August 24, 2017

Recent grad Mallory Kimmel ’17 got a glimpse into a job she always wanted during an internship at the Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Gaithersburg, Md.

During 10 weeks in the summer of 2015, she was able to interact with a variety of wild animals, including squirrels, groundhogs, rabbits, baby birds, and sometimes even bats and reptiles.

“My job as an intern was to produce a nutritious diet for the patients, administer drugs, feed and bathe the animals, maintain the grounds, and answer phone calls to educate those who are concerned about an injured animal,” said Kimmel.

Kimmel was first inspired to become an animal conservationist during a trip to South Africa in 2005.

“Getting a fresh perspective at a young age I believe really helped shape me, and allowed me to think more large-scale,” she says.

With Susquehanna’s liberal arts curriculum, she was able to pair an ecology major with her other passion—art.

“I hope that with my dual degree, I may pursue both of my main interests. I hope that maybe 15 years from now a new career comes to exist, and my credentials make me qualified in ways that were unpredictable.

“I aspire to open my own mixed media gallery and pair with an NGO [non-governmental organization]. My hope is to educate the public on conservation, show art that supports the very same and sell pieces that will give some of the proceeds back to the NGO to support global health,” she said.

Kimmel is pursuing a Master’s in Fine Arts at California College of the Arts.