Mario Cardoza-Reyes: From Intern to NPS Employee

Photo courtesy of Mario Cardoza-Reyes

Meet Mario Cardoza-Reyes, a new NPS Park Ranger (Multi-Language) at First State National Historical Park!

How did you find yourself at the National Park Service?

My name is Mario Cardoza-Reyes, and I interned with the Latino Heritage Internship Program (LHIP) through Environment for the Americas. I was stationed at First State National Historical Park in the summer of 2023 and served as the Latino Outreach Ambassador. I graduated from Colorado State University in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Languages, Literature, and Cultures (and a concentration in Spanish).

Mario is measuring dragonfly larvae for the Dragonfly Mercury project at Saguaro National Park

Photo courtesy of Mario Cardoza-Reyes

I did not know what the National Park Service was until I was in college, I just thought they were state parks. I decided to major in the outdoors when I visited Rocky Mountain National Park. When I graduated, I was undecided on what to do, as I was still recovering from a motorcycle accident that left me with a traumatic brain injury. I had a stable fun job before I took this internship, but it was not what I wanted to do as a career. That is when I saw this position and decided to take a leap of faith, I guess you can say I picked a straw and drew the arrowhead.

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

I was lucky to land at a site with a healthy supportive work culture. My opinions as an intern were valued and treated professionally. This eased the community building with the visitors, as it was nerve-wrecking at first, but it was ultimately rewarding.

Mario is talking with HR representative Glenn at an end-of-summer intern workshop in D.C.

Photo courtesy of Mario Cardoza-Reyes

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

Because I am bilingual in Spanish and English, I was able to engage with the high number of visitors who primarily spoke Spanish. I was nervous at first, but for that reason, seeing how visitors approached us was a highlight of my internship. Visitors would pause for a moment before proceeding to come up to us and ask questions. Personally, it felt gratifying when I would talk about the National Park Service. The parents’ eyes glistened at the educational services we provided for kids and adults. I wanted to provide information to others that I wish my parents and younger self could have had.

Mario presents his project inside the U.S. Department Of the Interior's building during an end-of-summer intern workshop in D.C.

Photo courtesy of Mario Cardoza-Reyes

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

I was able to connect with parents and their children who spoke Spanish, because it was also my language and culture. These encounters were meaningful because I could really relate to them.

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

At the beginning of my internship, I thought I would get my experience in interpretation and environmental education and come back home and slowly search for a career. Somewhere along the road, I decided I was 100 percent all in for a career as an NPS park ranger. Expect the unexpected at First State National Historical Park!

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