G.O.A.L.S.

Global Awareness

I have not had the chance thus far in my life to explore my field of study beyond the United States but am very interested in issues relating to animal sciences around the globe. I plan to study abroad in Scotland during spring break for an animal sciences program that focuses on small ruminant (sheep, goats) production. Increasing my global awareness will help me stay up-to-date on how I can best serve animals while partnering with specific country/ethnic group/cultural needs, since different parts of the globe use practices when handling animals that may seem ‘wrong’ to my now-limited perspective. I have also taken several courses within Animal Sciences during my time at OSU that focus on international practices, such as Human and Animal Interactions, which places a large emphasis on different practices and attitudes regarding animals internationally.

Original Inquiry

I have completed research in my high school AP Environmental Science course in which I collaborated with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Second Chance Program. During this research over several months, I created ethogram sheets to record body position observations for a rescued green sea turtle, Harbor. Harbor was likely struck by a boat and has resulting partial paralysis of hind flippers and air trapped in his back end. My ethogram sheets, which incorporated the use of enrichment for Harbor, were then compiled and used to build further evidence that Harbor is ready to be re-released despite his setbacks. I plan to continue research during my time at OSU, not only to finish my degree with Honors with Research Distinction, but also to expand my breadth of knowledge concerning animal sciences. I completed research during my second year through collaboration with the Ohio Department of Health and OSU’s College of Public Health, in which I completed weekly literature reviews pertaining to COVID-19. My specific topics of review were the effects of COVID-19 on maternal and neonate or child health and on healthcare access. I have begun work toward a thesis under Dr. Pasha Lyvers-Peffer for this upcoming spring on the following research project: “Data Analysis of Student Access Patterns within an Online Introductory Animal Sciences Course.” This research focuses on the data analytics and teaching/learning aspects of fellow animal science students. I also am a research assistant under Dr. Risa Pesapane’s Parasite and Pathogen Ecology Lab in the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. Last year, I studied the prevalence and diversity of tick-borne pathogens in Ixodes spp. sampled from wild and domestic animals across Canada. This year, I am focusing again on tick-borne pathogens in locally-found wild carnivores (e.g., bobcats) and on tick identification of samples sent into the lab by various agencies (e.g., Ohio Department of Natural Resources).

Academic Enrichment

To maintain my Honors status through the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences, I continually took Honors or Embedded courses. As an example, my first semester I completed 2300H, Honors Introduction to Animal Sciences taught by Dr. Peffer, and the small class size and depth of the material makes the course rigorous yet fulfilling. I now serve as a Teaching Assistant for this course. In order to academically set myself up for acceptance into veterinary school, I completed additional ‘high-level’ sciences, such as Biochemistry, which will be compiled as a minor equivalent. After completion of the autumn 2020 semester, I have taken all courses needed to fulfill my Honors curriculum. I also am pursuing a minor in Forestry, Fisheries, and Wildlife with a Fisheries and Wildlife Focus. This minor will incorporate courses that focus more on the topics of conservation, wildlife management, and ecology, which I am very interested in since I have a passion for the conservation of species. Internships, job opportunities, and participation in clubs/student orgs will also supplement my in-class learning. I already have a guaranteed internship through the World Food Prize Institute lined up due to my high school involvement in the Pennsylvania Youth Institute of the World Food Prize and plan on pursuing more as my interests become fine-tuned.

Leadership Development

I am currently a member of the Ohio State Irish Dance Team, Cultivate Columbus, Students with Children at OSU, the ACCESS Collaborative (an umbrella organization for parenting students on campus), and OSU Student Chapter of the Fish and Wildlife Society. I served on the executive board for the OSU Student Chapter of The Fish and Wildlife Society during the 2021-2022 school year as Treasurer and Interim President. I served last year as a mentor under the ACCESS Collaborative’s College and High School Aspiring Mothers Partnership for Success (CHAMPS) program, which connects parents attending college to high school parents with aspirations of attending college. I am currently in the running to become elected as Vice President or Treasurer of Students with Children at OSU. As an Eminence Fellow I intend to help guide future fellows as the upperclassmen have already done for me and currently serve as the Eminence Faculty Network Lead for the environmental and agricultural cohort. I served as an Eminence Program Ambassador during the 2019-2020 school year and hope to do so again for this 2022-2023 year. Outside of OSU affiliations, I have had leadership experience as a junior volunteer mentor for Glade Run Adventures of Zelienople, PA, training and managing all junior volunteers (AKA, all under the age of 18) alongside the program directors.

Service Engagement

I have completed an extensive amount of volunteering thus far in my life at Glade Run Adventures, National Aviary, Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, Riding for the Handicapped of Western PA, and at my local church (St. Teresa of Avila, Mt. Carmel Parish) in the music ministry. I have continued volunteering at Glade Run Adventures and the Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (HARP) Wildlife Rehab Center when I return home to Pittsburgh on breaks/in the summer. In the summer of 2021, I served as a foster volunteer for orphaned wildlife at HARP, focusing on Eastern gray squirrels and Eastern cottontails, which is a very time-consuming job, and not for the faint of heart! As an Eminence Fellow, I am heavily involved in one of the class service projects that we developed, Cultivate Columbus, a service student organization focused on food justice and connecting OSU students to Columbus’ community. For example, I have worked extensively with one of Cultivate Columbus’ partnerships, a collaboration between My Project USA Youth Empowerment Center and Mid-Ohio Food Collective, to maintain the garden benefitting the Hilltop community. I volunteered in the ICU of the companion animal hospital during my freshman year. During spring break of 2020, I volunteered through the Buck-I-SERV Pinellas County Sea Grant program.