NCC: Land Lines – Meet NCC’s 2024 summer interns: Nicole Aronitz
Nicole Aronitz, NCC intern 2024 (Photo by NCC)
Based on my xperience as the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC) internal communications and culture intern the fellow conservation interns are lovely to chat with, as they share a genuine passion for conservation. Calgary-based intern Nicole Aronitz discussed how her work with NCC made her more aware and appreciative of the importance of conservation in Canada.
Nicole is the volunteer program intern for southern Alberta. She studied biology at the University of Western Ontario and this is where she also learned about NCC and our work.
“It’s been on my radar for a while as I was searching for internships,” she said. “I’ve actually read some of NCC’s stories online, too, so that also made me interested in learning more about the organization.”
Nicole added that the NCC internship was a perfect fit for her passions: science and meeting new people.
As she began her internship, she became more aware of the invasive species issue in southern Alberta and how prevalent it is there.
“I’ve been working with our invasive species team in Alberta for weed pulls and outreach events, and I discovered that people want to learn more and help on that issue,” she says. “I’ve also learned how to inform interested people in helping with the invasive species issue through simple ways, such as volunteering in events.” For Nicole, these issues have made her more appreciative of the biodiversity and ecosystems in Alberta.
Nicole is open to learning more about species identification and the history of NCC properties that she visits. “I’d like to hone those skills more, since I believe it would be helpful when doing volunteer events.”
Outside of her NCC internship, Nicole is also open to trying new hobbies, such as rock climbing, playing the guitar and the piano, painting, sculpting and park roller skating. “I’m trying to enjoy the summer as much as I can, so it has been great since I get to spend time with my family and friends,” she shares.
When asked about any advice she would give future NCC interns in her position, she said that they should definitely apply thanks to the abundance of support from NCC staff who are willing to help. “Also, when you are in the field, be prepared to do a lot of weeding and walking in the sun,” she shares. “You’ll see cool things, so it is all worth the effort.”
About the Author
Kyla Cortez is the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s internal communications & culture intern for the summer of 2024. She is currently doing a double major in English and book and media studies at the University of Toronto. Aside from journalism and academics, she loves birds, going to parks and travelling to different places.
