
Hobbies and interests
Running
Reading
Knitting
Camping
Animals
Reading
Romance
Adult Fiction
Fantasy
I read books multiple times per week
Nevaeh Hendon
12x
Nominee1x
Finalist
Nevaeh Hendon
12x
Nominee1x
FinalistBio
My name is Nevaeh Hendon. I am currently a freshman at the University of Northern Iowa studying anima ecology. I love animals and would love to have the opportunity to work with them and learn more about them. That’s why I am going to college so that I can work with animals either in a zoo or out in the wild.
I love being outside and seeing all the different animals, especially in all the different places that I’ve lived. My dad is in the army, so I move every couple of years. I was born on an army base in Germany, have lived in seven different states, and have attended about eight or nine different schools. Seeing all the different wildlife species and all of their habitats has always made me fascinated with animals. I love seeing how different the animals are in the different environments and how they use those environments to their own abilities.
Another thing I also really enjoy about being outside is running. I joined cross country during my sophomore year of high school, and though it did take a while for me to enjoy it, running is now one of my favorite ways to spend my time. Being outside on the trails, hearing and seeing all the animals, just makes my day a whole lot better.
If I can get the chance to make my dream of becoming a zoologist come true, not only can it let me be happy about spending a lot of time with different animals, but also give me the chance to be able to learn a lot more about the animals that I would get to spend so much time with.
Education
University of Northern Iowa
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Zoology/Animal Biology
Cedar Falls High School
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Bachelor's degree program
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Zoology/Animal Biology
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
- Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy
Career
Dream career field:
zoology
Dream career goals:
Taking care of the dogs that are lodging and cleaning suites the dogs have been in.
Aloha Pet Resort2025 – Present1 year
Sports
Cross-Country Running
Junior Varsity2022 – 20253 years
Arts
School Band Class
Music2017 – 2025
Public services
Volunteering
Cedar Bend Humane Society — Helping take care of animals2024 – 2024
Dr. Howard Hochman Zoological Scholarship
For as long as I can remember, I have always loved to be outside watching all the animals that would be roaming around in my backyard. I would spend hours sitting outside in the back yard completely in my own world with only me and the animals. I loved watching the birds fly through the sky and the rabbits and squirrels running across the fence or through the yard as my dogs chased them. I would always love it when my parents would take me and my sister to the zoo, because I was fascinated by all the different animals and how they are all unique and different in their own ways. From species to species and even just from one to another in their own species, all the animals have their own personalities. Each animal had their own behaviors and I loved watching how different animals interacted with each other, not only in the zoos, but also out in the wild. My fascination with animals did not just stop at watching them outside, but also continued with watching shows about them as well. One of my favorite shows as a kid was Wonder Pets. My mom has told me that she thinks watching Wonder Pets is what helped spark my passion for wanting to help animals and care for them. WIth both my love for watching animals in the wild and watching shows where animals are being helped, I knew even as a kid that I wanted to do something with helping animals as my job later in life.
That fascination of wanting to help and take care of animals has stuck with me throughout my life, and now as a freshman in college I am working on getting a degree in animal ecology. Even with the job I have right now I am working with animals. I work at a place called Aloha Pet Spa and Resort, where I take care of the dogs and cats that are lodging, along with watching over dogs that are in the doggie daycare. It always brings a smile to my face when I walk into the building because I know I get to see all the different dog breeds, and all the personalities of all the dogs. I do know that this is not going to be my permanent job, but I have not figured out if I would rather work in a zoo as a zoologist or work in a state park as a wildlife biologist, but wherever I end up working I know that I will be excited to go in every day and be surrounded by animals.
Dr. Howard Hochman Zoological Scholarship
Throughout my whole life, I've always been fascinated with science. In school, biology and chemistry have always been some of my favorite classes that I have taken. Last year I even took AP biology to have another biology class that took everything to a slightly deeper level. My love for these science classes is perfect, considering the fact that they are both required for the field of study that I would love to go into; animal ecology.
From a young age, I have always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching the different animals living in my neighborhood. For example, watching the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true.
With both my love for science and animals, going into the career field of animal ecology is the perfect fit for me. Not only would I be able to fulfill my dream of working with animals every day, but I would be studying them through science and I would also be able to share my findings with others to help people be able to more clearly understand the animals that share the same planet as us.
William Griggs Memorial Scholarship for Science and Math
Throughout my whole life, I've always been fascinated with science. In school, biology and chemistry have always been some of my favorite classes that I have taken. Last year I even took AP biology to have another biology class that took everything to a slightly deeper level. My love for these science classes is perfect, considering the fact that they are both required for the field of study that I would love to go into; animal ecology.
From a young age, I have always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching the different animals living in my neighborhood. For example, watching the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true.
With both my love for science and animals, going into the career field of animal ecology is the perfect fit for me. Not only would I be able to fulfill my dream of working with animals every day, but I would be studying them through science and I would also be able to share my findings with others to help people be able to more clearly understand the animals that share the same planet as us.
Global Girls In STEM Scholarship
Throughout my life, I've always been fascinated with the science portion of STEM. In school, biology and chemistry have always been some of my favorite classes that I have taken. Last year I even took AP biology to have another biology class that took everything to a slightly deeper level. My love for these science classes is perfect, considering the fact that they are both required for the field of study that I would love to go into; animal ecology.
From a young age, I have always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching the different animals living in my neighborhood. For example, watching the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true.
With both my love for science and animals, going into the career field of animal ecology is the perfect fit for me. Not only would I be able to work with animals every day, but I would be studying them through science and I would also be able to share my findings with others to help people be able to more clearly understand the animals that share the same planet as us.
Stephen "Mike" Flinders Agriculture and Animal Care Scholarship
roughout my whole life, I've always been fascinated with science. In school, biology and chemistry have always been some of my favorite classes that I have taken. Last year I even took AP biology to have another biology class that took everything to a slightly deeper level. My love for these science classes is perfect, considering the fact that they are both required for the field of study that I would love to go into; animal ecology.
From a young age, I have always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching the different animals living in my neighborhood. For example, watching the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true.
With both my love for science and animals, going into the career field of animal ecology is the perfect fit for me. Not only would I be able to fulfill my dream of working with animals every day, but I would be studying them through science and I would also be able to share my findings with others to help people be able to more clearly understand the animals that share the same planet as us.
A Man Helping Women Helping Women Scholarship
Throughout my whole life, I've always been fascinated with science. In school, biology and chemistry have always been some of my favorite classes that I have taken. Last year I even took AP biology to have another biology class that took everything to a slightly deeper level. My love for these science classes is perfect, considering the fact that they are both required for the field of study that I would love to go into; animal ecology.
From a young age, I have always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching the different animals living in my neighborhood. For example, watching the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true.
With both my love for science and animals, going into the career field of animal ecology is the perfect fit for me. Not only would I be able to fulfill my dream of working with animals every day, but I would be studying them through science and I would also be able to share my findings with others to help people be able to more clearly understand the animals that share the same planet as us.
Our Destiny Our Future Scholarship
Throughout my life, I've always been fascinated with the science portion of STEM. In school, biology and chemistry have always been some of my favorite classes that I have taken. Last year I even took AP biology to have another biology class that took everything to a slightly deeper level. My love for these science classes is perfect, considering the fact that they are both required for the field of study that I would love to go into; animal ecology.
From a young age, I have always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching the different animals living in my neighborhood. For example, watching the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true.
With both my love for science and animals, going into the career field of animal ecology is the perfect fit for me. Not only would I be able to work with animals every day, but I would be studying them through science and I would also be able to share my findings with others to help people be able to more clearly understand the animals that share the same planet as us.
Women in STEM Scholarship
Throughout my life, I've always been fascinated with the science portion of STEM. In school, biology and chemistry have always been some of my favorite classes that I have taken. Last year I even took AP biology to have another biology class that took everything to a slightly deeper level. My love for these science classes is perfect, considering the fact that they are both required for the field of study that I would love to go into; animal ecology.
From a young age, I have always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching the different animals living in my neighborhood. For example, watching the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true.
With both my love for science and animals, going into the career field of animal ecology is the perfect fit for me. Not only would I be able to work with animals every day, but I would be studying them through science and I would also be able to share my findings with others to help people be able to more clearly understand the animals that share the same planet as us.
Angelia Zeigler Gibbs Book Scholarship
From a young age, I always thought that animals were so cool and amazing. I loved staring out the window and watching different animals, like the squirrels running through the lawn and up the trees, or watching the birds that looked like they were just floating through the air. Even now, I love going for walks on trails in the woods to be able to observe all of the wildlife living in that area. My childhood passion for these animals has led me to become curious about all of their interactions with other animals and their environments. To me, it is fascinating that each individual animal, no matter how big or small it is, all have their own role to play in their environment and the fact that their environment impacts the way that they live their lives.
My fascination and curiosity for these things have led me to pursue a career in animal ecology, where I would have the ability to study these interactions on a daily basis and help contribute to the conservation of wildlife and their habitats. I have always searched for opportunities at school to take classes such as biology and environmental studies to help set a solid foundation to continue to add more knowledge about these interactions later. Being able to reach this goal of being an animal ecologist and getting the chance to work with animals every day would be a dream come true
Student Life Photography Scholarship
1989 (Taylor's Version) Fan Scholarship
If I had a soundtrack for my year, the songs from 1989 (Taylor’s Version) would be; Bad Blood, Now That We Don’t Talk, New Romantics, and You Are In Love. All of these songs have to do with love, either losing it or finding it, and I’ve had that happening this year.
Last year I had meat this guy in my class and we became friends, while I started to like him as more than just friends. I had kind of forgotten about the fact that he had stood me up at homecoming when I asked him if he wanted to go with me and about some of the things that my friends had told me about him, so at the beginning of this year when he told me that he wanted to get to know me better and start talking more, I said yes. That only lasted for a week, because my friends starting mocking us walking in the halls and he ended it saying that our friend groups don’t mix and that we weren’t in the right place for a relationship. That’s when I realized that he really wasn’t a great guy and I thought more about what my friends had said about him, like he’s a player and talked to multiple girls at once and that he only liked girls for their bodies, so I’m glad that I never actually started a real relationship with him.
A little while after all that happened with the first hit was over, I started talking to this other guy more. We had been friends for a couple of months and he seemed really sweet. I knew that he liked me because he told one of his friends, who is also my friend, that he liked me and wanted to talk to me more. After hanging out with him a couple of times and having time getting over the first guy, I realized that this new guy is so sweet and I started to fall for him. I started dropping little hints to him and not too long after that he asked me to be his girlfriend! At this point we have been together for almost eight months and just last week he asked me to go to homecoming with him. Ever since we have started dating, I have been feeling a lot happier and a lot more relaxed, we both make each other so happy and we both know that we are always there for each other.
In conclusion, my playlist for with year would contain; Bad Blood, Now That We Don’t Talk, New Romantics, and You Are In Love from 1989 to show what I have experienced with my love life this year.