![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/1628664174659.webp)
Hobbies and interests
Volunteering
Skateboarding
Animals
Birdwatching
Travel And Tourism
Reading
Academic
Education
Environment
Health
Science
I read books multiple times per month
Holly Ciampa
1,265
Bold Points1x
Finalist![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/1628664174659.webp)
Holly Ciampa
1,265
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
I love birds! I want to be a Wildlife Rehabilitator and Ornithologist!
I signed up to volunteer at the Howell Nature Center; I hope they reach out to me!
Education
Lansing Community College
Associate's degree programMajors:
- Biology, General
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
- Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
- Zoology/Animal Biology
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
- Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences
Career
Dream career field:
Environmental Services
Dream career goals:
Wildlife rehabilitator, Ornithologist, Non-profit Leader
Technician in Training
Rite Aid2021 – Present3 years
Sports
Track & Field
Club2019 – 20201 year
Research
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields, Other
Future Farmers of America — Student2017 – 2019
Arts
Columbus College of Art and Design
Design2019 – 2020
Public services
Volunteering
Color Run 2019 — Color thrower!2019 – Present
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Understory Studio Conservation Scholarship
1. As a woman who is up against her thoughts every day, I find it hard to get through school and work without experiencing some form of mockery or negative attention. With my head often in the clouds or overthinking a simple thought, I often find myself pausing for more than a second to think about simple questions to properly organize my thoughts and respond in the most advantageous way possible. I feel as though the ADHD community is under accounted for in both academic and working society. Now, whether or not it has to do with work or school is subjective; however, it does not undermine the fact that those can contribute to any one person's situation.
When I graduated high school, I saw many people reach out to their chosen career paths. I found myself stuck in the quicksand of career choices with not many in mind. I pushed myself into the arts because I thought my talent would outweigh my interest. After finding out, I was mediocre at best, and what went into the field, I transferred to Wayne State University to pursue my genuine interest: science. I decided to pursue Biochemistry to get into an affluent area where I thought my interest would outweigh performance. Finally, after bouncing around indecisively, I put my feet back on the ground and think realistically about what I wanted, what skills I am comfortable learning, and what truly gets my gears turning. I had noticed my curiosity with the clade, Avemetatarsalia, and how it had always stuck around in the fog, my brain couldn't seem to navigate through properly. When I learned what paths I could take to be around them, to know anything and everything about the winged wonders, my mind immediately decided what I wanted to do for the first time in a lengthy and hectic period. I want to be a Wildlife Rehabilitator.
2. When I picture myself as a Wildlife Rehabilitator, I see grueling hours of caring, feeding, cleaning, helping, and redoing. Even when overtime comes around, it would all be worth it for the happiness of the animals. However, while physical labor is one thing, I will never be ready to part with the animals I will rehabilitate. While it is not the most practical barrier, it is the most significant bump in the road I will ever experience.
Connections and bonds are essential to what makes life worth living. I see myself working alongside wild animals improperly imprinted on humans and their struggles with adjusting to life alongside similar species. I want to show nobody, in particular, the magnificence of bonding with our environment. I want to show kids, teens, and even adults that having a connection that is tied together is worth living a lifetime of grueling chores and conscientious training. However, with hellos come goodbyes, with arrival comes departure, and with life comes death. With a mind never at ease, it races through every possibility to hold onto that connection and never loosen its grip. I find myself emotional even now at the prospect of having to let go of anyone close to me.
Although my barrier will crack and crumble, then build itself up and tower over me once again as time continues forward, I find myself feeling exhilarated at what that barrier hides behind it and what other struggles come my way.
3. With my career quest just in its first baby steps, I find the reasons for my pursuit more and more childish as I role through them. What triggered the events leading up to now is what I think is nothing short of a juvenile's decision to dedicate her scatterbrain to ornithology and rehabilitation. I often found myself having difficulty imagining myself cooped up in a laboratory making frivolous notes, calculations, and measurements, sitting or standing for hours at a time, waiting for a complicated or straightforward result from experimentation of chemicals or testing research. I am someone who, while can get tired quickly, enjoys being on their feet. My inability to sit still and my ability to sit for hours holds no bounds as a rehabilitator for the likes of a nature center or even my own home.
I have always been fond of science and its intriguing nature. Yet, I always found myself lacking in the math department. That ruled me out of physics, chemistry, and astronomy quickly. While I mulled over the things I couldn't do, it wasn't until recently I looked at what I could do, like birdwatching or handling situations under pressure. I found more positive aspects of my life and the world around me when I found environmentalism and conservation, like going outside more, helping my family with gardening, and finding happiness watching birds approach our feeder on the tree in my yard. I found myself finding joy in nature and smiling more when I thought about the future.
4. With my chosen path in biology, I plan to volunteer at my local nature center and help any animal I can to help keep balance in nature's life cycle. I plan to use the skills I have learned and will learn with conservation as my top priority. I am focusing on beneficial additions and being helpful whenever needed in and out of being a rehabilitator. In addition to that, I want to help maintain the environment within and around it by weeding in the gardens, planting flowers, and adequately handling waste.
Protecting wildlife is my biggest long-term goal. I want to protect wildlife from illegal breeding, illegal ownership, illegal attractions and handling, and other settings that may cause harm to any wildlife. Lack of or destruction of shelter and habitats for nature is one of the most prominent reasons I want to conserve; If I need to build a den from scratch for a leash of foxes, I will not hesitate to start building it today.
I find my future very bright in the world of nature restoration and conservation. My goal is to someday open my wild animal rehabilitation clinic or educational nature center in my area to increase the relevance of the environment and its inhabitants. Seeing curious faces and smiles are what make my duties feel fulfilled. My happiness will always lay with the state of our planet and what I can do to make it better for animals and the environment in which they reside.