“It’s about getting out there and making a difference, and having something to show for it at the end. You never know what you are going to find.” – Beth McCarthy, SCA Great Lakes Region Recruiter

There are many ways to serve your country, and not all of them entail signing up for four years to life in the military. Another way to become involved is to apply to work for the U.S. National Park System through the Student Conservation Association.

The SCA is a nonprofit organization that offers hundreds of four- to 12-month internships in national parks from coast to coast. Anyone with a high school diploma is eligible to apply.

SCA internships provide a wide array of opportunities. Some internships are backcountry, meaning that the intern will be working away from any major base and will have little contact with others. On the other end of the spectrum, a visitor services intern works directly with park visitors. They give tours and work with many other people.

There’s not much money involved, and interns that are accepted are not responsible for any fees.

“I think one of the really interesting things is that nobody does this to make money, but everyone who participates walks away better for it,” said Beth McCarthy, the SCA Great Lakes Region recruiter.

If a Wisconsin student is accepted into an SCA program in, say, Olympic National Park in Washington, the student is initially responsible for paying for transportation to and from the park. The intern then sends the receipts for travel to the SCA, and within a few weeks the SCA will reimburse all travel costs. Be it plane, train or car, all expenses will be covered, including hotel stays and gas.

Housing is supplied at every site and is also paid for by the SCA. Housing conditions vary as much as the parks do. Interns live anywhere from a double-wide trailer to a farm house, a brand new employee housing complex or a tent.

A weekly allowance is provided on a debit card, the amount depending on how long an internship is. For a four-month or less internship $75 a week is provided. For over four months, the intern receives $160 per week. Free health insurance is provided for interns serving over six months, and everyone receives accident insurance.

“The living expenses are designed for things like food and gas, not a car or an iPod,” said McCarthy. “It’s not a lot of money, but you more or less break even.”

After the internship has been completed, the intern is eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Award, which ranges from $1000 for three months to $4700 for a year. This award is then applied toward student loans.

In addition, interns have the option of deferring their student loans during their internship. No payments are required during the deferment, and no interest is accrued during that time.

Applying for internships through the SCA is done online. The application is extremely thorough. The SCA wants to know everything they can about the applicants, from classes they have taken to special skills they’ve picked up along the way.

Environmental science and biology majors aren’t the only ones who should apply. “I would recommend the SCA to anyone who is serious about service. It’s not about your major or your year. We certainly have some programs with specific skill sets, but we also want people who want to try something new,” said McCarthy. “It’s about getting out there and making a difference, and having something to show for it at the end. You never know what you are going to find.”

Ninety percent of SCA applicants have or are pursuing a college degree. Of the top 10 represented colleges and universities in the SCA, the University of Wisconsin ranked number one in the 06-07 year. Eighty-one percent of SCA members are between the ages of 18 and 24.

Whether you are a high school graduate, and college student or a college graduate, the SCA probably has an internship that would suit your interest. All available internships can be found online at www.thesca.org, with all necessary information provided.

“For myself, my experience with the SCA taught me that I can survive in an isolated situation. There were no restaurants, bars or grocery stores for miles and miles, and I actually enjoyed myself,” said McCarthy. “I think that people can really learn a lot about themselves. But ask yourself: If I took this internship, can I see myself doing this?”

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