Health & Fitness
PHS/SPCA Launches Internship Program
In the summer of 1988, I spent time banging on a typewriter to draft press releases as a Palo Alto ad agency intern. This was not Mad Men. It was more like Frazzled Lady (the owner). It was a one-person shop and I was the Boy Friday.
Not sure if it was the fact that I wasn’t getting paid, that it was summer break between my junior and senior years of college or that I couldn’t care less about medical device companies which were the staple of this agency, but I was a lousy intern. In fact, on my second day, I showed up hung-over. Broke into the folk’s liquor cabinet with a friend the night before and we imbibed with the most interesting choice: Crème de menthe. So, I was not only hung over, but my tongue was green – all day.
That same summer, I interned with Mario Alioto in the San Francisco Giants’ Marketing Department. I actually took initiative and pitched the internship to Mario since the Giants had no such program in those days. I escorted special guests to the field for pre-game festivities and ceremonial first pitches and listened to demo cassettes for amateur singers, bands and barber shop quartets who wanted to be considered for national anthems. I asked out one special guest, Miss San Francisco, on a date and she politely declined. Swing and a miss!
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This was back in the day when the Giants would give away a car (well, a Chevy Chevette) at Fan Appreciation Day. In the games leading up to that final regular-season game, they needed some organization schlub to show-off the car and drive it around the field between innings and that schlub was me. One weekday, I arrived early, brought my lunch and sat in the upper deck – the only sole in the stadium. I met Roger Craig – the original Humm Baby – and “borrowed” a personal note pad (which I still have) from General Manager Al Rosen’s office. It was a good gig.
Thoughts of these past internships came to me this week – the week that the Peninsula Humane Society is launching its own internships, pretty good gigs as well, IMHO. We’re offering internships in our Wildlife Rehabilitation & Care Center and in our Behavior & Training Department. Both internships are unpaid volunteer positions open to college grads at least 18 years old.
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A snippet from the Wildlife Rehab internship description: “Learn about the care and feeding of wildlife and basic husbandry skills (you’ll learn this is not about learning to be a husband)…in addition to hands-on experience, interns will receive educational topics for research each week.” And, my favorite part: “Must not be squeamish about preparing meals which may include live grub worms and dead mice.” I never said it was pretty. For this internship, we’re looking for a three-month, 24 hr/wk commitment, with three options: May-July, June-August or July-September.
The Behavior & Training Department internship is also hands-on. You will work with PHS/SPCA trainers during public training classes and assist with the preparation of the training site, working one-on-one with dogs, leading classes and assisting with consultations. Some clerical duties. Good physical stamina needed. This role is also three months (April-June), but 12 hrs/week. Word of caution. We can’t guarantee that you won’t fall in love with one of our dogs or cats and I imagine we’ll be able to discount an adoption fee.
If interested in either opportunity, please review materials posted in the Volunteer section (under “internship Positions”) of our website, phs-spca.org.
If you’re selected, here’s my advice: don’t show up hung-over and don’t take anything from the president’s office! Seriously, these are fantastic opportunities and we’re excited to offer them and see who applies.