Alumni Interview Reflection

I interviewed Alyssa Witeof, an animal science major who is currently working towards her graduate degree. She was extremely nice and helpful and someone I would definitely be comfortable reaching out to again. She also works in research in a vaccine development lab. When asked about her time in ENR scholars, she reflected on the great community and convenience of having people near her who shared the same major and classes. In terms of classes, her advice was that even though chem is a tough class, it shouldn’t discourage me completely from staying on the pre-vet track. She recommended equine nutrition, a study habits class, yoga, and horse-back riding as easy GE classes to pair with tough science classes. The clubs she participated in while at the Ohio State University were ski club, animal science club, pre-vet club, sailing club, buckeyethon, and block-o. I had no idea that ski club and sailing club even existed, and both sound so interesting. She said that buckeyethon was a really great experience for her and highly recommended it. She described block-o as being able to make signs and cheer in the stands during football games. She said that sophomore and junior year were good times to study abroad but personally, she herself never studied abroad. In terms of job interviews, she said that it was just as important for you to interview the person/ company interviewing you. Are they a good fit for you? Do they have the same expectations, culture, or setting as you are comfortable in? Good questions to ask them include: Why did the previous person quit? What do they dislike about the job? When asked about her professional world experience, Alyssa replied that people skills are very important in the professional world. She stressed the importance of maintaining a good GPA for veterinary school. Having different, unique experiences that make you stand out in applications is also important. Her last tip for me was recommending a research experience in a lab. Research heightens your resume and application, especially if you have published research. Alyssa originally was on the pre-vet track, but decided not to apply to a vet school after interning at an animal hospital. From talking to Alyssa, I was able to get a good idea of what classes I wanted to take next semester as well as how to approach interviews for internships or just job positions in general. I also received many helpful tips for applying to vet school and how to get more involved at Ohio State. There are definitely a few clubs that I will be looking into, as Alyssa pointed out the many connections and opportunities that you can gain from being a part of clubs related to your field. I learned that having good study habits are the key to being less stressed and feeling less pressure in your everyday life.