It is a browser, supposedly will eat anything, and has the most unique personalities, any guesses? It is a goat! The first animals I ever showed in 4-H were a couple of Boer goat does. I bawled my eyes out when it came time to sell one, and by luck, my local veterinarian bought her and donated her right back to me! Of course, this started my lifelong passion for goats and livestock in general. From those two does, I started my own herd of show goats that I still raise to this day. All throughout my life I have been heavily involved in 4-H and FFA. I did not attend parties or hang out with friends, but instead spent my time outside doing something with my critters. Just ask my mom, when she would ask me to clean my room I would suddenly disappear and she would spot me outside raking pens. I showed lambs and goats the most competitively and enjoyed the county and state fairs. The fairs are what I looked forward to every year. In my FFA Chapter, I found one of my biggest passions to date: livestock judging. We practiced weekly and our little team of four traveled everywhere with our advisor. We put in the work to be competitive and won trips to other states and national stock shows. Now that I have aged out of 4-H and FFA, I volunteer for the organizations. I am a livestock coach for the upcoming youth in my community. I hold practices for the kids a few times a month when the judging season hits. When I was in livestock judging, we did not have a coach but had to learn through trial and error. I know firsthand how hard and disheartening that can be, so I offered to share my knowledge with the next generations. Consequently, it was this passion to be with animals that led me to pursue a career in the Animal Science - PreVet field. With this degree, I hope to obtain a career in wildlife biology. Now I know what you might be thinking, wait a minute, that is not the typical veterinary medicine pathway! But, if you know animals, you know that all of them have the capabilities of feeling, thinking, and loving. I think wildlife are often forgotten and people become more focused on the state of pets or even wild horses instead. We forget that there are these animals out there that are living alongside us who greatly need advocates to fight for correct management and to study them to ensure their survival. My hope is to make a difference in my field, however small it may be. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my application. Thank you for offering this scholarship opportunity as well.

A cat is being shot with a BB gun, a horse is being left in an abandoned stall, and a dog is lying on the side of the road right now. I chose to be in veterinary medicine because of these facts. People have a choice, there is the option to be kind and considerate, or they can choose to be insensitive and malevolent. We need people there to pick up the animal and have the knowledge to care for them in their need. I opted to stay on the right side of that line and make it my career to be there to help. I grew up in the country with a menagerie of animals as my friends. From rabbits, to goats, to horses, to cats and dogs, you name it, we probably had it at some point. I have spent my entire life involved with animals and know from experience that they have a soul. From reading about Crosby, and your desire to have a scholarship named after him, I know that you understand the impact these beloved animals can have. I was heavily involved in 4-H and FFA and spent my summers outside with my critters rather than playing sports or hanging out with friends. I did not ever want to be separated from animals and knew I needed a career that included them. Consequently, I decided to choose a degree that would allow me to study and learn about the very animals I love, Animal Science - PreVet. With this degree, I hope to obtain a career in wildlife biology. Now I know what you are thinking, wait a minute, that is not the typical veterinary medicine pathway! But, if you know animals, you know that all of them have the capabilities of feeling, thinking, and loving. I think wildlife are often forgotten and people become more focused on the state of pets or even wild horses instead. We forget that there are these animals out there that are living alongside us who greatly need advocates to fight for correct management and to study them to ensure their survival. Just because they do not live in our houses or make us money does not make them any less valuable or worthy of life. My hope is to make a difference in my field, however small it may be. The wildlife need someone there who will speak up on their behalf. Someone who cares more about their survival and quality of life, rather than how many hunting tags we can give out with there being just enough next year to do it again. It should not be about the money, but the best course of management for the animals. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my application. Thank you for offering this scholarship opportunity as well.