Welcome

My name is Christina Gore. I am sixteen and going to be a junior at Novato High School in the fall. I created this blog to record my experiences during my internship at the Marine Mammal Center through the 2007 MCOE/ROP School To Career Internship Program.

My Resume

CHRISTINA GORE
Phone/Voice mail (415) 847-7677 • E-mail: McScottishPlay@aol.com
456 Alameda de le Loma, Novato, CA 94949



OBJECTIVE
To gain knowledge and hands-on experience with marine mammals that can assist me later in me future career as a marine biologist.



SKILLS AND INTERESTS
Very interested in marine mammals
Highly motivated
Eager to learn
Extremely dedicated
Punctual and hardworking
Outgoing
EXPERIENCE
ROP/STC Classes 6/23-7/25
Internship at Marine Mammal Center 15 hours


EDUCATION
Novato High School 2005-2009 Currently a sophomore
Novato, CA 94947 Taking AP Biology next year



References available upon request

Internship Description

At my internship, I was originally assigned to specimen preparation the first day. I worked on clearing bones from various marine mammals so that they can one day be used to educate the public. After a while, I left specimen preparation and went to Pier 39 to educate the public about the sea lions.
Since then, I have worked more on a porpoise skull and replacing teeth in a dolphin.

Organization Overview

The Marine Mammal Center is a rescue and rehabil- itation center for marine mammals. The Marine Mammal Center usually cares for sea lions and a variety of seals. The reason for caring for the animals is usually poor health, injuries, malnutrition, and in the case of pups, abandonment. Currently the Marine Mammal Center is caring for thirty-five northern sea lions, twenty-one pacific harbor seals, five northern elephant seals, one steller sea lion, and one Guadalupe fur seal. The number of patients changes during a release of the animals back into the wild. This happens every few months, because the goal of the Marine Mammal Center is not to ever keep a seal or sea lion, but to get them back into the wild as soon as possible.

Organization Structure and Culture

The MMC is made up almost entirely of volunteers, adult and youth. The veteranarians, scientists, and full0time workers are hired and paid by the MMC. Each day is split up into morning and evening crews, and each crew has a leader who everyone reports to. There are mainly adults on each crew, and usually 1 to 3 youth volunteers on each crew.
Everyone is treated as an equal at the MMC, and help can be asked by anyone, for anyone.

Career Path to the Top

I will take advanced math and science classes, in addition to English and comprehension classes, and get a Bachelor’s degree or more in zoology, animal biology, animal behavior, or animal physiology at a University of California
As a zoologist or wildlife biologist, there are 100 openings in California a year, and they make anywhere from $29,400 to $88,300 yearly.

How My Internship Fits/Does Not Fit My Future

It Fits My Future Because
-Working closely with marine mammals
-Benefits the marine mammals, not the people working with them

It Doesn't Fit My Future Because
-Will work with cetaceans, not pinnipeds
-Work more with behavior rather than just animal care and educating