English and environmental studies major acquires hands-on experience on animal farm

Dylan Kretchmar ’25, an English and environmental studies major at The College of Wooster, completed an APEX fellowship with the Wild Hearts African Farm in Lewisburg, Ohio over the summer. While onsite, Kretchmar assisted with the feeding and handling of animals. She also educated visitors through informational tours and facilitated farm upkeep. The experience unlocked post-College career opportunities for her. 

“My internship has shown me how interdisciplinary many jobs are and how I can use my degree in ways that I hadn’t originally thought of.”

—Dylan Kretchmar ’25

Q: How did you learn about the internship opportunity for your APEX Fellowship? 

Kretchmar: I found it through a google search for internships. It involved work with animals, public education, humane certified zoos—all things I was interested in learning more about.  

Q: What interests you most about the work you did?  

Kretchmar: I was interested in getting to know the people and animals I worked with and was acquainted with non-profit work and governmental certification in regard to animal welfare. A few of the common tasks I did each week include enclosure cleaning, animal enrichment, handling animals, public education and tours, zoo upkeep, and prepping animal diets.  

Q: Who was your fellowship mentor and how did they help you to succeed in this position?  

Kretchmar: My fellowship mentor was Cody Leary, associate professor of physics. I think my success from the fellowship came from his thoughtful prompts and timely feedback. Professor Leary was good at answering any work-related questions I had as well. I really liked having an outside confidant.  

Q: What are some skills you’ve learned that you see yourself carrying forward in your career? 

Kretchmar: Multi-tasking while still being precise was a major skill I learned throughout this experience. I also learned how to communicate between coworkers, bosses, and strangers in an efficient way as well as developed strategies for problem solving. I grew my confidence overall and developed appropriate behavioral instincts when handling and caring for the animals. 

Q: How has the internship helped you to see what’s next for you?   

Kretchmar: This internship has really opened my eyes to the diverse paths people have taken to get to a common point and the places they see themselves going because of their experiences. In turn, this has opened my eyes to the numerous amounts of jobs out there. My internship has shown me how interdisciplinary many jobs are and how I can use my degree in ways that I hadn’t originally thought of. 

Posted in Experiential Learning, Showcase Stories 2024 on August 10, 2024.