Summer Intern Opportunities
The Bald Head Island Conservancy Intern Program is open to rising juniors, seniors or recent graduates from any accredited college or university, with majors in biology, marine biology, environmental science, education, or a related course of study.
Bald Head Island is part of a 12,000-acre island complex (Smith Island Complex) located at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in southeastern North Carolina, and consists of three forested peninsulas interconnected by a continuous beach strand: Bluff, Middle and Bald Head Islands. Bald Head Island features an upscale residential community of approximately 1,100 homes, with approximately 200 permanent year-round residents. The southern tip of the complex is Cape Fear, and includes ten miles of ocean beach. The island is accessible by a private passenger ferry from Southport, NC.
Funding for this internship is provided by Bald Head Island Conservancy, Inc. (the Conservancy), a non-profit organization formed in 1983. The Conservancy’s mission is three-fold: conserving and preserving the natural resources of the Smith Island Complex and surrounding waters; providing quality environmental education for island residents and visitors; facilitating scientific research of benefit to the environmental resources of the area. As a part of this mission, the Conservancy operates a nationally recognized Sea Turtle Protection Program, and is the only non-governmental agency in North Carolina allowed to conduct flipper tagging of sea turtles. Because of the Conservancy’s long-standing commitment to this conservation program, Bald Head Island is used by U.S. Fish and Wildlife as an index beach for sea turtle nesting activity.
In addition, the Conservancy provides diverse educational programs and activities for the island community, and serves as an environmental monitor for the island ecosystems.
Within a campus at the east end of the island, the Conservancy’s facilities include a modern four bedroom “dorm” (used to house the naturalist, summer interns, and visiting researchers), an administrative office, an education center, the Barrier Island Study Center, and the gift shop Turtle Central, which underwrites much of the Conservancy’s operation. In addition, the Conservancy owns a 21-acre nature preserve on Middle Island, and employs a permanent staff of 11 along with part time staff.
This internship is intended to give undergraduates not only first hand experience in their fields, but also experience in working at a small non-profit organization. While the majority of the summer will be spent working in each intern's focus area, interns will also work at Turtle Central, staff BHIC’s information center, and help with other various office-oriented projects (such as mail pickup and envelope stuffing). Interns will also conduct individual research projects that match their interests. The research projects will not only benefit the student, but also provide the island, residents and researchers with invaluable knowledge of the island and its inhabitants. Students will be expected to complete the research project and present the results to the community at the end of the summer. In addition students are encouraged to write a proposal for future research in the format of the NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship.
Applications:
Environmental Education Intern Summary
Environmental Education Intern Application
Kayak Guide and Environmental Education Intern Summary
Kayak Guide and Environmental Education Intern Application
Sea Turtle Internship Summary
Sea Turtle Intern Application
Wildlife Intern Summary
Wildlife Intern Application
BHI Summer Interns: Where are They Now? (pdf)
