My life after the internship: Erica Locher

This year, we checked in with some of our past interns to find out what came next after their internship ended. Did they stay with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or land another sweet job? We hope they put those skills to good use! Look out for these stories to find out about their life after the internship.

Today, meet Erica Locher. We are so proud of Erica and lucky to work with her. She’ll be modest about it, but this year, she was recently named the Northeast Region’s Visitor Services Professional of the Year because of her outstanding efforts to expand environmental education programming, volunteerism, youth programs, and partnerships at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Find out more about Erica, where she started with us and where she is now.

I began my experience with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with a simple phone call to my local refuge, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge during my junior year of college. I knew nothing about the Service but I knew I wanted to work in wildlife and natural resource conservation after college. I was fortunate that an internship was available with the refuge biologists. A summer internship after junior year led to a temporary position after graduation before joining the Peace Corps.

Erica Locher

During my Peace Corps service in Peru, I worked with my community’s small elementary school and with families to grow organic family gardens and implement a water pump and drip irrigation system to the school’s small orchard. It was an awesome experience!

This is the world map we painted on the side of the school.

When I returned to the states I qualified for a job back at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in the visitor services program. As a park ranger, I provide environmental education and interpretation opportunities for the visiting public, local schools and surrounding community groups.

That’s me leading an environmental education program on the refuge beach.