Centre Wildlife Care

Volunteer, Internship and Work Study Opportunities
More information below 

Saturday September 4th
  • Volunteer orientation 1-3 pm - must sign up:  robyn@statecollege.com
Volunteer & Intern Application - PDF file
Volunteer & Intern Application - Word file
Background Check

Volunteer:
 
Centre Wildlife Care, (CWC) takes in wild mammals, bird and reptiles.  Animal care volunteers help feed animals, clean cages and help medicate the animals.  Most volunteers help 2-4 hours per week at the center with animal care.  Some volunteer more hours.  The times that one would volunteer would vary depending on CWC's needs and the volunteer's schedule.  We ask that volunteers work the same shift on a weekly basis if they choose to do animals care.  

We can also use volunteers for other tasks such as fundraising, animal transport, errands, grant writing, painting, computer work and other misc. tasks.  We also need help building/repairing outside pre-release enclosures to prepare the animals for release. Other than animal care, this is our greatest need right now.  

Volunteer Requirements 

Summer Internships 

CWC has part time and full time internship positions available for the summer semester at our facility located in Port Matilda, 10 miles from Penn State main campus.  Since CWC is a small rehabilitation facility, interns would be involved with all aspects of the rehabilitation process, which includes physical exams, care, feeding, cleaning, medical treatments, releases, etc.  Interns would gain experience handling birds, mammals and reptiles.  The possibility exists for interns, depending on their interests, to concentrate on particular projects.   It is not required to do the internship for credit.

Summer is the most interesting time to volunteer or intern because CWC gets 50% of the animals for the year in May and June in the form of orphaned baby wildlife.   Volunteers and interns will get experience feeding and handling a variety of orphaned baby birds and orphaned mammals. 

Summer interns (full & part time) Part time Summer internships are 20 hr/wk for 13 weeks.  Full time internships are 40 hr/wk for 13 wks. 

Summer Internship Requirements 

  • Internship Application due by April 1st
    • Volunteer Application
    • A letter explaining why you want to do an internship
    • 3 references which include name and contact information
  • Attend the volunteer orientation
  • Provide a criminal background check
  •  RVS (rabies vector species) certification
    • Attend the RVS training (offered once a year in April or May)
    • Have proof of rabies vaccines or protective titer within the past 2 years
  • Be available the entire 13 weeks 
  • Be available for additional training before the internship starts 
Note:  Applications may be taken after April 1st until positions are filled.


Spring/Fall Internships (different than summer internships)
 
If you are eligible, you can actually get credit for working at CWC while taking classes full time.  Talk to your advisor on how to set up an independent study or internship.  The amount of time required depends on how many credits and the department requirements per semester credits.   It is typically 40 - 60 hours/semester credit (depending on your department).  The hours are spread out over the semester.  Rabies vaccines are not required for this type of internship.  If you need an advisor, talk to Jana Peters at Penn State main campus at 814-863-4198 for assistance.


Spring/Fall Internship Requirements 

  •  Internship Application due at the start of the semester

Work Study
 
If you are eligible for work study, you can get paid  to work at Centre Wildlife Care.  PSU students apply on e-lion or call Jane Kone at Penn State at  865-6301 or jke1@studentaid.psu.edu  for more information.  FYI...e-mail is the best way to reach Jane.

Housing

Housing is NOT provided for volunteers or interns.

Transportation

One must have their own transportation.  There is no bus service to the CWC location.

Age  

Volunteers and interns must be at least 18 years of age to work with the wildlife.

RVS (Rabies Vector Species) Certification

Any volunteers or interns who wish to work with rabies vectors (bats, raccoons, skunks, coyotes, foxes and ground hogs) must be RVS certified.  To be RVS certified, one must have recent rabies vaccine (or protective titer) and attend the RVS training.  Volunteers that are not RVS certified will not be working with rabies vectors.  Summer interns are required to be RVS certified.  Other volunteers are not required to be RVS certified, but encouraged to attend the training. 

RVS Training

Will Be offered again in the spring of 2011.

Tetanus Vaccines

It is recommended that volunteers and interns are up-to-date on their tetanus vaccines. (within the last 10 years). 

Please sign up!
 
If you are interested in helping as a volunteer, intern or work study, please sign up for an orientation. You do need to be present for the whole orientation to fully benefit.  There is no obligation to volunteer.  You can decide after the orientation if this is right for you. 

Contact Robyn Graboski, director of CWC, at 814-692-0004 or robyn@statecollege.com  

Thank you for your interest in CWC!!!

Volunteer & Intern Application - PDF file
Volunteer & Intern Application - Word file
Background Check

Centre Wildlife Care Home Page

We value your input. Please send your comments to robyn@statecollege.com

Centre Wildlife Care | P.O. Box 572 | Lemont | Pa 16851 | (814) 692-0004

Updated 8-24-10