Summer 2023 internships and an end of an era

In July 2022 the National Park Service began hiring permanent law enforcement rangers through the Law Enforcement Hiring Initiative (known informally as “direct to FLETC”).   So it is with mixed emotions that we announce that the final two student interns will be completing their internships in Summer 2023.

ProRanger Philadelphia was established in 2009 as an academic and technical skills training and internship program that was cooperatively administered by the National Park Service and Temple University. Participants took academic coursework and participated in trainings and internships to gain exposure to the career field of a law enforcement park ranger before attending the Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy (previously known as the Seasonal Law Enforcement Training Program). Students who successfully completed the program were eligible for non-competitive conversion to a permanent law enforcement ranger through a direct hiring authority.

In summer 2010 the first ProRanger interns took part in summer internships. Since then a total of 94 students completed internships at 43 different national park units.  We thank the countless rangers who have made this program possible by dedicating their time to mentoring these students, exposing them to the life of a law enforcement ranger, and helping to determine whether a career as a U.S. Park Ranger was right for them. 

We are especially proud of the involvement of our ProRanger alumni for giving back to the program and to Temple University by volunteering their time to train and mentor the next generation of law enforcement rangers.  This summer, Rangers Jess Cooper, Nick Fitzke and Jordan Keiffer are serving as internship supervisors.  In addition, we are fortunate to have alumnus Ranger Moe Greene serving as the acting program director.

We hope that you will continue to follow this blog to learn about the experiences of the last class of ProRanger summer interns:

• Caitlyn Clay will be interning at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SAMO)
• Jamil Weathersbee will be splitting his time between Independence National Historical Park (INDE) and First State National Historical Park (FRST) 

Learn more more about the NPS Law Enforcement Hiring Initiative or employment as a law enforcement ranger on a seasonal basis at Temple’s Park Ranger Law Enforcement Academy.