Intern Update and Exit Interview with Anna

Petrified Forest National Park’s (PEFO) internship program provides aspiring scientists and park rangers opportunities to assist the Park while immersing themselves in the day-to-day work of their chosen professions.

Every year park scientists go into the field to learn more about PEFO’s natural and cultural resources. Summer science interns have traditionally played an important role in assisting those scientists while gaining valuable hands-on experience in their chosen fields of study.

Interns working with paleontology, archaeology, or biology programs are usually in the backcountry or the museum, out of visitors’ view. Interpretation interns, on the other hand, are most frequently found in the visitor centers, explaining scientists’ findings to the public. They are the human face of the park.

Internships are vital to the park’s projects and programs, and, for that reason, Friends of PEFO undertook underwriting three intern positions during the 2023 summer season. In lieu of wages, interns receive a stipend, which is paid from the generous donations of Friends of PEFO. Some interns departed early for various reasons. The Park was able to recruit others to fill the vacant positions

First to arrive, in late May, was Zachary, who worked in the Interpretation Division. He ultimately terminated the internship to accept a paid position in the Park’s Maintenance Department.

Close behind Zach, came Brooke and Anna with assignments in Archaeology. Brooke, from Queen Creek, Arizona, recently completed a bachelor’s degree program in anthropology with biology and forensics minors. She hopes to go to graduate school for Museum Studies and pursue working with collections and Curation.

Anna, from Mesa, Arizona, is also a recent graduate: with a B.A. in Anthropology from Northern Arizona University. Along with a passion for zooarchaeology, she is gaining interest in conservation and wildlife sciences. She hopes to pursue a blend of the three in her future academics. (More from Anna below).

In early July Garrett, who recently completed an internship at Bryce Canyon National Park, joined the Interpretation staff. His interests include resource management, conservation biology, and archaeology. Ultimately, he’d like to fit into the Park Service and deal with the impacts of human-animal interactions and ancient landscapes and how to interpret those “in a way that inspires other people to care”.

A fifth intern, Luke, started in Interpretation in early August after managing youth corps programs for the Arizona Conservation Corps. Luke’s background in graphic design will be a huge asset to the Park.

Anna’s tenure in Archaeology is ending soon. Before it does, she sat for an exit interview which follows:

Question: What have your tasks as an intern entailed the past couple of months?
Anna: As an intern, I have been participating in all activities that the archaeology department routinely performs, but more heavily involved in fieldwork rather than office work. I have been learning about how sites are monitored here at Petrified Forest as well as conducting condition assessments. These tasks include artifact (historic and pre-contact) identification and recordation, establishing sampling units, and group communication regarding the larger contexts of regional archaeology. I have also been a part of the most recent ground survey work being done. Additionally, the biology department has allowed me to be a part of herpetology trapping and participating in night drives to record wildlife activity after the park is closed. On days that have been more focused on existing office work or are too hot for fieldwork, I have inserted myself into the Interpretation teams to learn more about the park and the nuances of visitor interactions.

Question: Does any one event or activity stand out as the most significant/rewarding/fun/whatever? i.e. What was the peak experience?
Anna: I couldn’t possibly choose a ‘peak experience’ because the time I have spent at this internship has been so unique and magical. I do think the days that felt most significant were during the beginning of our survey work. The first section that we were in required an hour-long hike through canyons and rock jumbles to access, which really boosted my self-confidence in being able to have fun in difficult terrain. While in this same landscape, our team was approached by a pronghorn on several different days and, for me, confirmed how special it was to be there. Similarly, at the end of my very first week, the archaeology team took a hike into the Painted Desert to accompany a site steward and I was blown away by how capable my body was during that hike. We ate lunch near an incredible multi-component site, and I sat alone underneath a petroglyph panel just to soak it all in.

Question: What is the takeaway? What about your intern experience will stick with you as you depart PEFO and move on to the next stage of your life?
Anna: My internship experience at PEFO has really cemented that archaeology fieldwork is something that is immensely stimulating for me and has had a positive impact on my body and health. Being around a team that is equally passionate and excited about what we are experiencing in the field has been such a fresh change coming straight from undergrad. I think that all of the moments I have had here will stick with me forever. I feel much more confident to pursue other fieldwork opportunities and have a clearer idea of what is important to me in the workplace environment. I am currently putting my feelers out for my next little adventure and am excited to explore various types of archaeology and conservation fieldwork.

Friends intends to underwrite interns again in 2024. To support this worthy program, click the button below.