Support Courtney's Dolphin Internship Journey

Hi! My name is Courtney, and this August, I have the opportunity of a lifetime: a five month internship working with dolphins in Key Largo, Florida.

This internship is completely unpaid, and while I'll be staying rent-free, I'll still need to cover basic living expenses like gas, groceries, dog care, and car payments. I currently work hard to support myself, but the cost of living, especially with a two hour commute, adds up quickly. I'm not asking for the full amount I'll need, just enough to make it through the hardest stretch and give this my full attention.

Getting to this point has taken everything I have. For years, a lack of funds and consistent support kept me from chasing this dream. Then, during one of the few chances I had to get my foot in the door, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic stomach cancer. I tried to juggle work, grief, and survival, but I had to step back and put my dream on hold.

Now, after everything, I've made it here. I've been accepted into the internship. I have a place to stay. I have the drive, the passion, and the heart. All I need is a little help getting across the finish line.

This internship isn't just about me. It's about what I want to give. I've wanted to work with marine mammals since I was a child. I want to dedicate my life to their care and welfare in human environments and become a voice for their wild counterparts and the ecosystems they depend on.

If you're able to support me in any way, even just by sharing this, it would mean the absolute world to me. Every dollar gets me closer to the dream I've fought for again and again.

Thank you for believing in me.

And in what I hope to become.