Semester TWO, Blog # 3

Tim Rupe Interview

After his long career in counseling, he continues to help people

In a bungalow that resides right outside the gates of the park, you will find a man named Tim Rupe. When you first walk through the door you are greeted with a warm smile followed by a friendly hello, the room is deem and quite but the people that fill the room are glowing and full with life. These are the kind of people that make up the environment of the Wild Animal Park.

The Wild Animal Park is home to over 3,000 animals. People come from all over the world to enjoy this one of a kind park. In order for the park to function properly it takes a lot of background and production work. As people make their way through the park, they will most likely run into red shirted volunteers. These volunteers are spread throughout the park to ensure that guests have the best experience possible. Tim is the manager of the volunteer department and part of the production team that helps keep this park functioning properly. He is an intelligent hard worker that takes pride in what he does. Even after his long career in counseling, he continues working to help people in the ways he knows how. Tim has taken the time to give young adults like me insight to what the working world is like through his eyes and the unique experience the park has to offer.

Tim grew up on the East Coast in a "small town where diversity was nonexistent". This made him realize that he wanted to immerse himself in all the different cultures that he could. Talking to people seemed so natural for Tim. This all made more sense when he added “It wasn’t until taking some of the core requirements in classes in psychology that I truly realized that’s what I loved to do. My father is a Luther pastor so I grew up always around people and always involved in things in the community so I think it makes sense that, that’s where I sort of leaned my direction".

After talking about his background I wanted to get an idea of how he ended up at the zoo. He started by taking me through the emotions of what it was like for him being in college, and preparing for a job. I asked what how he felt when he was in college about to move forward in the working world and if he was scared? “I wouldn’t describe the feeling as scared but I definitely had a lot of anxiety, but I think that’s pretty typical as much as you try to build your confidence by gaining experiences and skills you’re always going to have that. I think it’s a good kind of energy. It’s the same adrenalin that I wake up with every morning that I’m excited to continue doing what I’m doing. When someone pushes me to try something new or look at something in another way even though you are going to have anticipation and anxiety everything will help you to grow.” He began to talk about how he was always involved in many different community efforts. One being a volunteer at the zoo this experienced opened a door to his job. “In late 2005 I watched the zoos website a lot and kept up with plants and animals and at one point I noticed a job opening and it was for management of volunteers and helping to train them. I thought to myself I am ready for something different” He then went on to say that “it not necessarily a change in career it’s a change in population because I am still working to connect people to a meaningful experience.”

As a young person on the verge of moving on to the working world I thought It would be necessary to ask if he had any advice? “I would gable up as many different experiences you can and that will help you throughout your life to determine what you’re going to do that’s most meaningful to you. I think the worst thing you could do is just settle on something because it’s what someone else wants you to do, or what you feel you’re being pressured to do. You have to be fulfilled in whatever it is you put your time into.” He ended his thoughts with a quote “life’s a journey not a destination.”