Teagan Mabrysmith ’27 was conducting research with ԱƵ’s Ireland Study Group in spring 2026 when she learned she had received summer internship funding. The pre-med, molecular biology major used her support from ԱƵ to work as a research intern at the Organization for Tropical Studies in South Africa — an otherwise unaffordable opportunity that pushed her out of her comfort zone.
The project, conducted through the Skukuza Science Leadership Initiative’s Women in Science course Fire, Elephants, and Biodiversity, tracks how elephants’ destructive behaviors (like pushing down trees while foraging or clearing paths) impact the ecosystem.
“I was only one of a couple people native to the United States,” Mabrysmith said. “Everyone else was in their late 20s — all these really powerful women from all over southern Africa — getting PhDs and doing research. I felt so out of place at first.”
That feeling didn’t last long.
The group hiked and camped through South Africa’s Kruger National Park to conduct field research. Days began at 5:30 a.m., heading to field sites to record bird calls and sightings, one of Mabrysmith’s favorite parts. The rest of the day was spent at plots with varying levels of bush encroachment, where the team tagged and released mice they captured overnight. The group measured vegetation, logging plant types and heights.
High grass, thorny brush, and the occasional warthog hole made the terrain tough. After fieldwork, the group returned to base camp to enter data, then unwound with game drives and cards. “Keeping morale high while you’re hiking with a thorn in your foot, and you see a lion, and you’re scared — it’s a really stressful, really valuable experience,” Mabrysmith shared.
The experience has inspired Mabrysmith to commit to ecology and global medicine. She learned the importance of good data collection habits and taking time to share and absorb the information. She also grew close to her colleagues, whose willingness to try new things pushed Mabrysmith to do the same.
Thanks to summer funding, “a million doors opened, and I got to do something I never thought I would get to do,” Mabrysmith said. “I’m so glad I took that leap.”
ԱƵ and its generous donors offer grants to support students’ living costs and supplemental expenses to pursue unpaid and underpaid summer experiences. Learn more about ԱƵ Summer Internship Funding.