Learning Happens Near and Far…

Rubenstein School students doing field study

As a student in The Rubenstein School, you'll experience much of your learning outside the traditional classroom. You might be on top the summit of Mount Mansfield one day and on Lake Champlain the following week for Natural History and Field Ecology (your first required Rubenstein School course) or you might find yourself half-way around the world on an international exchange. Field study, internships and study abroad provide tickets to these and other beyond-the-classroom experiences.

Field Study: During spring recess and summer sessions, many students take intensive Rubenstein School field courses - like Forestry 122, a.k.a. Forestry Summer Camp, in which students spend their class time at the Jericho Research Forest and other natural areas. Students in the Ski Area Management course are required to return to campus one week before spring semester begins to spend an entire week at Stowe Mountain Resort learning the ins and outs of running a resort. Other courses take you to other parts of the U.S. and the world - the Florida Everglades, Ireland, Scotland, Costa Rica, Brazil, Belize, Ecuador, China, Tibet, and many other countries to study a variety of environmental issues.

Rubenstein School students in Costa Rica

Study Abroad: For those of you who are interested in a longer international experience, you can study abroad. Rubenstein School students have studied all over the world, in places like Spain, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The Rubenstein School has a direct exchange with the University of Western Australia in Perth. The University's Office of International Educational Services will help you find a program that matches your interests and allows credits to transfer back toward your degree from the University of Vermont.

Internships: Internships are also an important part of The Rubenstein School experience. Our students have done internships on the local level as well as all over the United States and overseas. Both natural resources internships and co-ops can involve academic credit if a Learning Contract with a faculty advisor is established in advance and/or involve financial compensation. On average, approximately 80% of undergraduates in The Rubenstein School participate in at least one formal internship experience. Each year, 70% of our interns have been paid while completing their internships.

Jared using a Price AA flow meter to measure stream velocity at USGS Monitoring Site

Jared Nunery did his internship with the United States Fish and Wildlife Department of the Sitka Ranger District in Tongass National Forest. His work primarily dealt with the Coho salmon populations. The job itself varied quite drastically, incorporating everything from habitat restoration, mark and recapture population estimates, stream hydrologic and biologic surveys, and many more different aspects of the world of fisheries. On the side, he would also participate in other small wildlife surveys working with the wildlife biologists of the Sitka Ranger District. Each trip would begin by either flying or boating out to their field camps as this was the only means of travel in Southeast Alaska. From camp, they would then hike, ATV, boat, drive on logging roads, or helicopter out to their work sites. Jared shared, "After completing my internship and returning to school, I realized just how much I learned this past summer. I was able to actually apply all the skills that I have been taught in my classes and labs so far at UVM to a real-world project, working in a truly wild environment. I believe that this summer internship was the most valuable learning experience I have had since beginning college, and has truly strengthened my knowledge and understanding of the environmental science field.

Stefanie Folk and Mindy Guyton were "On-Snow" Demo Representatives for Boeri ski and snowboard helmets. These helmets were brought to the United States by a Rubenstein School Alumnus from the Recreation Management Program. As Demo Reps, Stefanie and Mindy traveled to different ski resorts throughout Vermont each weekend to let snowboarders and skiers demo the helmets. They both loved their internship, especially since it also included a free ski lift pass for the day!

Kevin Biglin spent his summer working as a storm management intern for the Vermont Agency of Transportation in Montpelier, Vermont. The New England Board of Higher Education and the Environmental Careers Organization sponsored his internship. "During the summer, I worked on developing maps of the state's storm water system. I gained hands-on experience developing my skills with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographic Information Systems outside of the classroom. I also learned how real data is collected in the field and then transferred in the office to develop maps that will be stored and used by the Agency in the future. This internship provided me the opportunity to obtain real-life working experience."

Rebecca Witinok-Huber

Rebecca Witinok-Huber did her internship with the Student Conservation Association, an organization that helps to protect, conserve, and preserve the natural environment. She chose to work with sea turtles in North Carolina at Cape Lookout National Seashore. As the "Turtle Girl" for Cape Lookout, she patrolled the 25-mile beach every day to check for turtle activities. In the middle of June, Rebecca had the good fortune to see a mother turtle laying her eggs in the daytime. Because of predators, most turtles lay their eggs in the dark of night. As she and another intern were observing the mother, they noticed something was very unusual about this turtle. They discovered that it was the most endangered sea turtle in the world, a Kemp's Ridley. They were only the second people ever in North Carolina to see this sight. About 60 days later, they also were fortunate enough to see a baby hatchling crawl to the ocean after the nest hatched. Rebecca says, "This experience helped me understand how we must protect and preserve our wilderness and natural resources while still giving the public access and educating them. Everyone has a different opinion on the situation; if you can understand those with opposing views, it will help strengthen what you are trying to accomplish...All and all, this opportunity has been very positive for me; I feel it will help me attain my future goals and aspirations. Participating in an internship such as this may take away from time at home, working to make money, and spending time with your friends, but it will be a monumental experience that will remain with you for life."

As you can see, there are numerous ways to enhance your college experience in The Rubenstein School. If you become part of The Rubenstein School community, we hope you will take every advantage of the opportunities available to you.