delved into the science that I love until recently. It was not until high school that I thought of biology as a serious career path. I attribute my strong interest to my 10th grade biology teacher, Ms. Ross. She created an environment where learning became fascinating and worthwhile, and because of her and my other amazing teachers, I still continue to learn more about subdivisions of biology like zoology, anatomy and botany. During the past few years, my career interests have slowly leaned towards ecology with an emphasis on plant and animal conservation. Although, I still have not completely decided on my career path yet, I hope the next seven weeks will help influence my decision. Participating in the Zoo InternQuest will not only give me valuable skills that I can use later, but also an experience that will last a lifetime. I hope you all follow me on my adventure through the San Diego Zoo! Bami Profile, Fall 2015

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