Growing up, Joseph (Ozzie) Miller often explored the cow pasture and woods by his house and watched “Wild Kratts,” an educational children’s television series focused on zoology, ecology, and biology.
Now, he’s majoring in environmental & field biology at Ohio Northern University with plans to become a researcher or rehabilitation specialist focused on wild birds of prey.
Thanks to Polar Career Center, part of the Center for Student Success, Ozzie engaged in an impactful internship this past summer at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary in Mansfield, Ohio.
The Polar Career Center not only aided Ozzie with resume and cover letter development, but offered him, following his successful application, a Career Services Internship Award to supplement the pay he received from the non-profit organization.
The Career Services Internship award provides financial assistance to students participating in a valuable experiential learning experience such as an internship, shadowing, or research, that is unpaid or underpaid.
As an education intern at the Ohio Bird Sanctuary, Ozzie helped care for and train birds. He conducted educational programs for children and community members, sharing information about bird species and conservation efforts while showcasing several rehabilitated birds.
“It’s an amazing feeling to talk to people about birds while a red-tailed hawk is perched on your hand.”
In addition to Maverik the red-tailed hawk, Ozzie worked with Maple the barred owl, Blaze and Pippin, both peregrine falcons, and Edgar the crow. He helped train Edgar to use his “stashing” behavior to put aluminum cans into a recycling bin.
In the course of the summer, Ozzie gained expertise in understanding in handling the different bird species.
“I learned how to identify signs that they were becoming distressed and how to interpret their behavior.”
He’s grateful for the help of the Polar Career Center, and knows his summer internship will make his resume stand out. After graduation, he plans to attend graduate school or launch a career related to kites, a bird of prey found in Florida and South Carolina.
“My passion it to make a change in the world and help preserve these bird species.”