My "Pie in the Sky" dream for my life is to work for the Columbus Zoo Aquarium. It feels out of reach for me because I know that this zoo hires very few veterinarians and it is an incredibly prestigious career. While I could settle for a smaller aquarium, most simple veterinary care is done by a marine biologist, but that is not my dream. I've always loved fish and whales. I live in Ohio and have visited the Columbus Zoo many times throughout my life, and what impressed me most was always the colorful fish and shrimp. I remember being so impressed by the moon jellyfish, translucent and free-floating, and the colorful but dangerous mantis shrimp. Animals that can live in the water their whole lives have always been almost supernatural to me. I've learned to love them more as I've gotten older, and I have kept many fish tanks with several species since I've been a teenager. I love watching their colors flourish once they're taken out of the pet store and placed in a beautiful, natural tank. My dream would be to bring health and satisfaction to all aquatic creatures on the largest scale I can. I plan to take steps to become a small animal and exotic veterinarian out of college. It will take double the shadowing hours, but I will need the experience to help all aquatic animals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. While there are no exotic vets near where I live, as I am from a rural county, as soon as I have moved for college, I plan to contact a veterinarian and ask to work under them for the next four years of my life. This will be stressful, and take up almost all of my free time, but I am willing to do it in hopes that someday I will be able to make it to an aquarium somewhere or even help others with their pet fish by opening my own hospital. While I will be happy helping all animals by running my own clinic, accomplishing my dream of working for the Columbus Zoo and helping take care of all of the beautiful fish will make my life feel more complete. I feel that helping exotic animals is part of my purpose, as many people do not care about them as much as fluffy cuddly pets like dogs and cats. One day, I hope to reach my Pie in the Sky and help the impressive underdogs in a large aquarium.

Animal care and welfare in conservation efforts is incredibly important to nature, people, and the environment. How animals are treated affects everyone, even if they do not realize it. The care of other species is what makes humans humane, and our efforts to protect those who need it is of ever-growing importance. I envision myself becoming a veterinarian and fighting to help all animals alive and healthy, even if there is nobody there for that animal. I want to help treat all animals that are brought to me or that I find, from the tiniest ant fighting thirst, to the largest bull with a small splinter. I believe that animal conservation is the most important part of protecting the environment. Animal extinction threatens all, even if they do not realize it. For example, when the thylacine, or Tasmanian Tiger, went extinct in Australia, the rodent and kangaroo population exploded. As the thylacine was one of the few large land predators in the Australian mainland, there was nothing to keep the prey intact. From this one animal's extinction sprang a devastating sequence of events where rodents ruined farmlands and chewed at the stalks of the plants until some farms were devoid of any harvest. I use this example to show how an animal that can be seen as something too predatory that must be hunted is still incredibly important to the environment and to the people living off of the land. This lesson can also be extended to the overhunting of some animals in the US, such as gray wolves. My dream as a veterinarian to-be is to stay in a rural area and have my own business. I believe in fighting against animal abuse and helping every species that I can, even if it means "wasting" some medications or anesthesia on something as little as a mouse with a broken leg. I believe that the humanity that we as a species give to all animals is something to admire and cherish, rather than give up on for some cash or convenience. I envision myself working with the police to assist animals in hoarding situations, or assisting with wildlife faced with problems such as illegal trapping and hunting. I also want to work with other veterinarians and wildlife specialists to further research on rabies, in hopes of one day discovering a way to test animals for the disease without killing them. I plan to go to the University of Findlay for Pre-Veterinary Animal Science and then further my education elsewhere to become a vet so I can accomplish my goals of maintaining humane practices with animals and contributing towards conservation.

I am receiving financial support from my parents and scholarships to pursue my academic goals. I am attending the University of Findlay for the animal science program, so if I am selected as a scholarship winner, I will use the funds to help cover a portion of the tuition costs. I plan to attend a four-year grad school college afterwards. These funds will help me pursue my goals to eventually become a veterinarian for small and large animals by helping me attend one of the best animal science programs in the country, ensuring that I will do the best that I can to help animals in the future.