Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park
I knew I would have to do an internship for my degree program, but I had no clue what I wanted to do and where to find opportunities. Throughout this past spring semester, I applied for numerous internships on Handshake, a site similar to LinkedIn. Handshake is a great career site because employers are on the site to exclusively hire college students for jobs and internships. Handshake lets you post your classes, extracurriculars, projects, skills, and even a copy of your resume for employers to see. It also allows you to apply for these job and internships right through the site.
I interviewed for a few different opportunities, but after I applied for my current position (as the Maintenance Facility Intern) with the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, my now-supervisor messaged me back fairly quickly. I did two interviews: a phone interview and one in person. I was offered the opportunity shortly after this and was excited to get started.
When most people think of jobs within the National Park Service, they tend to think of park rangers. However, this is not what I’ve been doing. I’m interning with the maintenance department of the park service, more specifically, within the business side of the maintenance department. We are in charge of putting together reports and project proposals to ensure the overall upkeep of the parks and their buildings. This work is more business and administrative and is in an office setting the majority of the time. Staff does go out to the different parks, but they are not at the parks all the time like a park ranger.
Most of my responsibilities consist of administrative work. This consists of filing, sending out email, and taking notes during meetings. I have been given bigger projects as well like being in charge of chemical inventory and making emergency evacuation plans for all the park’s visitor centers. The Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Parks include Chancellorsville, Chatham Manor, Fredericksburg Battlefield, as well as a few other minor sites. I’ve had to go out to these sites pretty frequently to ensure the accuracy of my evacuation plans and for any other tasks I have been given.
I’ve also learned a lot about how the National Park Service works to help communities across the United States to preserve and enhance local heritage and recreational opportunities. One day we had a little free time, and my supervisor took me to Ellwood’s Manor. I had never been here before; it is most famously known for Stonewall Jackson’s arm being buried there. We took the tour of the house that is offered by local volunteers. I’ve learned a lot about the local history that surrounds us in the Fredericksburg area, and it’s been really fun.
I’ve been very fortunate to be in this position. The work environment has been terrific with a strong emphasis on teamwork. Everyone I’ve worked with has been extremely kind and helpful. This has been a very positive learning experience and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Park Service so far.