Allison Strickland Experiences the Zoo Life

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Allison Strickland in front of the zoo gates

FULTON, MO (12/19/2013)(readMedia)-- Allison Strickland spent last summer interning in the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens purchasing department, but ended up experiencing more than she expected-she fed the manatees, too.

A William Woods University senior from Liberty Township, Ohio, Strickland is an accounting, business administration and equine general studies triple major. She wanted experience in an office, and she got it. The purchasing department is responsible for ordering materials, printing everything and taking care of the call center.

"When I found out they had internships, I thought it would be a really interesting and different place to work," Strickland said. "I had also heard it was very difficult to get an internship with them, but it would be a great work environment. I thought if I could get an internship with them it would give me good experience and look good on my resume."

Every day tasks for Strickland included putting postage on mail, checking in packages, answering the phone, pulling items from the warehouse as people requested them and researching different products online to order.

She also reconciled the credit card statements each month, ordered products, collected revenue from throughout the zoo and helped with cash vault duties, like counting revenue and rolling coins.

Even though most of Strickland's experience this summer was in the office, she did get to interact with some of the animals.

"I think the coolest thing I got to do, which had nothing to do with my job, was feed the manatees," Strickland said. "I stood up in the water in the top of their tank and held out lettuce for them until they came up and took it. It was really cool to get so close to them and get to touch them. I also got to see a lot of the animals when they were most active, which is right after they are fed, before the zoo opens."

Although she does not plan to seek a career at a zoo, Strickland enjoyed her internship and will treasure the experience she gained.

"It gave me good business and office experience, and it was a pretty cool environment. It was a really great first internship experience that would be hard to find in many other places."