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At this point in my academic career, I have two years of forensic science studies under my belt. I have also been working in a clinical laboratory for over a year and throughout the pandemic. I realized that lab work was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. This made me question whether the forensic field was right for me, and I used the space I had in my academic schedule to explore other avenues.

I discovered a passion for environmental and biological sciences. I made it my goal to get an internship in the environmental and/or biological science field. Though I had a newfound passion in these fields, I realized that I still had a lack of direction on which route I wanted to take in these broad fields. I began applying to internships all across America under all sorts of disciplines for an opportunity to learn more and determine whether or not this area was right for me.

I applied to both the and to see if I could gain experience in the animal care field. I applied to and was offered a position with both zoos and chose to pursue both opportunities for different reasons. The Zoo in Forest Park offered an internship in a smaller facility that focuses on the rehabilitation of animals and education.

I also accepted the position at SouthwickÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s Zoo due to their high recognition in the animal care community. SouthwickÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s Zoo is often thought of as one of the greatest zoos in the Northeast, and it interacts with zoos across the nation through the exchange of animals and enrichment knowledge.

Ultimately, I am excited for both opportunities and to gain experience in the animal care industry. I am looking forward to working with the animals, learning how to prepare diets, how to properly clean and take care of them, and how to do so in the public eye. I am also excited to learn more about interacting with the public in an animal care setting and how to conduct enrichment and educational programs for all ages.

I am also using this opportunity to determine whether this field is the right fit for me. As I am beginning to change my career goals and interests, I am using these internships as an opportunity to observe the differences between animal care facilities, determine which type is the best fit for me, and whether I think the field is right for me.

Overall, I am extremely excited for the summer ahead of me. I know that it will be very busy and challenging but I am very fortunate to be able to learn and challenge myself in an environment I do not yet fully understand to see if my future career path could be in that direction.

Christopher Lapointe ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™22 is a forensic science major at the University of New Haven. A member of the UniversityÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s Bergami Summer Internship Program, Lapointe is a care intern at both Southwick's Zoo and Forest Park Zoo.