Description of the Program
The College of Natural Resources (CNR) Intern Program started in 1974 and has continued to grow and diversify since that time. The program provides a unique opportunity for students to earn credit at UW-SP while gaining valuable, practical work-related experiences in their specialized fields of interest. These experiences cannot be duplicated through classical formal instruction within the boundaries and confines of the university environment. The College has worked to make this program as flexible as possible to fit the needs of the sponsoring agencies and students. Although most internships involve a paid 12-week summer position starting about the middle of May, some positions are offered either full or part time during the fall or spring semesters or during the summer.
Currently the CNR places approximately 138 students in paid intern positions with over 90 state, federal, municipal and private agencies. These positions are usually located in the Great Lakes Region, however positions may be located anywhere in the US, Canada or other countries. Internships are available in all of the academic disciplines within the CNR including: Forestry (forestry management, forest administration, urban forestry, forest recreation), Soils (soil science, waste management), Water (fisheries, limnology, water quality/chemistry, aquatic toxicology, fisheries, groundwater, watershed management, wastewater treatment) Wildlife (captive wildlife management, wildlife management, environmental law enforcement) Resource Management (environmental education/interpretation, general resource management). It is also possible for a student to locate, independently, a part-time, volunteer or paid position, and have the experience apply to this program. This position must be approved and coordinated by an intern faculty advisor in the student's discipline and must be of a professional nature and consist of a variety of planned and professionally supervised experiences. Under these conditions university credits can be earned toward graduation.