By: Chris Parker, freshman
3/6/2008

Pop quiz time: what do an okapi, Patagonian Cavy and Kinkajou all have in common? First, they are animals that many who read this have never heard of and second, they are three animals that Zoo Science major Jenna Schmidt has had direct contact with during the pursuit of her dream.

Schmidt’s dream is to be a zookeeper. Animals have been a part of her life for a long time, and she wants them to be a part of her career and life’s work. 

“Animals are my life and my passion; I like them better than most people,” said Schmidt, a freshman.

Being from Fort Wayne, Indiana, Schmidt traveled the long road to end up at Friends University. Right out of high school she went to college in Indiana, but then she dropped out and worked for a year. Most young people would not have the drive to come back to school, but Schmidt knew she needed a degree to accomplish her goal. 

Schmidt came to Friends thanks to her mentor at Black Pine Animal Park in Albion, Indiana. Her mentor is a graduate of Friends and has worked at the Sedgwick County Zoo for a time. After working at the Zoo, her mentor accepted a job at Black Pine as one of only a handful of paid zookeepers.

Black Pine Animal Park has been a huge part of Schmidt’s life. She volunteers there and has logged among the most volunteer hours of anyone who donates his or her time to the park. The astonishing thing about this is that Schmidt has to drive 45 minutes each way to get to the park and to do a job she does not get paid for. Schmidt admits that most of the miles on her car—“Riley” as she calls it—are from trips between Black Pine and home.

Schmidt has come into contact with many animals throughout life. She put a list up on Facebook showing 67 of the animals she has come in direct contact with. She readily admits however, that the list is not complete, and that there were many more that she has yet to include on the list. 

“Her passion for animals goes beyond a dog lover. Animals are her world,” said Minnesota native Betsy Brunner who is also a Zoo Science major and Schmidt’s roommate.

Big cats are where much of her passion and heart lies. One of her favorite memories was getting to touch a Bengal tiger named India. She also cited another favorite memory about the time she was able to have open contact with a wolf. 

This all sounds a little perilous, touching tigers and wolves, but Schmidt makes safety a priority when she is around animals.

“I’ve never been bitten by an animal. If it is showing signs of aggressiveness I won’t go in (the cage),” said Schmidt. 

Other perils accompany the zoo keeper profession outside of dismemberment and mauling. Schmidt may not have ever been injured, but she has had other messy experiences.

“I have had chimp crap thrown at me too many times to count,” said Schmidt. “He (the chimpanzee) knows when I am saying ‘Kobe put it down.’ He knows what I mean, but he chooses to ignore me.” 

Schmidt considered becoming a veterinarian, but in the end decided not to because veterinarians only get to see animals in the bad times and not the good.

While in Wichita, Schmidt has been volunteering at the Sedgwick County Zoo twice a week; helping deliver food to the exhibits on the two weekdays she volunteers. On Saturdays she works with Australian and South American birds.  

When college is all said and done, Schmidt says her dream is to be a zookeeper. She does not want to become a curator or a director because they do not have direct contact with animals.

Schmidt’s ultimate goal would be to end up working for Black Pine Animal Park where she originally fell in love with animals and first desired to become a zookeeper. 

One thing she understands about this choice of profession is that it will not make her rich. But this does not faze her.

“You do what you love,” said Schmidt, “and you love what you do.