Caring for Critters: York College Senior Taylor Hershey Participates in Acorn Acres Internship

Looking for ways to gain experience beyond her classroom, the York College of Pennsylvania Biology major was given a unique opportunity to work with small creatures at a wildlife rescue facility.

Over the past few months, Taylor Hershey ’25, a senior Biology major with an Environmental and Sustainability Studies minor, has learned a lot from caring for the many small and furry animals rescued and rehabilitated at Acorn Acres Wilderness Rehabilitation.

Acorn Acres is a rehabilitation center in Lancaster focused on caring for wild prey animals such as eastern grey squirrels, groundhogs, and eastern cottontail bunnies. It acts as a resource for people to contact should they encounter a small injured animal. Once taken in, the organization provides the critters with a safe, clean environment and veterinary care.

The facility educates people about these small animals and their care through presentations and events. It also looks for people to assist the volunteer staff with various duties, ranging from communicating with people who have found/are bringing in animals to aiding with meal preparation and cleaning their cages and living spaces.

While volunteer opportunities at Acorn Acres require participants to be at least 25 years of age, a few college internships have been offered to students. When Taylor’s mother saw an ad for such internships in the newspaper one day, she shared it with her daughter, and after sending an email expressing her interest, Taylor got the job!

Taylor began her internship in August, working around 12 hours a week at the center. Many of her responsibilities centered around caring for the squirrels the facility housed. She would assist with formula feeding them and preparing other meals for the resident animals being cared for there. She even helped clean their cages and bins to ensure the animals regularly had clean spaces to rest in.

“I really enjoy seeing the growth of the squirrels that come in,” Taylor said. “There were a few babies that came in when I initially started, and now they’ve gotten to the point where they’re not needing to be formula-fed. It’s just great being a part of their recovery journey.”

Taylor emphasized that independence and initiative were two of the most important skills she acquired there. Both have allowed her to grow and become more confident in herself. In a way, the animals have been helping her as much as she has helped them.

“My biggest takeaway is being able to assess a situation and what’s happening with a squirrel and figuring out on my own what needs to be done,” Taylor said. “To a certain extent, [my supervisor] wants us to be more independent. To understand what tasks are more important than others and create time management skills.”

Though Taylor is still exploring what she wishes to pursue after graduation, Acorn Acres has allowed her to gain invaluable real-world experience. As her internship reaches its end, Taylor is grateful for everything she learned and is excited to see what her future holds.

Photo Credit: Acorn Acres