Q&A with MANO Project Interns at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

By Chantelle Ruidant-Hansen, Jazciel Solis, and Tanya Helbig

Tanya Helbig (left), Jazciel Solis (center), Chantelle Ruidant-Hansen (right)

NPS Photos

What is your name and job title?

Chantelle: Hi! My name is Chantelle Ruidant-Hansen and I am the Bilingual Park Guide at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. Before this job, I was the Community Outreach and Education Fellow through Hispanic Access Foundation (now the MANO Project) and then the Community Outreach Intern through the Latino Heritage Internship Program both at the San Antonio Missions! I did these internships while pursuing my Masters in Anthropology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. It took a while to get to where I am today!

Jazciel: Hello, my name is Jazciel. I am a senior at Our Lady of the Lake University and I’m currently the Tricentennial Media & Community Engagement Intern at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park during the tricentennial year of Mission San José. I am an intern through the Latino Heritage Internship Program.

Tanya: Hola! My name is Tanya Helbig and I am the Community Engagement Intern at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park through the Hipanic Access Foundation, specifically the MANO Project. Currently for the summer I am also a Latino Heritage Intern. I am also a senior at St. Mary’s University pursuing a bachelors in environmental science.

How did you get involved with your internship program?

Tanya: Two years ago, I was looking for internships with the National Park Service and I came across the Latino Heritage Internship Program. I looked at the deadline to apply and with my luck the deadline was the next day. I panicked and luckily managed to apply in time. My first internship was with Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Seattle,Washington, and ever since then,I have been doing internships with the NPS. Now I work for the San Antonio Missions through the Hispanic Access Foundation and hopefully I can continue my journey with the NPS.

What inspired you to choose an internship with the National Park Service?

Jazciel: I have always found peace and enjoyed nature. I regularly go bike riding at Mission Espada, and I admire the preserved missions and the native species that live there. I wanted to help my community and the National Park Service is a great way to give back to the community and nature.

Now wearing a ranger uniform, Chantelle was previously a park intern through a program with the Hispanic Access Foundation.

NPS Photo

What does your job involve? / What is a typical day like?

Chantelle: As a Park Guide, I see and talk to visitors all day (well, that is pre-covid of course). Sometimes I am within the Visitor Center helping visitors get information, answering questions, answering phone calls, managing the park film, or swearing in Junior Rangers, but the best part of my job is taking a group of visitors for a guided walk through a mission. During these guided walks, I get to be creative and thoughtful while still giving historical information about the site. I love helping visitors understand the importance of where they are in relation to world history, as well as understanding the people that have lived in the region for thousands of years. Through these guided programs, I leave visitors with something more than a pretty building to remember these missions by.

What is the most rewarding part of your internship?

Chantelle: The Latino Heritage Internship program as well as the MANO project fellowship gave me huge rewards. These rewards are the experience of working with the National Park Service, finding new interests and talents, and the ability to apply non-competitively to a park ranger position. Ultimately this led to a job that I love, and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Tanya: The most rewarding part of my internship is the lifelong connections I have made along the way. The Latino Heritage Internship Program allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and become a steward for the environment and an advocate for diversity within the NPS. I am so grateful to have been a part of such a rewarding program.

How has your cultural heritage or anything from your background influenced your or tied into your work? / What about your heritage would you like to share with others?

Chantelle: I have worked at San Antonio Missions National Historical Park for a little more than three years, and as the months and years go by, I feel a stronger connection to this land. The more I learn about the native people and the use of the natural resources available to us in this region, the more I think about my ancestral roots. I am a Latina with a percentage of indigenous ancestry in the specific regions of South Texas and Northern Mexico, this fact makes me wonder how similar my native ancestors were to those that entered into the San Antonio Missions 300 years ago. Did my ancestors join a Spanish colonial mission? They likely did. This personal connection makes my job as an educator of these facts and stories even more special.

Tanya: Both of my parents are immigrants and since a young age they have instilled in me a love for the environment. Being of Mexican and German descent has made me realize that my cultural roots are worldwide and that no piece of land is more important than another. My heritage has made me appreciate this planet and all its natural resources. This love and passion for the environment is what led to me to pursue a degree in Environmental Science and also work for the NPS. Everyday whether it be through work or my studies I strive to bring awareness to our natural resources to secure their preservation for generations to come.