Refuge welcomes summer WoW education intern
Diana Iglesias recently joined the team at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel, thanks to funding through the “Ding” Darling Wildlife Society-Friends of the Refuge.
She will fill the role of bilingual interpreter and translator for the refuge’s Wildlife on Wheels mobile classroom and other educational programs this summer — a role previously filled by her brother, David, during the 2021-22 school year.
Born in New York, Iglesias lived most of her life in Lima, Peru. She graduated from Pontifical Catholic University of Peru in Lima in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering. Before joining the refuge, Iglesias worked in Peru five years in business and business intelligence and later in member services for United Healthcare.
“Diana is fluent in Spanish and English, so she will be such a valuable resource in helping us fulfill our mission to reach the local Latino community,” Urban Education Leader Melissa Maher said. “Our first priority with WoW outreach is to travel to Title I schools and other venues where kids and adults don’t have the opportunity to visit the refuge.”
“I want to learn as much as I can about teaching,” Iglesias said. “I would like to dedicate my working life to teaching, and there is no better school than WoW, and there is no better teacher than Melissa. I hope to learn techniques and be able to develop professionally in this new area.”
When she started on May 16, Iglesias jumped right in visiting Veteran Park Academy of the Arts in Lehigh Acres with WoW. She looks forward to doing more exploring at the refuge and seeing her first roseate spoonbill.
“My experience so far in the refuge and Sanibel Island has been amazing. I hope to meet the whole team soon and walk all the tracts of the refuge,” Iglesias said. “Everyone in the refuge has been truly kind to me and I am very happy and grateful for this opportunity.”
The DDWS provides living stipends and other benefits for about a dozen interns each year.
For more information about the refuge’s internship program or to support it, contact DDWS Associate Director Sierra Hoisington at 239-472-1100, ext. 233.