Animal Spirit
Ohio Wesleyan Student Completes Three-Month Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Internship
Name: Ariana Brown '26
Hometown: New York City, New York
High School: Beacon High School
Major: Zoology
Minors: Education and Psychology
OWU Connection Experience: Completing a semester-long zookeeping internship at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, located just 13 miles from the Ohio Wesleyan campus
In her role, Brown worked as a North American intern, assisting full-time zookeepers "in preparing animal diets, cleaning/maintaining animal enclosures, and observing/reporting behavioral changes."
Whether conservation, research, or husbandry, my internship at the Columbus Zoo prepared me for life after college.
Why This Experience?
"I pursued this opportunity because I want to work in the animal care field after college, and I wanted to gain experience with animals before I graduated. Whether conservation, research, or husbandry, my internship at the Columbus Zoo prepared me for life after college."
Favorite Moments
"My favorite moment from the zoo was getting as close as I did to the moose and feeding the polar bears. At that moment, I felt that all my hard work paid off and I finally made it into the field that I have fought so hard to get into. Additionally, it was truly incredible to be that close to such massive animals and see just how much they trusted their keepers."
Lessons Learned
"I learned skills such as time management, working with intention, and taking initiative in completing tasks. All of these skills will take me far in my future plans in the animal conservation field. Many of the concepts keepers talked to me about were subjects I had previously learned or heard about in class, such as diurnal species and phylogenetic trees.
"Experiences like these matter because you learn a lot about yourself and what you want to do in your future career. Through this internship, I learned that I want to be in a career that combines my love for animal conservation and animal husbandry, perhaps [as] a zoo educator."
OWU Connections
"Mindy Agin (Career Connection office) helped me perfect my resume and cover letter and reached out to an OWU alum, Nikki Smith '01, the curator of the North America department at the Columbus Zoo, in order to help secure my internship. I was also able to secure a Small Grant through OWU for transportation, to and from the Columbus Zoo for the entirety of the internship."
Campus Involvements
At OWU, Brown has been involved with Professor Eric Gangloff's Lab of Amphibian and Reptile Ecophysiology (GLARE), working on general data collection of the Eastern-Red Backed Salamander. In connection with her research, she presented at the Ohio Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Annual Conference.
Why Ohio Wesleyan?
Brown said she was drawn to Ohio Wesleyan for its "strong and inviting Zoology program."
Plans After Graduation
"My plans are to move back to New York and work at the Bronx or Central Park Zoo, as I have completed internships/jobs at both. Ohio Wesleyan has prepared me to reach these goals because I was able to book multiple appointments with the Career Center to get help with my resume, cover letter, and job searching."