Students have been selected for the Fall 2008 and Winter 2009 sessions. The application period for Fall 2009 and Winter 2010 will be April 1–24, 2009.
Keep in touch
If you want to get the latest news about what's happening at the San Diego Zoo, and the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, subscribe to one or more of our e-newsletters here.
Contact us
Teachers and students with more questions about Zoo InternQuest or the Virtual InternQuest may contact the program coordinator using our online form.
The Zoo InternQuest program is made possible through the generosity of the Samuel I. & John Henry Foundation at Union Bank of California.
Education: Zoo InternQuest
Students in Zoo InternQuest may get to observe animal medical procedures.
Join us online as the Zoo InternQuest interns report their discoveries while exploring the world of specialized careers at the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, and our conservation and research division (CRES). Read about the interns' adventures on the Zoo InternQuest Blog.
About Zoo InternQuest
Zoo InternQuest is a program that provides San Diego-area high school students interested in pursuing careers in the life sciences (biology, zoology, human or veterinary medicine, wildlife management, botany, etc.) with the opportunity to learn from Zoo and Wild Animal Park experts. Students in this program learn about such subjects as conservation, pathology, genetics, veterinary medicine, animal behavior, reproductive physiology, ecology, and more by visiting the job sites, labs, and animal exhibit areas where experts in these fields spend their days. Though each term is different, students in each session visit a wide variety of professionals and locations.
Zoo InternQuest participants also receive all the necessary training to create blogs of their experiences, illustrated with digital photos. They also communicate with Virtual Interns throughout the world on the blogs.
Interns create online journals about their experiences in the Zoo's Education Computer Lab.
Virtual InternQuest
Individual students or whole classrooms anywhere in the world can view past Zoo InternQuest sessions through the Internet.
InternQuest Obligations
The group meets at the San Diego Zoo or Wild Animal Park three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) from 3–5 p.m. over seven weeks. Some sessions may require an earlier meeting time. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the San Diego Zoo.
Wednesdays and Thursdays are spent with Zoo experts, and Tuesdays are dedicated to creating the blogs in the Zoo's Computer Lab. Journals are written either on home computers or in the Computer Lab on the intern's own time. Blogs will be completed in the lab during the Tuesday meeting.
Please note the scheduled dates for each semester. Each intern will be responsible for attending all meetings on time.
Eligibility
- Applicants must be in grade 10 or 11and attending a San Diego County school. Students apply in the spring of their sophomore or junior year and participate the following school year.
- Students must have a 3.0 (B) grade point average or better.
- Students must demonstrate a commitment to conservation or the environment.
- Two letters of recommendation are required: one from a science instructor and a second from a teacher, career counselor, school administrator, or other adult who can recommend the applicant for this program.
- The application includes two writing prompts. Student writing samples will be critiqued for accuracy, quality, style, content, and grammar.
Application period
Applications for the Fall 2009 and Winter 2010 sessions will be accepted April 1–24, 2009. Click here to download the application. Applications are not accepted online or via fax. Qualified candidates are interviewed and chosen shortly thereafter.
Note for Teachers
More information on using Zoo InternQuest and other San Diego Zoo Web site resources in the classroom is available in the Teachers' Lounge.
Traditional Internships
Veterinary internships—
For clinical veterinary externships info...
For clinical veterinary residency info...
College Internships— See College Fellowships in Zoo Jobs.
Summer Internships for High School and College Students in the Zoo's Education Department— Informal science education is an important part of our mission. Paid student internships are available for high school and college students, ages 16 and older. There are two versions of the internship: Safari Sleepover student interns and Summer Camp student interns. Safari Sleepover student interns work weekends as part of our overnight camp program. Summer Camp interns work Monday through Friday as part of a teaching team for campers ages 5–12. These positions do not involve any animal contact or animal care. Positions are posted on the Zoo Jobs page around March of each year.
Other Zoo Internships— For information on internships available at zoos and aquariums throughout the United States and Canada, check with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
