Virtual Intern Elisha Yellow Thunder Lays the Groundwork for a Career in Science and Resource Management

Why her summer 2020 virtual internship with NPS-OAIA was a vital stepping stone in pursuing her goals

Internships have always been crucial – they offer college students on-the-job training, skills development, and networking opportunities that can’t be accessed from the classroom. This is especially true for students who want to land STEM jobs, and this is across the spectrum from conservation to engineering. But in the face of a pandemic that has made many in-person activities nearly impossible, securing an internship has become a tall order, most notably for diverse students. The VirtualIntern serves as a bridge between diverse students and internship opportunities, removing barriers to access and providing a career launchpad for young people of color. One of those students, Elisha Yellow Thunder, learned the value of the platform firsthand this year.

Thunder interned with the National Park Services’ Office of American Indian Affairs, an opportunity she learned about from a former classmate who’s now employed with the United States Forest Service.

“I thought that this would be perfect for where I want to go with my career,” Thunder said.

During the internship, she spent a great deal of time with her mentors and supervisors. She typically worked five-hour days, six days a week, and her tasks included consolidating a list of tribes that each park superintendent should be consulting with. Internship schedules with the NPS usually require only five days, but Thunder was happy to give more of her time.

“I worked the extra day because I loved my work so much,” she said.

Thunder understood beforehand, and certainly after, that this internship would be so much more than a box to check or a bullet point on her resume.

“This internship was pivotal to my career pursuits. I feel a lot more prepared to enter the workforce now,” she said. She wants to bring science to underrepresented areas like the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, where she currently resides.

Her time with the NPS-OAIA also helped her establish a network of mentors, better understand the best ways to network, and gain access to a wide range of scholarship and funding opportunities.

She was especially fond of the virtual format.

“I was immediately comfortable with my mentors and fellow interns,” she said. “It took from the formality of breaking the ice.” She also appreciated the option of a virtual internship, which showed her that her health and well-being were priorities.

Thunder graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Oglala Lakota College in May, and she has big plans for her professional future.

“I want to teach at a tribal college and mentor more scientific studies with future students,” she said. “I am passionate about creating a space for scientific thought and processes to help tribes mitigate land and natural resources.”

Thunder is currently working toward her Master of Tribal Resource Management and Environmental Stewardship at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and hopes to land the MobilizeGreen Resource Assistantship with the USFS.

She added, “I want to complete as many internships as I can while in graduate school.” In addition to the value, networking, and training, she knows she’s laying the pivotal groundwork for a long-term, rewarding career.