Catie Esslinger is an Early Childhood Education major who was lured away from the classroom by the call of the wild.

Her new workplace is the American Star, a 100-foot boat that Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center uses to give clients the thrill of a lifetime off the coast of New Jersey. Esslinger signed on for an unpaid summer internship to beef up her resume. She wants to combine her education background with her love of animals to teach people about marine wildlife.

Her role as a research assistant is a combination of teaching and data collection. While she is on the water, she talks to guests about horseshoe crabs, whales, and dolphins. “When we see a whale, we record the time and location and observe their behavior,” she explains.

Esslinger is aboard the American Star on Mondays for its sunset trip (6-8 p.m.) and on Tuesdays for the morning and afternoon trips, which keep her busy from 9 to 4:30.

She estimates that customers see whales – usually humpback and North Atlantic right whales – about sixty percent of the time. Sightings of dolphins are more common. Occasionally, guests can view hammerhead sharks and sea turtles.

“I love seeing animals in their natural habitat. Some whales can be as big as a school bus.”

On each trip, there are 2-3 interns, the captain, two naturalists, and a staff member who runs the shop and snack bar on the enclosed lower level. The typical crowd is 50-60 per trip.

“I started looking at places around Cape May where I could combine my interests in education and animals,” Esslinger says. “I landed the position at Cape May Whale Watch and got another volunteer job at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine.”

She is down the shore every Saturday through Tuesday before coming home to Conshohocken to pick up some cash as a waitress.

Esslinger hopes to catch on with one of the New Jersey companies full-time. “If not, it’s great experience for me to add to my resume.”

100% of Neumann undergraduate majors require a clinical, field, or internship experience. To learn more about our internship program, please visit the Office of Career and Professional Development.