Empathy is not only an emotion; it is a skill that can be built through experience, communication, and the ability to connect different perspectives. I use my background in healthcare and my studies in animal ecology to help build connection between people, science, and the environments they depend on. My goal is to contribute to a more empathetic global community by making complex systems whether medical, ecological, or cultural more accessible and human centered. My earliest experience with empathy came through healthcare, where I worked as a patient care technician and certified medication aide. In high-pressure clinical settings, I learned that understanding a person’s experience often matters just as much as providing care. Small actions, connection, and presence during vulnerable moments shaped how I view responsibility toward others. These experiences taught me to recognize the human side of systems that are often seen only as technical or procedural. As I continued my education in Animal Ecology, I began to see similar patterns in conservation work. Wildlife health is rarely isolated from human influence. It is shaped by land use, resource access, and community decision-making. During my study abroad experience in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I observed mangrove ecosystems and coral reef decline while learning from residents about how tourism and environmental pressures affect both wildlife and livelihoods. These conversations showed me that conservation is not only about protecting ecosystems, but also about recognizing the role of the people who live within them. This is where I see my unique role emerging. I use observation, interpretation, and cross-disciplinary learning to help translate scientific and environmental concepts in ways that are more accessible to different audiences. I have learned that assumptions often create distance, while partnerships and active listening builds trust and empathy. Continuing my career as a wildlife veterinarian in rehabilitation and conservation, I plan to apply this same skill set in field and community settings. Wildlife veterinarians often serve at the intersection of science, policy, and public understanding. In this role, I hope to help communities better see how wildlife health connects to human activity, land use, and conservation decisions. By communicating these relationships clearly, I aim to support more informed and empathetic approaches to wildlife care, rehabilitation, and sustainable coexistence. Looking ahead, I am pursuing study abroad wildlife veterinary opportunities in Guatemala, Thailand, and South Africa to further expand my knowledge of how culture, environment, and wildlife intersect globally. These experiences will allow me to see how different communities approach conservation and animal care, and how those perspectives can inform more inclusive and respectful solutions. I am especially interested in how education and communication can support more informed decision-making in conservation and tourism. When people understand how their actions connect to ecosystems and wildlife, they are more likely to engage in protective and sustainable behaviors. My goal is to help strengthen that connection by making science and conservation more accessible and relevant across cultural contexts. Ultimately, I use my skills to build dialogue across systems that are often disconnected healthcare and patients, science and communities, and people and the natural world. By helping translate knowledge into shared understanding, I hope to contribute to a more empathetic global community where both people and ecosystems are better supported.

Education has become the defining force in my life that transformed uncertainty into direction and shaped my sense of purpose. As a first-generation college student from an immigrant family, I did not inherit a clear academic roadmap. Instead, I learned through experience that education is not only a path to a career, but a tool for independence, stability, and transformation. It has taught me that who I am becoming matters just as much as where I am going. After graduating high school in 2012, I began college with ambition but limited understanding of how to navigate higher education independently. When personal challenges arose, I made the difficult decision to pause my studies. What initially felt like a setback became the beginning of a different kind of education shaped by responsibility, resilience, and lived experience. I entered the healthcare field as a patient care technician and certified medication aide. Working in high-pressure clinical environments taught me discipline, empathy, and composure under stress. I cared for individuals during some of their most vulnerable moments, where small actions carried profound meaning. These experiences grounded my understanding of purpose: showing up for others is not just a task, but a responsibility rooted in dignity and humanity. Over time, I recognized my desire to expand this impact through wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary medicine. Returning to school at Des Moines Area Community College marked a turning point in my academic journey. I reentered higher education with greater intention but soon faced new challenges when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted both academic and healthcare systems. During this time, I also experienced the sudden loss of my father to a brain aneurysm. Navigating grief while continuing my education and working in healthcare tested every aspect of my resilience. I have not lacked perseverance. I have built it. Facing ongoing challenges throughout my life, I learned to continue moving forward when circumstances were difficult, and over time my resilience became stronger, not weaker. There were moments when balancing responsibilities felt overwhelming, yet education became the structure that kept me grounded. It provided focus when everything else felt uncertain. I learned that perseverance is not about avoiding struggle, but about continuing with purpose even when the path forward is heavy. This period reshaped my definition of strength and deepened my commitment to using my education as a foundation for meaningful work. As I transferred to Iowa State University and continued my studies in Animal Ecology with a specialization in Wildlife and Pre-Vet Wildlife Care, my academic direction became more defined. For the first time, I was studying within a field directly aligned with my long-term goals. Education shifted from being a requirement to becoming a space where my curiosity, values, and purpose intersected. Through coursework and field experiences, I developed a deeper understanding of wildlife conservation as a system shaped by ecological, human, and environmental factors. My study abroad experience in the U.S. Virgin Islands exposed me to mangrove ecosystems, coral reef degradation, and the close relationship between environmental health and human activity. Observing coral bleaching while speaking with local communities revealed that conservation is not only scientific, but also cultural and economic. It depends on collaboration, understanding, and respect for the people who live closest to these ecosystems. This experience reinforced that my goals extend beyond animal care alone. I want to be a wildlife veterinarian who understands how human decisions, resource access, and environmental pressures shape wildlife survival, particularly in underserved and rural communities where conservation education and resources are often limited. Education has given me the ability to recognize these connections and respond with intention rather than assumption. In addition to international experience, my academic journey has strengthened through hands-on learning in wildlife and ecological studies. Each opportunity has reinforced the importance of observation, data, and communication in science. More importantly, I have learned that knowledge only creates impact when it is shared in ways that others can understand and apply. Looking ahead, I am pursuing additional international study opportunities in wildlife rehabilitation and veterinary medicine in Guatemala, Thailand, and South Africa. These experiences will strengthen my clinical foundation while expanding my understanding of global conservation systems and human-wildlife conflict across diverse cultural contexts. My long-term goal is to become a wildlife veterinarian who bridges clinical rehabilitation, conservation science, and community engagement to improve access to wildlife care and conservation understanding in both local and global communities. Education has not only shaped my direction, but it has also reshaped my identity. It has taken me from uncertainty to purpose and given me the tools to turn resilience into impact. I am not simply pursuing a degree. I am using education to transform lived experience into action that strengthens the relationship between people, wildlife, and the environments we share.

My interest in wildlife rehabilitation began with Mighty Joe Young, which sparked my fascination with wildlife and the idea of becoming a zoologist. As I progressed in Animal Ecology specializing in Wildlife and Pre-Vet Wildlife Care, that childhood curiosity developed into a commitment to becoming a wildlife veterinarian focused on rehabilitation and conservation. I came to understand that wildlife health is never isolated from its environment. It is shaped by human activity, habitat disruption, and resource limitations. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, I observed mangrove ecosystems and coral bleaching while learning from local communities how tourism and human conflict affect wildlife habitats. This experience reinforced that effective wildlife rehabilitation requires not only clinical knowledge, but also understanding the human systems surrounding animals. Therefore, I am pursuing immersive training through upcoming study abroad programs in Wildlife Rehabilitation with ARCAS in Guatemala, Companion Animal and Elephant Veterinary Medicine in Thailand, and Wildlife Research in South Africa. These experiences will strengthen my clinical foundation while expanding my understanding of global conservation practices, human-wildlife conflict, and cultural approaches to wildlife health. I aim to become a wildlife veterinarian who bridges clinical rehabilitation, conservation science, and community-informed care to improve outcomes for wildlife populations worldwide.

My sense of purpose was not formed in a classroom but between stepping away from college and returning. As a first-generation college student from an immigrant family, I navigated higher education balancing financial responsibility, personal challenges, and long-term goals while building a future. Purpose, to me, is growth, resilience, and impact. After high school in 2012, I began college but paused due to personal challenges. I entered healthcare as a patient care technician and certified medication aide, working in high-pressure environments that required precision, composure, and empathy. These roles taught me that care is rooted in dignity and that showing up for others in difficult moments is immeasurable. I returned to school at DMACC just before the COVID-19 pandemic while also experiencing the sudden loss of my father to a brain aneurysm. Navigating grief while maintaining academic and professional responsibilities reshaped my understanding of resilience, continuing forward through uncertainty with intention. At Iowa State University, as a non-traditional student with financial constraints, I invested fully in my purpose. My study abroad in the U.S. Virgin Islands showed me how conservation is inseparable from economic realities and community life. As I continue my academics, I advocate for future students’ access to opportunities that benefit them, serving as a student council representative and team leader. Leadership is not only positional but rooted in creating access and support for others. My purpose is grounded in connection, resilience, and service. I am not only earning a degree but building a path forward for others.