CAFNR Connections Mentor

CAFNR Connections

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Publications

Dec. 2007: Vol. 2, No. 3
June 2007: Vol. 2, No. 2
April 2007: Vol. 2, No. 1
Dec. 2006: Vol. 1, No. 4
Aug. 2006: Vol. 1, No. 3
June 2006: Vol. 1, No. 2
Feb. 2006: Vol. 1, No. 1

Kelly Diedring

Kelly Diedring has always been interested in wildlife conservation. In fact, she says that whenever anyone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would invariably respond that she wanted to be a giraffe.

Although unable to fulfill that dream, she was able to find a career that allowed her to be a voice for animals and the environment with a degree in fisheries and wildlife from the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

As a student, Diedring approached her studies with the same exuberance that she brought to the field as a Tigers cheerleader. She participated in the Study Abroad program in Australia where she completed two internships – one at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, and another at a nearby wildlife park. She also worked as an intern at the St. Louis Zoo, did volunteer work for the MU "Tigers for Tigers" program, and attended summer school in order to graduate early, all while working part-time at a veterinary hospital.

"I took advantage of every program I possibly could," Diedring says. "I am very passionate about making a difference and promoting public education about animal and environmental conservation, so experiencing as many aspects as possible was and still is my goal."

Diedring now works as a Zoo Education Specialist at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Fla., a dream job that she says might not have been attainable if not for the opportunity she had to supplement her passion for wildlife conservation with the experience she received while a student at CAFNR. She extends this same advice to current students who are looking to work in her field, or any field.

"The more diverse, relevant experiences they participate in, the better they look to employers," Diedring says. "There is nothing like genuine passion and hands-on experience to impress a potential employer."

In keeping with her character, Diedring jumped at the opportunity to become a mentor.

"As a student, I wish I had someone to give me some 'real-world' advice," Diedring says. "When asked to participate in the program, I was delighted. Helping others to make well-informed decisions is what I do in the education department at Busch Gardens, so mentoring college students is a natural progression. It also keeps me in touch with what is going on in their world."

Brian James, a senior in animal sciences, says that he contacted Diedring because he was looking for an internship at the St. Louis Zoo.

"She said that she had an internship there and described it for me," says James. "She also mentioned many other internship opportunities and organizations I can contact if I had other interests."

Bill Kurtz, former director of undergraduate studies for the School of Natural Resources, says that the thing that set Diedring apart from many of her fellow students was her perseverance.

"From early on, she focused on a career as someone who educated others about wild animals," Kurtz says. "She worked really hard at developing educational growth experiences."

According to Kurtz, Diedring's determination also won her the top prize, an opportunity to host her own hour-long special, on the Animal Planet competition series "King of the Jungle."

"She would just hang in there on all of the different aspects of that competition, and came out on top," Kurtz says. "That was interesting to me because a good number of the other competitors had more scientific credentials. However, her drive and presence carried her through."

Diedring cautions students to temper their idealism with realism and stresses that students who have rigid ideas of what their lives will be like after graduation might not be the best equipped for the working world.

"Follow your passion, and be flexible," Diedring says. "The real world isn't the picture you have in your head as a student, but it is a great adventure waiting to be discovered!"