Intern Spotlight: Bianca Joseph

Bianca on a mineralogy/petrology trip at the overlook of a massive quarry

Photo Courtesy of Bianca Joseph

How did you find yourself at the National Park Service?

I have always been passionate about the National Park Service (NPS), the beauty of the great outdoors, and all of the wonders that are found there! I am a Geology major at Georgia Southern University, and I was searching for summer experiences, but none of them really spoke to me. When I found the Environment for the Americas website, I was immediately drawn in! I applied, and admittedly I didn’t believe anything would come from it. This was a dream opportunity that would allow me to combine so many of my passions. When I got the news that I was accepted into the Fish and Feathers internship program for Big Thicket National Preserve, I was ecstatic! I almost hit my eye on the microscope in my petrology class. From that moment on, I would be on a rollercoaster of lifetime memories that I still cherish today!

What has been the highlight of your experience as an intern with the National Park Service?

To pick a single experience to highlight would be a disservice to everyone reading. The sheer scope of outstanding experiences I’ve had can only truly be summed up by one thing –community. Between the visitors that came to the park, the interns that worked beside me, and the park rangers who guided me, the amazing experiences I’ve had would not have been the same without them! I was able to not only live a dream but bring every visitor I interacted with into that world as well. Be it from the deep conversations held on the Neches on a sunset paddle, or the jokes that made me laugh so hard I forgot the heat.

What is it like cultivating a community as a National Park Service intern?

Community was a defining part of my experience as a National Park Service intern, as I did not know anybody at all. Now, I was born and raised in a small-ish area in North Georgia called Hall County, so southern hospitality and charm are in my nature, but that never changes the butterflies in my stomach when I travel to new places to be with new people (especially when you're going over 850 miles away)! Through both experiences, I was fortunate enough to meet some of the kindest people from every different walk of life! Meeting my fellow Fish and Feathers interns in the airport, and cracking up over Shake Shack, and learning how to communicate with interns Tulasi and Henry, who were deaf. Their stories and joy allowed me to build confidence and make memories with every visitor I encountered.

Bianca teaching young students about the creatures of Big Thicket National Preserve!

Photo Courtesy of Bianca Joseph

What projects have you been involved in so far?

Some of the projects that I have been involved in include the Junior Ranger Fishing program, ASL Fishing programs, the Scientist in the Park mussels survey, resource management well testing,archeology, and so many more! What meant the most to me personally were two programs: the American Sign Language (ASL) Fishing Program and the bridging Black communities projects! The ASL fishing day was one I will never forget, as it was a beautiful homage to the power the outdoors has in building communities.One story that sticks out to me was one of a family with three children; the oldest girl was deaf. When we got on the water, she and I became best friends! I watched her and her siblings catch fish and laugh. Come to find out, they had not known about the Deaf community in Beaumont, and because of the event they were able to find a place to start to better understand deaf culture.

What have you learned that you will take forward in your career?

What I have learned is that there is always a way to communicate with everyone around you. I have always believed in the power of kindness and charisma. Now I have had the opportunity to place those two skills in the context of scientific communication and interpretation. I love researching and relaying those findings to everyone around me. I also love policy writing and shaping, so the logistical and technical skills I refined working in the NPS will be something I carry with me everywhere I go, and I could not be happier to have been a part of it!

What are you doing now?

Currently I am finishing my degree in Geology at Georgia Southern University. I carry with me the skills I have learned working in the NPS as an intern everyday. As I finish this degree, I have been traveling the southeast doing field studies in many disciplines like mineralogy, petrology, structural geology, sedimentation, stratigraphy, and others! I was given the opportunity to also speak at the 2023 Fall Convocation and teach the Class of 2027 some of the values I have learned from my summer experience. I was also able to serve as the Head Delegate for our Model United Nations Team in the New York National Model United Nations Conference in the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA).

Bianca with the rest of the Fish and Feathers interns at Rocky Mountain National Park (she is in the split)

Photo Courtesy of Bianca Joseph

What are your goals after your internship at an NPS site?

After leaving Big Thicket National Preserve, I planned to continue cultivating the seed of stewardship, enjoyment, and preservation at my university and want to pursue a career in environmental policy and law or resource management. I am beyond convinced that this opportunity has set me apart and that this goal can now be met. In a beautiful and poetic way, after my internship with Environment for the Americas at this park, my outlook on the world shifted. I not only see myself as capable of doing what my heart desires, I now see myself as equipped. I cannot thank the NPS enough for allowing me to receive this experience and I cannot wait for my next step. Bianca signing off!

Have a question about Youth or Young Adult Programs? Please e-mail us. Learn more about what we do. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).