Eliza '18 - Cullman Scholar in South Africa
Created in 1983 by Hugh Cullman '42, the Cullman Scholarship Program supports students in off-campus study opportunities. During the summer of 2017, nine scholarship recipients pursued courses of study in topics ranging from serving as a medical intern in Mongolia to studying mindfulness and meditation in Nepal. Recently, Eliza '18 gave a presentation at All School Meeting about her Cullman Scholarship doing Animal Rehabilitation in South Africa.
Here’s Eliza:
My Cullman Scholarship was by far the best experience of my life. My journey in South Africa began at the Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education (C.A.R.E.) I was welcomed by the smiling faces of volunteers and staff from across the globe. I spent the next two weeks taking care of all aspects of animal husbandry for 445 baboons and seventeen domestic pets. Because all but four baboons were going to released, the work I did was primarily hands-off. However, it was amazing to be a part of an organization that was doing such meaningful work.
I then traveled to my next rehabilitation center: Moholoholo. I was immediately tossed into work, venturing off into the back camps to attend to older lions with Feline Parvovirus. I quickly learned that what I would do at Moholoholo differed drastically from the work I’d done at C.A.R.E. It was almost entirely hands-on. I was assigned to care for two servals, three lions, two leopards, one ground hornbill, two pearl-spotted owlets, over 30 raptors, over 20 vultures, two nestling finches, and one African wild pup. My days began at 5 AM and ended at 10 PM. The work never seemed to end, but whether it was deyolking chicks, cleaning enclosures, or providing enrichment, I relished every minute of it.
Aside from looking after my cases, I contributed to completing “big jobs” such as cutting up deceased animals for the big cats, disinfecting larger enclosures, and hand rearing babies. Somehow, I still managed to find time to give my favorite animals some extra love. Although I have volunteered at wildlife rehabilitation centers before, this month-long experience provided me with completely new perspectives on conservation. I am incredibly grateful to the Cullman family for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Thank you, Eliza, for sharing your experience and stay tuned for more Cullman Scholarship news.
