Year in Review

The most prominent characteristic of my first academic semester at The Ohio State University is career and personal growth. I pursue my academic major, Animal Sciences, with an open mind to the diverse animal careers it offers me; as a result, I have identified some fields, including ethology and veterinary medicine, that align with my interests.

My research project on livestock welfare in Nicaragua served as a growth milestone for me this semester. After attending an Animal Science lecture on animal welfare science, and later hearing a speech on livestock in my Nicaragua Study Abroad pre-requisite course, I began a long-term investigation on livestock welfare in Nicaragua. This ongoing project, which entails international travel and bilingual communication, has increased my intercultural competency and communication skills with faculty, political figures, and advisors. It has elevated my career skills and my ability to channel my passions of animal welfare and the Spanish language through an academically-enriching medium.

I have developed skills throughout this semester that will be applicable to my education and to my future animal career. By participating in animal-related opportunities through the university, I have gained animal experience including livestock judging and halter-breaking, companion animal care, and exotic education. A developmental setback that I needed to overcome this semester was not having college-level chemistry in my background. In order to stay ahead in my general chemistry course, I reached out to professors and peers who had taken AP Chemistry. As a result, I was able to develop study skills in a short amount of time, and I feel that I will no longer be at a disadvantage when I begin next semester.

Reflecting on my first semester of undergraduate education, I actively and consistently sought out resources and opportunities that have helped me grow and develop over the semester.

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