Sojo also gets hands-on experience working with marine life.
“I work with the critters in the touch tank [and] feeding the mangrove tank. The seahorse tank, the lionfish tank, and a few others. I take care of them, learn their feeding schedules. And make sure everyone’s doing okay. It’s really cool.”
“I love starfish—they’re my top favorite—but also I love crabs and urchins. We have pencil urchins and ones that collect shells and wear them like hats. We even give them little Halloween decorations; they’re super fun,” Sojo recalls.
“I’ve started getting better at fish identification. Our big mangrove tank has so many species, and I‘ve finally learned which fish is which. That’s been really rewarding.”
The internship is helping to shape Sojo’s interest in marine biology and their future field of study.
“I came to Eckerd because I knew I loved marine biology, but I wasn’t sure which niche I wanted to pursue,” they say. “Working at Tampa Bay Watch is helping me figure out what animals I like working with and what environmental issues I’m most passionate about.”
“I want to get as much experience as possible, from research to public education, so I can learn what I enjoy and what direction I might want to take for grad school.”
Caldrecha says the primary goal of the partnership is part of Tampa Bay Watch’s mission to “raise the next generation to care about the environment—to take an interest in it and want to protect it for generations to come.
“Partnerships with local colleges like Eckerd are invaluable, because they let us engage with students who are passionate about the natural world while giving them real experience in their field.”
Through community engagement, Tampa Bay Watch is able to raise awareness about their mission and find individuals who want to volunteer and participate.
“We connect with the community through social media, local events and outreach tables, but our Discovery Center at the St. Pete Pier is really the heart of it. We run daily programs, dissections and tank feedings—all designed to help people understand how important the Tampa Bay estuary is and what they can do to protect it.”
Caldrecha says the partnership continues to grow, with many Eckerd graduates now working at Tampa Bay Watch. Reagan Fennessy ’21, an Eckerd alumna, is the Watch’s oyster shell recycling program coordinator.
“We have quite a few Eckerd graduates working here,” Caldrecha says. “It’s inspiring to see alumni return to continue protecting the bay they studied beside.”
For Sojo, the nonprofit provides another way to explore her passions. “Tampa Bay Watch connects what I’m learning in my marine science classes with real-world experience,” Sojo explains. “It’s helping me understand how research, education and community outreach all come together to protect our environment.”