Pi Phi Summer; Emily

Our sisters sure do some wild things, literally! Our biology-inclined sisters have been doing some fun things. We last heard from senior Brittany, who lived in the rainforest studying biodiversity. Now we'll hear from senior Emily K., who spent her summer working around some slightly less wild animals at the National Zoo in DC.

"This summer I had the amazing opportunity to work at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. No, I didn't play with the pandas or feed the lions. My zoo experience wasn't exactly what you'd expect. I was the web intern in the communications department, which was a fascinating and fun opportunity to explore my interest in field of science communications. I worked on everything from researching zoo history to developing content for our animal Olympic-themed social media campaign. What I loved the most was how unique and strange the day-to-day events and challenges were. Working with animals is unpredictable. Every birth is a media sensation, especially for any of the dozens of endangered species that call the Zoo their home. The Zoo is passionate about conservation and research. They're doing some pretty amazing things for wildlife. It was rewarding to be part of the team that gets to help educate and inspire the public about all of that work. Yes, there were some privileges. I got to help socialize a kiwi bird, go behind the scenes with the Asian elephants, and much more! Plus, I spent my lunch breaks hanging out by the adorable cheetah cubs or Asian-small clawed otters. It definitely wasn't your average summer internship."

Along with that, Emily traveled to Eugene, Oregon to volunteer in the US Track & Field Olympic Trials.

"Volunteering in the trials was an absolute blast. As a track athlete, it was amazing to be around so many people who are enthusiastic about the sport. The trials themselves were very exciting. Watching elite athletes go for their Olympic dreams was inspiring to say the least."