The value of your support Q: Can you describe the work that you did while you were at the reserve? ST: My job was a number of things film and photorelated. Mainly it was documenting procedures when the team would tranquilize animals like cheetahs, elephants and rhinos to give them veterinary care. A lot of what I filmed was for fundraising and raising awareness for the African Rhino Conservation Collaboration. When I got there, they put me to work right away. The job gave me lots of experience doing the kind of work I want to do outdoors. And, I had this awesome backdrop - South Africa - with lions, rhinos and cheetahs.
Since developing the Internship Scholarship Program in 2014, TCU has awarded more than 1,000 scholarships to students with low or unpaid internships. One of those students was Sam Tippetts, a senior double major in film, television and digital media and strategic communication from Boerne, Texas. He is extremely grateful for the opportunity to have interned with the Amakhala Game Reserve in South Africa for nearly three months last summer. In the interview that follows, he shares how the internship helped enhance his education. Q: What did your internship involve, and how did it relate to your major? ST: The Amakhala Game Reserve needed someone able to produce video, who was comfortable being outside and who could also take photographs of veterinary procedures on rhinos as well as wildlife footage. When I saw the job description, I jumped at the chance because it was right up my alley. In my career, I want to do outdoor production.
Q: What surprised you about the experience? ST: I was filming a lot of confidential stuff, which is the opposite of what you expect when you think of fundraising and awareness. For instance, I made videos to show why Amakhala Game Reserve was a great place to house rhinos for rhino owners who were concerned about the animals’ safety. That video only went to a specific group because you can’t put out too much information about where these rhinos are or show how big their horns are, or people will want to poach them. The value of this experience is so much more than I would have had at another job. It really was incredible. I can’t say thank you enough.
Q: If you could speak with the donors, what would you tell them? ST: This experience was life-changing. My internship scholarship paid for my plane ticket. There is no way I could have gone without that assistance. I had another potential internship lined up where I could have earned money over the summer, but the value of this experience is so much more than I would have had at another job. It really was incredible. I can’t say thank you enough.
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