The other half of his internship involved the scheduled release of turtles on nearby Topsail Island. “I chopped up a lot of fish and squid,” he said about one of his tasks at the infirmary. Smith interned at an animal hospital in Surf City, N.C., that assists sea turtles injured from such encounters as boating accidents and fishhook incidents. It was great to realize that my interests in animals can lead to a career and not just be a hobby.” “I didn’t think much about jobs in that field then, but as I got older, I’ve learned there are so many opportunities. “I’ve always had an interest in animals - I can’t tell you how many zoos or aquariums I went to as a child,” he said. The Wilmington resident and 2018 Wilmington High School graduate is the son of WC alumna and longtime staff member Tammy Shadley-Hutton, senior director of advancement operations. Smith is a transfer student from the University of Findlay, but Wilmington College has been a familiar place all his life. Indeed, he helped ensure the Atlantic Ocean’s population of sea turtles in 2021, and this summer he worked with lions, tigers, monkeys and a category he designated as “everything else” at a preserve for endangered animals hosting 100-plus species. His internships the past two summers reflect his interest in not-so-run-of-the-mill species.
Senior Colton Smith wants to work with marine animals like dolphins, seals and sea lions. Most of Wilmington College’s agricultural students majoring in animal science plan to work with beef, dairy, sheep and similar livestock found on Ohio farms.
Colton Smith plays with a lion and leopard cub during his summer internship at Tiger World in North Carolina.
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