FNR Field Report - Gloria Aichinger
Sophomore wildlife major Gloria Aichinger spent her summer as a seasonal laborer at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota after applying for the position on USAjobs.com.
As part of the north unit, Gloria performed custodial, mowing and lawn care duties along with planting trees, working on fencing, welding, carpentry and road maintenance (patching potholes). She also earned her ROV certification and participated in telemetry surveys for elk.
“I learned a lot about working for the federal government and about natural resource management within national parks,” the Battle Ground, Indiana, native said. “I got to learn more about wildlife management through elk surveys and learn about what the parks are doing to manage feral horse populations. I also ogot to learn more about soils, plants and wildlife dynamics, which I learned in my classes last year.”
It wasn’t always easy, but Gloria said the experience had many positives.
“The hardest part of working a full-time, heavy physical labor job is the summer heat, but it was so worth it,” she shared. “My favorite part was getting to live in the provided housing in the part and see unique wildlife like bison, bighorn sheep and prairie dogs every day. Some of my favorite times were hanging out with the other seasonal staff, doing game nights and cookouts. I had a great boss who always taught me new things about the area, its history and maintenance.”
After two summers working as a seasonal laborer at Prophetstown State Park, including custodial, mowing and carpentry duties, Gloria enjoyed getting a taste of her dream job.
“I’ve always wanted to work for a national park since I was little and this was just my first step to becoming a permanent wildlife employee in the parks system,” she noted.
As for now, Gloria plans to continue participating in Purdue’s Outing Club and looks forward to attending FNR’s Summer Practicum next summer.
A collage of images from Gloria Aichinger's summer 2026 internship at Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Planting cottonwood samplings; a large bull bison that walked by Gloria's work truck; a beautiful sunset over the park as a storm rolled in. Row 2: Patching potholes on the road; one of the longhorns who lives on the property; a local rodeo Gloria attended with her roommates. Row 3: Gloria's UTV down around the woods and Little Missouri River; Row 4: Relaxing at a July 4 cookout; a family of bighorn sheep; Gloria with her boss's cat Mandy. Featured Stories
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