My name is Mary Schlieve and I’m from East Troy, Wisconsin. I went to college at Northland College, located in Ashland, Wisconsin and I graduated in May 2008. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science and my major was Veterinary Life Sciences with Biology and Chemistry as my minors. During school, I did an internship working with the Ashland Animal Humane Officer at her kennels taking care of cats and dogs that were picked up as strays or in abusive situations. In June 2008, I did a six month internship at Fellow Mortals Wildlife Hospital, located in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin where we rehabilitated injured/orphaned/sick wildlife such as; bunnies, squirrels, opossums, ducks, geese, songbirds and some raptors. In February 2009, I came down to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge to do a yearlong internship working with all the cats. After spending a year at Turpentine Creek, in April 2010, I went down to Kendalia and San Antonio, Texas to do an apprenticeship at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation. We rehabilitated injured/orphaned/sick wildlife such as; deer, skunks, raccoons, songbirds, raptors, opossums, squirrels, bunnies, turtles and other native wildlife. In March of this year, I was given the opportunity to come back as a staff member to Turpentine Creek and I have been loving every second being back with the cats and people. I first heard about Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge during my senior year of college from a poster that was hanging up in the Biology wing and I’ve always wanted to work with big cats, especially tigers and I knew right away that I wanted to do an internship down here. I’m so grateful that I got to spend a year as an intern and now I’m back as a staff member two years later and I feel like I have been living my dream working with the big cats and I’m looking forward to the years to come!