Internships:

We are now accepting applications for our Avian Care and Rehabilitation Internships, Avian Care and Education Internships, and Avian Care and Research internships for Summer 2025.

The Avian Care and Rehabilitation internship is appropriate for undergraduate students majoring in Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Wildlife and Fisheries Resources, or related fields. We are able to accept several summer rehabilitation interns. Our internships are unpaid at this time. For more information and how to apply, click here.
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The Avian Care and Education internship is appropriate for students interested in animal training; husbandry of captive wild birds; and environmental education and interpretation. We are able to accept several summer education interns. Our internships are unpaid at this time. For more information and how to apply, click here.

The Avian Care and Research internship is appropriate for undergraduate students majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Resources, Environmental Science, Animal Science, and related fields, although students passionate about avian conservation from other majors are welcome to apply as well. For more information and how to apply, click here.

Intern Emma Curry (2023) helps with an injured American robin.

​Work Study:

The ACCA is an official Community Partner of West Virginia University; WVU students who qualify for Federal Work Study are encouraged to apply to work for us–and get paid! Once you accept your Work Study award, you can search for our job posting on Handshake (#3803393). For questions about qualifying for and accepting a Work Study award, please visit WVU’s Student Financial Services website.

​Alumni:

We are extremely proud of each and every one of our interns, externs, and work study students. They’ve gone on to do wonderful things, and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next. We’re delighted that they’re part of the ACCA family! These are just a few of the wonderful folks who have completed internships, externships, or work studies with us:
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Dr. Walker Roberts

Walker was the ACCA’s first undergraduate intern in 2012. She earned her BS from West Virginia University and her DVM from the University of Florida's College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a small animal and exotic vet in Florida, where she provides care for hundreds of birds, including parrots, raptors, and corvids. We are very proud of Walker, and celebrate all of her successes.

Dr. Sarah Dunaway Cerpa​

Sarah was an ACCA undergraduate intern in 2014 as well as a fourth-year veterinary extern in 2019. She earned her DVM from Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and is now working in rural West Virginia, bringing exotic animal medicine to a previously small-animal only clinic. Thank you for your commitment to birds and all animals, Sarah!

Julia Fregonara

Julia Fregonara was an ACCA intern in 2016. She earned her degree in Biology from the College of Wooster and now works in Olympia, Washington as an environmental educator, connecting students to the amazing natural world around them.

McKenzie Livengood

McKenzie was an ACCA intern in 2018. She received her BS from West Virginia University and currently is a veterinary student with an interest in small animal and exotic animal medicine. She is a DVM Candidate, Class of 2024, at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. We know McKenzie will make an excellent veterinarian!

Meadow Arbogast

Meadow graduated from West Virginia University in 2021 with a Wildlife and Fisheries Resources degree. She was a work study with the ACCA from 2020-2021; after graduating, she completed an Animal Care Internship with the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines, Alaska, where she expanded her bird training experience.

Bennett Spernak

Bennett graduated from WVU in 2021 with a BS in Wildlife & Fisheries Resources. He volunteered with the ACCA for two years, completed a summer internship with us, and then worked for the ACCA as a WVU Work Study. Bennett is interested in all aspects of managing wildlife living under human care, including bird training and designing enrichment opportunities.