UTC graduate Madison Roberts was back on campus during the Spring Research and Arts Conference on Wednesday, April 10. Photo by Angela Foster.
Birds, deer and porcupines are all animals Madison Roberts has come to call friends at her Chattanooga Zoo internship.
Roberts graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in December 2023 with a double major in biology and environmental science. During her time at UTC, she was an Innovation in Honors student in the Honors College.
As a Chattanooga native, Roberts knew plenty about the Chattanooga Zoo, but thought all internships were unpaid. While participating in the University’s Wildlife and Zoology Club, she saw an email regarding a paid internship at the zoo.
“I would not have known it became a paid position without the Zoology Club emails. That was what made me want to look into the position,” she said.
Madison Roberts and G
Roberts was accepted into the intern program and began working with the North American and Ambassador Animal groups. Many of the animals are generally unavailable for viewing and are kept in an area where they are cared for. Roberts spends much of her time cleaning and looking after the various species.
Since her graduation, Roberts has been able to ease the switch from full-time college student to young adult life.
“Having the zoo internship has been an easy transition because it’s not full-time so I have had time to do more ‘life stuff.’ What you do next can be the hardest part,” Roberts said. “It’s a cool position because you learn about them at a species and individual levels.”
Her love for animals was not restricted to her work at the zoo. She also worked on an independent research study alongside Dr. Loren Hayes, a UTC professor and associate department head of Biology, Geology and Environmental Science. During this time, Roberts spent nearly every day in the library researching and analyzing data.
“I got this opportunity to research by asking many questions and being engaged in class,” Roberts said. “I say I live on campus even though I live off campus. The library is a good study place; I love the windows and looking over campus. That is probably my favorite spot.”
She spent two years studying the mating system of mammals and defended her thesis in December.
Roberts has continued her work at the Chattanooga Zoo and recently presented her research on campus.
She is unsure what her next step is but plans to stay in Chattanooga for now. She has even applied for another internship at the zoo.
Roberts encouraged anyone hesitant to apply for an internship to take the risk.
“Even if you aren’t sure about the field, it’s a great way to experience it. It’s always good to go through interviews even if it’s nerve-wracking,” Roberts said. “The interviewer is just interested in you being yourself. Many people apply, but it’s still a good experience even if you don’t get one. It’s all a part of the process.”
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Photo courtesy of Madison Roberts
