Looking back on my life, I wonder where this passion first began and what led me to choose this career path. However, I started to realize that maybe this career path chose me in the most unexpected ways. My chosen career path is to become a large-animal veterinarian, a role that has fluctuated between large and small animals, or both, throughout my life. As a child, I knew this was what I wanted to do - it was the way I bonded with animals. How they helped alleviate my feelings during my hardships, I knew I wanted to help them in their times of need. I have helped many animals in my lifetime and have always been drawn to them, to the point where my animal-related classes come easily to me. I have dedicated myself to this life and could not see myself in any other field. Whether it is helping my horses with their vaccinations, helping a bird stuck to a glue trap at my workplace, or even pursuing hands-on experiences on the farm. I have dedicated my life to this; this is my entire purpose. Young me knew this, and I attended an agricultural high school because of it, choosing the veterinary science major and heavily participating in the FFA. I volunteered to help with tasks such as medication administration, fecal studies, and birthing duties. Whatever it was, I surrounded myself in it, and I continue to do so to this day. Today, I am making myself a well-rounded applicant for veterinary school by gaining as much experience as possible, attending internships, taking summer courses, and securing a job at a veterinary clinic. I am doing everything in my power to make my dream a reality. Earning a degree in this field would not only help me pursue my passion for becoming a veterinarian and fulfill my life goals, but also break the cycle in my family, as I would be the first in my family to attend college. On top of that, being in a field you enjoy and love makes what you're doing feel less and less like a job. When you enjoy what you do, your life is just so much happier. I can not see myself doing anything else with my life, and everyone around me truly believes this is what I was meant to do. As a veterinarian, I would like to give back to my small community because there is a shortage of large-animal veterinarians here in Connecticut, and that is exactly what I want to be. I am currently pursuing my wildlife rehabber certification, so I would love to give back to the wildlife rehabber community as a veterinarian willing to work with them and wildlife. On top of everything else, I would like to establish a small animal rescue to give those who were abandoned or abused a second chance.

The phrase "men-dominated fields," a common phrase in today's society, is often used to put women down, but I see this as a challenge, not a stopping point, or something that should bring me down. Instead, this gives me more reason to follow my passion and prove that a woman can do just as well in a male-dominated field. My chosen field of study is veterinary medicine, specifically large animal veterinary medicine. I am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in animal science and plan to apply to veterinary school after completing my undergraduate studies. Although more women are recently entering veterinary medicine, large-animal practice remains male-dominated. As a self-motivated and passionate student, I am confident I will achieve my dreams. That mindset is a big reason I’m pursuing large-animal veterinary medicine. Even though more women are entering the veterinary field, large-animal practice is still dominated mainly by men, and I want to be one of the women who help change that. My name is Alexis Mosher, and I’m an Animal Science student at the University of Connecticut. When I’m not studying, you can usually find me riding horses, hiking with my dog, or doing something creative like photography or drawing. Those things keep me sane and remind me why this career means so much to me. I also didn’t come from the easiest background. I’ve basically been taking care of myself since I was thirteen, and I haven’t had the financial or emotional support that a lot of my classmates get from their families. It was tough, and honestly, it still is sometimes. But it’s also made me stronger and more independent than I ever expected to be. I’ve had to learn to advocate for myself and figure things out on my own, and that has shaped the kind of person and future veterinarian I want to be. Because of all this, compassion and reliability matter a lot to me. I know what it feels like when no one shows up for you, and I want to be someone who shows up for animals and for the people who rely on them. Large animal vets aren’t just treating animals; they keep farms running, help families stay in business, and support entire communities. A lot of rural areas struggle to access reliable veterinary care, and I want to work in the kinds of places where I can actually make a difference, whether that means helping a small farm or treating a horse that’s a family’s whole world. My dream isn’t just to become a veterinarian. I want to be someone who improves the lives of both animals and the people who depend on them. I want to break some barriers along the way and show younger girls, especially those who grew up like I did, that their dreams aren’t “silly.” Mine started that way, and now it’s turning into a future I’m proud of and I’m not planning on stopping anytime soon.

Being a first-generation college student has made me even more passionate about my career choice and more dedicated to making my dream a reality. It pushes me to break the traditional values in my family, such as teenage pregnancy or getting married before twenty-five. It motivates me to be myself and to accomplish things without being held back. My name is Alexis Mosher, and I am on my way to becoming a large-animal veterinarian. There are definitely struggles that come with being a first-generation student, such as not having the financial support or guidance that many students around me receive from their parents. I decided that starting at a community college was the best financial choice, but now I often feel alone in my bachelor’s program. Still, I am determined to make my dream a reality. Finally making something of myself and breaking my family’s norms has been incredibly empowering. Seeing myself accomplish things that no one in my family has done before gives me an indescribable feeling. To know that I am on a doctoral path—and to imagine telling my younger self this—I never would have believed it. Yet here I am, accomplishing things I never knew were possible. For the first time in my life, I am proud of myself, and I will continue dedicating myself to this dream—once dismissed as my “silly little dream”—until it becomes my reality.

Growing up, I have mainly supported myself and my siblings. Being in an emotionally abusive household was never easy, and I often faced challenges that a high school student should not have had to make, but I did. Despite these challenges, I spent a lot of time focused on school because I knew I wanted to do something with my life and not end up in this situation. I knew I wanted to go to college, even though no one in my family had gone to college before. Unfortunately, Financials were not in my favor, and looking into four years was just not an option for me. I began to lose hope until I learned I could earn my Associate's degree at the community college in two years for free, which helped tremendously financially. I was able to get most of my general education courses out of the way, which helped me adjust to the college lifestyle without the huge classes. On top of that, I was able to earn a scholarship for my bachelor's. My. The goal is to become a large-animal veterinarian, which is why I am now at the University of Connecticut; it is the only in-state school to have an animal science program. I have been on this path since I was a little kid. I attended an agricultural high school because of it, choosing the veterinary science major and heavily participating in the FFA. I volunteered to help with tasks such as medication administration, fecal studies, and birthing duties. Whatever it was, I surrounded myself in it, and I continue to do so to this day. Today, I am making myself a well-rounded applicant for veterinary school by gaining as much experience as possible, completing internships, taking summer courses, and securing a job at a veterinary clinic. I am doing everything in my power to make my dream a reality. Earning a degree in this field would not only help me pursue my passion for being a veterinarian and fulfill my life goals, but it would also mean breaking the cycle in my family, as I would be the first child to attend college, and overcoming the issue of teen pregnancy. On top of that, being in a field you enjoy and love what you're doing begins to feel less and less like a job. When you enjoy what you do, your life is just so much happier. I can not see myself doing anything else with my life, and everyone around me truly believes this is what I was meant to do.

Looking back on my life, I wonder where this passion first began and what led me to choose this career path. However, I started to realize that maybe this career path chose me in the most unexpected ways. My chosen career path is to be a large animal veterinarian, a role that has fluctuated between large and small animals, or both, throughout my life. As a child, I knew this was what I wanted to do - it was the way I bonded with animals. How they helped alleviate my feelings during my hardships, I knew I wanted to help them in their times of need. I have helped many animals in my lifetime and have always been drawn to them, to the point where my animal-related classes come easily to me. I have dedicated myself to this life and could not see myself in any other field. Whether it is helping my horses with their vaccinations, helping a bird stuck to a glue trap at my workplace, or even pursuing hands-on experiences on the farm. I have dedicated my life to this; this is my entire purpose. Young me knew this, and I attended an agricultural high school because of it, choosing the veterinary science major and heavily participating in the FFA. I volunteered to help with tasks such as medication administration, fecal studies, and birthing duties. Whatever it was, I surrounded myself in it, and I continue to do so to this day. Today, I am making myself a well-rounded applicant for veterinary school by gaining as much experience as there is out there, attending internships, taking summer courses, and securing a job at a veterinary clinic. I am doing everything in my power to make my dream a reality. Earning a degree in this field would not only help me pursue my passion for being a veterinarian and fulfill my life goals, but it would also mean breaking the cycle in my family, as I would be the first child to attend college, and overcoming the issue of teen pregnancy. On top of that, being in a field you enjoy and love what you're doing begins to feel less and less like a job. When you enjoy what you do, your life is just so much happier. I can not see myself doing anything else with my life, and everyone around me truly believes this is what I was meant to do.

Seeing your potential be overlooked due to financial struggles can be frustrating. You have dreams and passions that drive you to accomplish things, but unfortunately, most dreams come at a cost. I believe I deserve this scholarship because I am a well-rounded, motivated student with dreams of becoming a large animal veterinarian, despite the extensive schooling still ahead of me. I am a low-income student who is breaking the cycle of teenage pregnancy in my family and making something of myself as a first-generation student. I have raised myself and my siblings due to the lack of a mother in my life. I have worked hard to escape these traditional cycles in my family to pursue my dreams, whether it be working on the farm or driving to college an hour and a half away because they are the only ones that offer my major, and I cannot afford housing there. I have been dedicated to this dream since I was twelve, and I do not intend to allow anything to get in my way. I bring to the table a hardworking, motivated student who struggles financially, and this scholarship would do wonders in relieving the financial stress and allowing me to focus on my schooling.

Reins in hand, wind whipping through my hair—that is my ideal way to spend my weekends. Hello, my name is Alexis Mosher. I am a 20-year-old college student from Connecticut, and I have had a passion for animals for as long as I can remember. I have held a variety of jobs in the animal field, whether it's working with large animals on a farm, in my academic field, or with smaller animals in a veterinary office. I have enjoyed working with them all. I have grown up around various animals, and I practically live in a zoo of domesticated animals. We have a variety of animals, ranging from rabbits to dogs to horses. Currently, I am working on retiring a barrel horse from running, because that is all she has ever known how to do, and does not have a stop button. It has been a very exciting project. When I'm not focused on animals, I enjoy the arts, and you can find me drawing, reading, or doing photography. I have wanted to be a veterinarian for as long as I can remember, and growing up around a variety of animals has fueled this passion. I even decided to attend a agricultgural high school so I could get started earlyt in their vet program and get some hands on experience, and learn about the science of it, now that I am in college, this passion is a vivid goal for me, and I am excited to be making the steps towards my dream career. Through veterinary medicine, I aim to open my shelter and help as many animals as possible. I hope to have a larger area out behind that will also allow the larger animals that need rescuing to have a space. I am also going into large animal medicine, which is extremely limited here in connecticut, Despite the large number of livestock and horses here, I hope being in this field will allow for more access to healthcare for their animals at the local level, because until recently our vet for the horses were more than an hour and half away, that led to unfortunate issues, due to the locality of everything. I also plan to start my clinic and have a mobile or emergency vet on hand for those unfortunate emergencies. I want to offer payment plans for people who need them, because every animal deserves to be seen for issues. Sometimes it can be costly, which can deter people even if their pet truly needs vet care. I know these are a lot of hopes and dreams, but I am confident that I can accomplish these goals in my life.

Comfort: animals have always brought me comfort and support through some of the most challenging points in my life. They are amazing creatures that I am lucky enough to have in my life. Growing up, I did not have the best home life and often was stuck in emotionally abusive situations, and animals were always my healthy output during these times. They helped me feel better and heal over the years after leaving home. Part of the reason for wanting to go into vet med is to give back to animals for helping me. Also, animals are essential to many people's lives, and we need more veterinarians to ensure our furry friends are healthy and living their best lives. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a veterinarian, so much so that I went to Wamogo and Agricultural High School to major in vet science and get involved deeply in the FFA. Through my learning and hands-on experiences there, I fortified what I wanted to do. During my time at wamogo, I held a farm job and would tend to animal wounds, health, and their needs, learning how to administer vaccines. Being at this farm job and learning how to identify diseases or wounds and how to treat them allowed me to certify this is what I want to do. Now, I am at UCONN, majoring in animal science, intending to attend vet school. Uconn will help me get solid background information and some of my prerequisites out of the way. I plan to become a large animal veterinarian; there are few in Connecticut despite the large population of large animals here. I want to minor in Equine as well. I also want to care for our agricultural animals; they offer so much to us, and they need care just as much as everyone else. I hope one day, through my education and experience, to open my vet clinic where there will be on-call vets. I hope to be very accessible due to driving to people's homes as an option. Maybe eventually open a pet rescue to allow animals to be rescued, well taken care of, avoid kill shelters, and be given a second chance to live a long, fulfilling life. I want to give back to animals since they have offered me and so many others so much in their lives, whether that be emotional support, working animals, farm animals, and so much more. Our animals are truly amazing creatures that deserve to be treasured.

CRASH, a bottle flew by my head, a thing I was used to even at a young age. My father, unfortunately, was an aggressive alcoholic; he would pass out and forget to pick us up, throw things at my head, and scream. We had a wood stove, and he often forgot to light it or keep it going, so it would be freezing in the home in the winter. My mom was emotionally abusive as well and would force me to endure this every weekend because she needed alone time and a break from me, even when I told her what was happening every weekend of my life. Not only did I endure all the emotional torment in both households, but I also had to worry my dad would pass out with the woodstove open and go up in flames, or he would drink himself to death. I should have never had to worry about that when you were only seven years old; I should not have had to call my dad crying where he was because I was left at school waiting to be picked up. I should have had family backing to pull me from this situation. Unfortunately, this was a generational cycle in my dad's family, entire of drug and alcohol addictions, and I could not help but wonder if this was my impending doom. The trauma of living in through this sticks with me to this day, I get overly upset when someone slightly raises their voice at me, I cry when someone has a change in tone because I think they are mad at me, I cringe easily, and I always think I am doing something wrong. My poor boyfriend has been on the receiving end of my constant reassurance. My family also has a severe addiction to cigarettes, so I have decided to stay away from nicotine altogether. I have never touched a cigarette or vaped once in my life and never intend to. I have stayed away from alcohol and would refuse to drink at parties because I do not want to fall into the same addiction, and regardless, it is terrible for you. I will never touch a single drug in my life. I do not care what this makes me look like to others, but I need to take care of myself and my well-being now. The beginning to breaking this cycle began with my choices and further started when I convinced my dad a few years ago to turn towards sobriety. he has been sober for nearly three years, and I am so proud of him.

Through high school, I was tucked in a trauma-filled home; my mother was constantly emotionally abusive, and during this time, my dad was drunk, falling asleep, and forgetting things; although they were separated, going to one another house was no escape since my dad could be just as bad when he was plastered. Being the eldest sibling I felt I had to protect my two younger sisters from what I was dealing with, I would protect them from it and take the fall for many thing so they would not have to put up with it. I would never cry in front of them. I even got kicked out a few times. I finally got through to my dad in my junior year, and he started to work towards sobriety, thankfully. He was still a mess and needed my support, but I am proud of him. When my mom decided to take off with her boyfriend in my senior year, leaving me to care for my two siblings and to put up with her now aggressive husband because his wife (my mom) left, I was going through so much in my junior/senior year, with no one to help me, I was walking to stores to get groceries because he refused to allow us into his fridge due to me and one of my other sisters not being his biological kids, so I was trying to scratch up groceries and other supplies to get by, even getting supplies from my high school. The worst part was cops did nothing during this time; they witnessed it thoroughly and did nothing. I overcame it by being the supporter of my siblings, getting supplies we needed, and maintaining good grades and taking on ap courses, I was ambitious and nothing was breaking my spirit, I never backed down. I graduated with honors and broke the generational cycle by going to college. I am passionate about pursuing a STEM degree because I have always been interested in science. I have wanted to be a large animal veterinarian since I was a small girl. I found comfort in these animals during these harsh times and feel I owe them something in return. I went to an agricultural high school to take their vet Science courses, and it solidified my belonging in the Stem field; I thoroughly enjoyed It and even worked at a farm to get even more hands-on experience. As I pursue higher education, I run into the issue of being the full contributor to my education. I am putting myself through school, and it is extremely expensive. I started at the community college to minimize my costs, but now my bachelor's costs are more than intended. I plan to get my doctorate and that is so much more money in itself, I am already working many hours while attending college. This scholarship will take a massive weight off my shoulders, covering most of a semester of college and allowing me to focus on my education without the financial burden part of it. I will be able to save money for my next semester of college without being panicked about the cost of the current one. This scholarship would mean a ton to me and help me tremendously.

Learning calculus can also be fun as a Stem intellectual reward. Learning calculus is a challenging adventure into an abstract place with many exciting mysteries and beautiful surprises, and you can calculate and work through why it happens. It is like reading a Thriller book with many entertaining twists and turns, predicting the endings, except you can participate interactively and work through why it happens. This goes for all math; math is essential to how we view the world and actively participate in it; we use math in so many instances without even realizing we are doing so; chances are you are even using it in your part-time job in retail, I know I do, and I am glad to have a strong math background, It will prepare me for my career in Science. Math carries over into many subjects and is the fundamental backing to many science courses; without knowing it and understanding it, I would have never passed chemistry. Math always came easy to me, and when It did not, I took it as a challenge and would dive so deep into it. and over time you learn to love it and every aspect of it; studying math for hours makes you realize how much you enjoy it, and how rewarding it is when you start to understand it.

It gives us the power to have the underlying math tools we need for our fields of interest. Learning it allows us to apply it to many different aspects and subjects, such as biology and other science-heavy courses that require you to use it. Calculus 2 will be used throughout the duration of our degrees and even in the real world with our jobs. Understanding many elements of the world requires a strong math background, and calculus helps us prepare. I am currently in Calculus 2, and I have found a few real-world instances where I have needed it when, previously, in high school, I would have seen no point in learning it. It has helped tremendously with the understating of chemistry because, surprisingly, chemistry is math-heavy. Calculus is the mathematics that describes how things change. By understanding how quickly things change, we can understand those things better and predict what will happen in the future. It helps us understand everyday problems and issues, see them in a new light, and be able to solve these issues in a new, calculated way. Calculus is fundamental to everyone in STEM, whether they realize it or not; it is not one of those courses you must "pass" because you will need it throughout your life. Calculus is special to me because I will need it through my entire degree and even into veterinary school, and without it, I would be entirely lost in my science subjects. However, learning calculus can also be fun as a Stem intellectual reward. Learning calculus is a challenging adventure into an abstract place with many exciting mysteries and beautiful surprises, and you can calculate and work through why it happens. It is like reading a Thriller book with many entertaining twists and turns, predicting the endings, except you can participate interactively and work through why it happens. STEM is an actively growing field. There are so many of us, and no matter what degree we go into in the STEM field, we can be connected through our fundamentals of calculus; we can connect over how valuable this information being unlocked to us was. With an actively growing field, jobs may open up that value calculus knowledge, such as robotic jobs. The world is actively advancing technology, and with technology comes strong math knowledge to know how and why it works. The question we should be asking ourselves is when will we not use calculus?

9 was a scary number for me; turning 19 never actually occurred to me until February rolled around. I am a nineteen-year-old girl from Connecticut who has a passion for helping animals and other people. I have grown up around horses thanks to my grandmother; she has shown me a gateway into one of my favorite hobbies, horseback riding. I have done a lot of shows, such as Western Pleasure, and have loved it ever since I was a little girl. When I am not dappling around with horses, I love to go on walks with my dog, I love to read and write, but most importantly, I love to draw; I have been drawing ever since I was a little girl and originally wanted to be an illustrator, I have won a few awards for my art. As I grew up, I realized I wanted to help animals or people, and eventually, that faded into wanting to be a veterinarian. I went to wamogo to get the opportunity to take the vet science course and get hands-on experience, and I immediately fell in love with every aspect of it. I was a very active member of the FFA program over there and even competed in state competitions for my knowledge and skills. I loved the agricultural program over there and tried to participate in as much as I could. During this period in my life, I had a farm job; although it was tiring and hard working, in the end, I felt accomplished, and I learned tons of skills. We also tended to animal wounds and diseases, and I found it very interesting to learn how to identify and treat things on our own. I have worked with a variety of animals. So, I have decided I want to be a large animal veterinarian, so I will be pursuing an Animal Science Degree over at UCONN, where I can still get hands-on experience with my learning. As a plus, all of the classes fit my interests! Even though my grandmother has horses, my family is quite poor, and I am no longer in contact with my mother. I am putting myself through college with no financial help, which will be my most challenging part. I am currently at the community college to receive free college, but I am graduating a semester early, meaning I will graduate after this fall semester, and I will have to transfer, which means the college will now cost me a lot of money out of pocket, so every scholarship helps me pursue my dreams. I still have at least another six years ahead of me that I have to pay for, so every little bit helps a ton. I have a few reasons for focusing on large animals rather than smaller animals. The first reason is it comes down to preference. I have always preferred to work hands-on with these animals, and as a plus, it allows me to be outdoors and not cooped up in an office all day, 24/7. Secondly, despite the large animal population in Connecticut, there are very few accessible large animal veterinarians, so I hope to give back to the community by being highly accessible and willing to drive long distances, even if it is just to help with the birth of an animal. I plan to open my own vet clinic in order to be more accessible but also allow for payment plans that are more affordable and formed around the needs of the client since vet care can get quite expensive, and I would rather treat the animal than let it suffer due to financial reasons. When it comes time to put down a furry friend, I would rather them worry about the cost of death another day rather than when they are mourning. I also plan to have a few trailers on site since not everyone who has a larger animal has a trailer, and sometimes, these animals may need to be transported back to the clinic for evaluation or moderation through the night. I hope to allow a small branch of the land used by the clinic to be a small rescue section since there are so many larger animals that need to be rescued, but not many people have the space for these animals, and every animal deserves a second chance, it is not their fault for being neglected. I have always had a life goal of helping as many animals as possible since they have helped me feel sane emotionally in very difficult situations, so accomplishing these goals means I will be able to give back to them in some way. I have also worked on a few rescues and have seen how terribly animals have been treated, how desperately some animals need homes or at least a place to go, and whether this branch of the clinic would be able to.

Reins in hand, wind whipping through my hair—that is my ideal way to spend my weekends. Hello. I am a 19-year-old girl from Connecticut who has a passion for riding horses. I have been riding horses ever since I learned to walk, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it, whether it be for leisure purposes or at shows. I am currently training a past barrel horse to slow down since she's been severely traumatized. When I am not in the saddle, I enjoy hiking with my dog, reading, photography, and drawing. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a veterinarian, so I decided to go to an agricultural high school; animals have always had a special place in my heart and have taught me so much that I want to give back to them in my future endeavors. While at Wamogo, I had to get an agricultural job and decided to work on a farm for a few years; I learned the ways of gardening, haying, tending to livestock, and so much more. I enjoyed my time on the farm so much, and it truly made me feel alive. While working there, there tended to be quite a few injuries on the livestock or the pigs, and I learned to treat wounds, administer vaccines, and identify different diseases. If you did not know, Wamogo has animals on campus, so I learned how to properly restrain larger animals, chute them, and even learn the breeding processes (some being IVF). I majored in vet science during my time in ag, and I learned about all sorts of diseases and how to identify them. I was also a major member of the FFA program, attending many events and earning degrees at the state level (I plan to get my national American degree). I also participated in CDEs in agricultural-related studies and competed at state levels for my knowledge. My endeavors in agriculture have truly shaped who I am as a person, impacting it for the better, helping me find passions, obtain valuable knowledge, develop a good work ethic, and learn leadership capabilities. I'm working towards being a large animal veterinarian; I hope to minor in equine since there are limited accessible equine vets in Connecticut. I plan to own a farm someday since I genuinely enjoy the processes of farming and find joy in them. I hope to rescue some more horses deemed dangerous and train them to be rideable and adoptable since every animal deserves a second chance, and I want to offer that second chance.

Men dominated is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the medical field, especially when it comes to doctorate degrees. Yes, we do see women with nursing degrees, but I rarely see female doctors. I want to get my doctorate in veterinarian medicine, and I know I have the passion and dedication to get there. I have always wanted to help in some way, whether it be animals or people, but as I grew older, I knew my focus was to help and care for animals. I decided I wanted to be a large animal veterinarian due to the experience I have around them; I have grown up and worked around them my whole life, whether it be livestock or horses. I decided in fifth grade, to be exact, to go to Wamogo in order to pursue my passion for agriculture, and I did. I majored in vet Science over at Wamogo, climbed degrees quickly in the FFA Program, and competed in the state-level competition for my knowledge of large animals. I even worked a farm job during my time there, managing livestock, caring for them, gardening, hay, and so much more, and I loved it; yes, it was hard work, but it felt like I was accomplishing something. This year, I plan to apply for my American Degree, which is a national degree awarded by the FFA Program. Currently, I am at the community college to get my general education courses out of the way for free; however, I am proud to say that I am graduating early in the semester due to my hard work and dedication. I plan to transfer to UConn in the spring of 2025 and pursue an animal science degree, where I will most likely take a minor in equine science. Although I will be a large animal veterinarian, I want to specialize in horses since there are very few accessible equine veterinarians in Connecticut despite the very large horse population. I plan to open my own clinic that offers road calls and affordable emergency visits since sometimes emergencies happen; I will also allow payment after seeing a patient since the health of the animal should always come first. Although these are just dreams right now, I know I have the passion and dedication to make these dreams a reality, as long as I can financially put myself through college.

19 was a scary number for me; turning 19 never actually occurred to me until February rolled around. I am a nineteen-year-old girl from Connecticut who has a passion for helping animals and other people. I have grown up around horses thanks to my grandmother; she has shown me a gateway into one of my favorite hobbies, horseback riding. I have done a lot of shows, such as Western Pleasure, and have loved it ever since I was a little girl. When I am not dappling around with horses, I love to go on walks with my dog, I love to read and write, but most importantly, I love to draw; I have been drawing ever since I was a little girl and originally wanted to be an illustrator, I have won a few awards for my art. As I grew up, I realized I wanted to help animals or people, and eventually, that faded into wanting to be a veterinarian. I went to wamogo to get the opportunity to take the vet science course and get hands-on experience, and I immediately fell in love with every aspect of it. I was a very active member of the FFA program over there and even competed in state competitions for my knowledge and skills. I loved the agricultural program over there and tried to participate in as much as I could. During this period in my life, I had a farm job; although it was tiring and hard working, in the end, I felt accomplished, and I learned tons of skills. We also tended to animal wounds and diseases, and I found it very interesting to learn how to identify and treat things on our own. I have worked with a variety of animals. So, I have decided I want to be a large animal veterinarian, so I will be pursuing an Animal Science Degree over at UCONN, where I can still get hands-on experience with my learning. As a plus, all of the classes fit my interests! Even though my grandmother has horses, my family is quite poor, and I am no longer in contact with my mother. I am putting myself through college with no financial help, which will be my most challenging part. I am currently at the community college to receive free college, but I am graduating a semester early, meaning I will graduate after this fall semester, and I will have to transfer, which means the college will now cost me a lot of money out of pocket, so every scholarship helps me pursue my dreams. I still have at least another six years ahead of me that I have to pay for, so every little bit helps a ton.

My greatest achievement to date has to be receiving my state degree. I spent many years in the FFA, attending multiple different events and working my butt off at my Farm Job. I had to put in serious hours at the farm and hold an entire record book of the hours I spent doing things, and farm work was no joke. I spent countless hours dedicated to the FFA program; I even competed at the state level for CDEs (career development evaluation), and I placed relatively high. A state degree in the FFA is a big honor; I had to get my application signed off by the State Officers and then attend a state convention to walk the stage in front of everyone. I plan to apply for my American Degree this year, a national degree awarded by the National FFA officers. I hope to achieve my doctorate in veterinarian medicine and eventually open my own vet clinic; I already have a good headstart by finishing my associate's a semester early. Being a Large Animal veterinarian has always been a dream of mine ever since I was little; I grew up around larger animals and always found comfort within them, and I knew I wanted to do something to help them. I also worked on a farm where I had to tend to livestock needs and wounds, which further supported my decision on large animals. While in high school, I majored in veterinary science in the agricultural wing and absolutely loved it. I learned about diseases and how to restrain animals properly! Some short-term achievements I hope to achieve include getting accepted into UCONN, attending my first barrel racing show as a performer, and potentially entering a job in my field. It has been challenging as a first-generation college student; it is even more complicated when I have to put myself through college. I plan to transfer in the spring of 2024, which means there will be no more free college, so any scholarships really help support my dreams and goals. I hope to transfer to UCONN and enter the animal science major over there because it is everything I could ever hope and dream of; I love hands-on opportunities! UCONN is the only college in Connecticut that offers an animal science degree! I hope to take a minor in equine science since there are only a handful of accessible equine vets in Connecticut, but there is a significant horse population.

Scrolling through social media now, I constantly see people bullied for disabilities or just their beliefs, and it is truly sickening. People need to be kinder to each other and accept people for who they are, regardless of whether they can control it. It is so often that I see a stray animal or homeless person, and honestly, it breaks my heart to see how people on the street treat them, looking down on them, even spitting. All individuals deserve a second chance, regardless of their past, and we should not treat them differently or judge them for where they stand at their lowest. Currently, I go out of my way to help others or the environment. Every time I see someone sitting on the street, I make a point to grab something to eat and bring it back to them. Sometimes, when a walking trail is really messy, I will come back another day to do some cleaning to help the environment and help that trail remain open to the public; it is far too often that trails get shut down due to people's negligence. When bears are not notorious in the area, I will leave some cat food outside for the strays since it is not their fault that they are out there, and I can not take every single one of them; it gives me peace to know they have some food and water. I used to volunteer for many years at a horse rescue for abused and neglected horses; I often spent hours showing the animals love and cleaning out their stalls so they would have a clean environment. I have stepped up to multiple bullies who were bullying people because no one should be doing that in the first place, and I do not stand by it. I have rescued numerous animals to give them a second chance at life because otherwise, they would have been turned away and discarded. I have volunteered at ECAD and brought some of the animals home to foster and train them and help prepare them for their duties to serve people with disabilities. In the future, I hope to open a rescue for animals in need and open my own vet clinic to offer affordable healthcare to animals and owners since every animal deserves welfare. I also plan to be accessible and provide many procedures right at their homes just in case of a transportation problem. I will continue to help people and animals alike in the future as long as I live, and I will continue to donate to organizations that help as well. I plan to volunteer more in the future and advocate for individuals who are struggling. I want to get even more involved in my community

Deep breath in, relax your hands, get on fast, and hold on. I do not know what I got myself into. I recently adopted a new horse and she is hellish to say the least, but I am training her to slow down so I can enjoy one of my favorite hobbies, but all she wants to do is run as fast as she can. She is a past barrel horse after all. Hello, I am Alexis Mosher, and I love to horseback ride. I was placed on a horse the moment I could walk and ever since then it has been a passion of mine whether it be relaxing trail rides or showing western pleasure out in the ring, I love what I do. When I am not dabbling in horse related activities I like to read books, draw, and go on walks with my dog, it is the much calmer part of my life. I am a very creative person and I am devoted to my education. I also enjoy helping others; I continuously go out of my way to help people in need or be there for my friends when they are at their highs and lows. I'm a person with a solid work ethic, and I'm genuinely dedicated to making progress in life. I have always wanted to be large animal veterinarian because I have always enjoy working around larger animals whether it be my horses, or when I had the job on farm. While in High school, I was a very active member of the FFA program. I attended many events, maintained a leadership position, and even held demonstrations. I have acquired many degrees through the FFA, all the way up to my state degree, and I hope to apply for my American degree (a national degree) this year. I am currently in community college for my associates degree, and I am proud to say that I will be graduating a semester early and starting my bachelors at UCONN in the spring. The problem being, I am a first generation college student, I am not in contact with my mother, I come from a low income family, and I'm supporting myself through this college journey. Starting at UCONN means my education officially starts costing me money and I plan to get my doctorate in order to be a veterinarian. I come from a low income family so my federal grants cover most of my first year, but with this scholarship it would make my first year entirely coverable.

Scrolling through social media now, I constantly see people bullied for disabilities or just their beliefs, and it is truly sickening. People need to be kinder to each other and accept people for who they are, regardless of whether they can control it. It is so often that I see a stray animal or homeless person, and honestly, it breaks my heart to see how people on the street treat them, looking down on them, even spitting. All individuals deserve a second chance, regardless of their past, and we should not treat them differently or judge them for where they stand at their lowest. Currently, I go out of my way to help others or the environment. Every time I see someone sitting on the street, I make a point to grab something to eat and bring it back to them. Sometimes, when a walking trail is really messy, I will come back another day to do some cleaning to help the environment and help that trail remain open to the public; it is far too often that trails get shut down due to people's negligence. When bears are not notorious in the area, I will leave some cat food outside for the strays since it is not their fault that they are out there, and I can not take every single one of them; it gives me peace to know they have some food and water. I used to volunteer for many years at a horse rescue for abused and neglected horses; I often spent hours showing the animals love and cleaning out their stalls so they would have a clean environment. I have stepped up to multiple bullies who were bullying people because no one should be doing that in the first place, and I do not stand by it. I have rescued numerous animals to give them a second chance at life because otherwise, they would have been turned away and discarded. I have volunteered at ECAD and brought some of the animals home to foster and train them and help prepare them for their duties to serve people with disabilities. In the future, I hope to open a rescue for animals in need and open my own vet clinic to offer affordable healthcare to animals and owners since every animal deserves welfare. I also plan to be accessible and provide many procedures right at their homes just in case of a transportation problem. I will continue to help people and animals alike in the future as long as I live, and I will continue to donate to organizations that help as well.

Growing up was difficult for me; I came from an emotionally abusive household and did not have many people to talk to; my own family often outcasted me due to my narcissistic mother, and she frequently kicked me out. My only escape from all the chaotic things going on in my home life was animals for me. They offered therapy and a chance to clear my mind, whether it be relaxing with my dog or going out on a ride with my horse; they always brought a piece of comfort to me. Ever since I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian so that I could return the help they offered me. I also enjoy helping others; I continuously go out of my way to help people in need or be there for my friends when they are at their highs and lows. I'm a person with a solid work ethic, and I'm genuinely dedicated to making progress in life. I enjoy many other hobbies, such as drawing and photography, since I am creative. Ever since elementary school, I had my heart set on going to an agricultural high school, and so I did. I majored in Vet science over at Wamogo Regional High School, and I absolutely loved it! We learned in depth about the different systems of animals and how their cells worked. We also learn to identify issues in our own animals and learn how to handle them with care. I also learned restraint methods for different animals when you treat them. While in High school, I was a very active member of the FFA program. I attended many events, maintained a leadership position, and even held demonstrations. I have acquired many degrees through the FFA, all the way up to my state degree, and I hope to apply for my American degree (a national degree) this year. I also participated in many CDEs, including vet science, aquaculture, horse judging, dairy evaluation, and floriculture. I competed at a state level for horse judging and aquaculture and placed relatively high on both. Around this time, I entered a job on a farm for multiple years and learned how to treat different wounds and administer vaccines. I was absolutely over the moon, and this reinforced my love for my career path. I also continued my passion for riding horses, whether on trail rides with my grandmother or doing Western Pleasure riding in the show ring. Currently, I am trying to train a past barrel horse to slow down in hopes of making her a trail horse. I have been studying hard, and I am proud to say I will be switching from community college over to Uconn in the spring of 2025, graduating a semester early with my associate's degree in hand. I hope to get my doctorate in veterinary science and become a large animal veterinarian. I want to tend to all large animals but also specialize in equine since there are very few accessible equine vets in Connecticut. I hope one day to open my own clinic and offer affordable animal healthcare because I know so many animals out there do not get the help they deserve. I hope to have a rescue on the side as well in order to help animals in need since every animal deserves a second chance.

My name is Alexis Mosher. I am currently a first-year student in college studying liberal arts and sciences, in the hope of transferring to UConn, to further pursue my education. I would love to become a large animal veterinarian one day, specializing in equine medicine. I have had a very hard relationship with my mother. She was very emotionally abusive towards me and criticized almost everything I did. She was a diagnosed narcissist, and she stuck very close to the textbook definition. Almost every summer during my high school career she kicked me out of her home, and during the school year threatened to kick me out. I felt very isolated in that household. However, the hard times at home were causing my depression to spiral, and negatively affecting my ability to concentrate at school, and I didn't feel comfortable expressing my hardships. Even though I felt worthless and alone, I kept my grades high in hopes of a brighter future and to leave this life behind. Senior year was one of the worst years. The abusive comments got worse and eventually, she just got up and left, from days to weeks to months. She left me behind with her emotionally abusive husband and my two siblings. I was left to tend and care for my siblings while attending school, and with my mother out of the picture at the time, my stepfather turned his abuse towards me. I felt completely worthless, and I just wanted to cry, but during this time I knew I had to be strong for my siblings. I reached out for help through the school to finally get the supplies that we needed, and I walked to the stores to buy what was not provided. Even though I was at my worst, I succeeded in maintaining good enough grades to graduate with a 3.6 GPA. My mother eventually did come back, but nothing was ever the same after that. I'm sorry if this is very vague, but remembering strong details of this brings me to tears and major anxiety. During these unfortunate times in my life, my only outlet was around animals. My dog was with me at all times and it was almost as if she could sense when I was upset. She would try to get me to sit with her or get real close to me, she helped me feel not alone in that house and comforted me. She was my emotional support buddy. My horse at my grandparents was an escape for me, I would take her on rides and just forget about everything for a while. These animals were my comfort and distraction and I feel as though they saved me from my depression getting the better of me. In return it encouraged my veterinarian dream, I wanted to give back since they saved me from myself.