Information for ...
A Changemaker is ... Rebecca Miller '12
Feeding baby squirrels? Adorable.
Watching vultures get sick? Not so much.
As a volunteer at the Wildlife
Center of Virginia, Rebecca Miller ’12
has experienced both the highs and
lows of being an animal caretaker.
Thanks to the changemaker internship
program — introduced during the
2008–09 academic year as part of
President Pamela Fox’s Student
Stimulus Package — Miller is one step
closer to making her dream of
becoming a zoo vet a reality.
… motivated: “When I saw the position I said, ‘I love it!’” Miller said.
The Wildlife Center internship is one of the most sought after of the changemaker
jobs, according to Dixie Daniel, financial aid counselor. Even though Miller is
only 17 years old and was up against 25 other talented MBC students also interested
in the position, the PEG student was persistent — constantly making phone
calls and making sure she provided more references than required. The
sophomore spends more than seven hours each week at the center, in addition to
a full class schedule and a part-time job as a barista.
… committed: To make sure her dream of being a veterinarian becomes a reality, Miller has pursued several extracurricular opportunities in her hometown of Hickory, North Carolina, to learn about animal medicine. This included working in a vet clinic where she assisted in surgical procedures and volunteering her time at the Catawba Science Center as a “science ambassador.” Miller plans to use the credits she’s earning as an intern toward vet school.
… compassionate: “It’s really interesting, the way animals are brought in,” Miller said. From opossums to owls, squirrels to turtles, animals taken in by the Waynesboro facility are often hit by cars or attacked by household pets and are in need of rehabilitation. Despite having to deal with the unpleasant task of cleaning up after the occasional sick vulture, the work is both enlightening and rewarding. “It’s going very well. I’m part of the rehab staff so I get to feed baby squirrels at least three times a day. They’re so cute.”
This article originally appeared in the October 6, 2009 edition of The Cupola.