I didn't start my academic career loving math, that's for certain. I chose a degree program in marine science, with biology being my subject of strength. I was always decent at math, and I knew I would have to take math classes to complete my degree. I was fine with this. I had to work harder in math than any other classes to fully comprehend and retain the material, which led me to harbor a mild resentment for the subject. Throughout my time at college, I have taken two calculus classes, three physics classes, and six chemistry classes which have required math in some capacity. I tolerated them. It wasn't until I began acquiring hands-on experience in my future career field that I truly learned to love math. I realized that I didn't love solving mathematical equations for the sake of solving them, but when given a purpose behind them, it became a puzzle where I could apply my problem-solving skills to make a real-world difference. I interned at a veterinary clinic, and I had never really given much thought previously to the amount of math that was required for the job; calculating medication dosages based on weight, prepping vaccinations, tracking weight trends... It was everywhere. It was then that it clicked for me: math wasn't something to hate because the classes weren't easy; it was a tool that you learn to love for giving you access to information and technological developments that wouldn't exist otherwise. I was just recently accepted into my first-choice veterinary school, and instead of fearing the math that looms ahead, I have befriended it. I look forward to having this wonderful tool at my disposal, allowing me to do things that many before me couldn't.

Calculus is a much-dreaded subject for many students, including myself, pursuing a STEM degree. I am a biology and marine science double major, and I was required to take calculus I and II as prerequisites for physical oceanography. I have always been a biologist at heart, and my passion lies with studying life, not so much the calculations behind it. Despite my fears, I passed calculus I with flying colors, just to be brought to a screeching halt in calculus II. Everything that started to make sense the previous semester was turned upside down and reflected across the y-axis. Derivatives made sense, but integrals took a lot of mental reprogramming. The concept of a series made sense, but I could never decide which method to use to solve them. I wondered why I needed this when I was in school to study life, and eventually become a marine veterinarian. Veterinarians would surely never need calculus, right? Well, after a long and grueling semester, I landed my first-ever C. I was distraught, especially after getting an A in calculus I. I felt like a failure, and it led me to resent mathematics as a whole. Now, I am currently in physical oceanography, and the dreaded calculus is coming back. But this time, it isn't the same as it was in my calculus course. Instead of mathematically solving a derivative, we are using the definition of a derivative to calculate oceanographic processes. Applying these concepts to the field that I have a passion for has lifted the filter from my eyes, allowing me to see calculus for what it is- a tool to be used to learn the function behind important processes. It wasn't developed to make students have mental breakdowns in their dormitories, but to act as a stepping stone to other important discoveries. You may not think you use calculus in everyday life, or even once in your life, but the odds are, you will. Modeling a dynamic system? You're using calculus. Understanding physiological processes? Calculus is there, too. Due to the simplification of equations using technology, you may use a calculus-based formula and not even realize it. Understanding at least the basics of the world of calculus can make you a much more well-rounded contributor to your professional community. I may never use traditional calculus in veterinary medicine, but it taught me the fundamentals of problem solving and perseverance, something I definitely will use.

I come from a place thick in the brambles of “ain’t,” ‘y’all,” and blue collar boys and girls. A small town with one traffic light, and maybe one home owned by a family that doesn’t share my last name. It probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that I was the first person in my family, down any line, that left that red dirt sandbox for a higher education. You would imagine that being a first generation college student would be a prideful thing, and it is, very much so. But that pride doesn’t come without moments of guilt. I was the first to go this far, that is true, but I was also the first to leave my family. To see the welled up tears and sadness in their eyes as I hugged them goodbye for what felt like the millionth time. I hear the stories of the happiness and pride my family feels for me, but I also hear stories of the times I miss and so long to have with them. Now, this long-distance turmoil has come to an end. I was accepted to my first-choice veterinary school, only two and a half hours away from home. After working for years, accumulating over 375 veterinary hours, completing an honors degree program with two majors, being a part of six honor societies, founding and serving as the vice-president for my school's horticulture club, earning a consistent spot on the dean's list, working as a peer leader, and spending my summer researching cardiac activity of elasmobranchs, I finally made it. Some might say it was "against all odds." Maybe it was, but I worked hard for it. I even began volunteering at my local humane society clinic back in high school. And I never, not once, gave up on myself.

My name is Paige Huntzberry, and I am a senior marine science and cellular/molecular biology major with a minor in pre-health professions at Coastal Carolina University. During my time at CCU, I served as the charter Vice President for the Horticulture Club from spring 2022, I have been a University Peer Leader since fall 2023, and I have been able to conduct research as a part of the CCU Shark Crew, analyzing the cardiac activity of elasmobranchs in response to capture stress. I have consistently earned a place on the Dean's List and am a recipient of the Kleber-Springs Scholarship and the Dean's Excellence Scholarship through my university, as well as senatorial and delegate scholarships from my home state of Maryland. I am also an active member of six honor societies, including Phi Eta Sigma, Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Society of Leadership and Success, the 1954 Society, Tri-Alpha First Generation Honor Society, and Tri-Beta Biological Honor Society. Upon graduation, I will be attending Rowan University Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine as a member of their inaugural class, with an end goal of being a marine veterinarian. I was thrilled to find out I had been accepted to my top veterinary school, however the excitement quickly turned to worry when I saw the tuition I would have to pay. I am a first generation college student, and I do not come from money. I come from a very small town, where all of my family work blue collar jobs to make ends meet. My goal was to get out of that generational rut, and help my family live the life they deserve. They have given me everything they have to get me to this point, and any amount of funding would help alleviate some of the stress that this has caused. My dream is just within my reach, but getting there will not be easy. Veterinary school will be taxing both mentally and physically, and easing the financial burden would be a huge asset to my success. I may be able to take out loans, however I still have undergraduate loans that must be paid off while I'm in veterinary school. It is a very challenging position to be in, but I worked so hard for so many years of my life for this, that I know I have to make it work. I was always afraid to ask for help, struggling to prove myself as a first generation college student, but I have learned throughout my time as an undergraduate student that asking for assistance is never frowned upon, but is respected. So, here I am, asking for assistance. Not only assistance for myself, but for my family.

The warm ocean breeze ruffled my hair. The seagulls mewed above my head, and a piece of sargassum grazed my ankle as the water pulled back, desperate to return to the sea. Every sense triggered in that moment reminded me why I was here. Tourists come and go, absorbed by the sensation of sand between their toes and waves lapping at their ankles. What they don’t realize is that everything around them is kept in balance by what lies below those waves. Standing there, I couldn’t help but think back to how it all started. It was summer 2018. I was fifteen years old, and we were on our annual family vacation in the Outer Banks, North Carolina. It was a rainy day, so we decided to take the opportunity to visit the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. I was enthralled by all of the exhibits, per usual, until one stop in particular. We had entered the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation Center, and there were staff members actively providing care to an injured turtle, right in front of me. I was mesmerized, but it was different. It was like something clicked in my mind, something so painstakingly obvious. I had always been fascinated by the field of medicine. I have always had a soft spot for animals, and deep down the ocean has always been my home. How had I not realized it before then? I locked eyes with my mother. “That is what I want to do with my life.” From that moment, nothing could stop me from achieving my dream. Being a first-generation college student wouldn’t make this an easy journey, but with every experience, I grew more and more eager to immerse myself in the field of veterinary medicine. From working as a zookeeper to interning at a small clinic in my hometown, I have learned so many valuable lessons not only in veterinary medicine, but in communication and perseverance as well. The experience that solidified my passion for veterinary medicine beyond all others was watching my very first amputation. A kitten had come in with a fractured femur, and the only viable option was amputation. Dr. Nelson sliced and sewed with such precision. I could only dream of being as amazing as she was. Everything was going great, until I noticed something shift in the atmosphere of the room. It only took a second to realize that the kitten’s heart rate had skyrocketed. I asked Dr. Nelson if that was normal, and she jumped into action, instructing me on how to turn up the isoflurane. She applauded me on my observation, and explained that the kitten may have started to wake up. I can still remember that feeling of maybe, just maybe being the reason a kitten didn’t feel pain. That lit a fire inside of me. I ultimately wanted to be a marine veterinarian, but I firmly believe in keeping many doors unlocked and ready to open. Being a marine science major has taught me how fragile our oceans and their ecosystems are. My goal as a veterinarian is to be a conservationist — advocating for those who have no voice; those who are out of sight, and subsequently, out of mind. That is what I want to do with my life.

In1895, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen discovered the basis of a technology that is now widely used in many medical institutions around the world. Due to the uncertainty surrounding their exact nature, he decided to call them "x-rays." An accidental discovery, something he never meant to unearth, became one of the world's most important diagnostic tools in less than a century. By the turn of the 20th century, hospitals across the globe began to use x-ray technology to diagnose fractures. Not only did this technology mark an important step in orthopedic diagnostics, but also was the first in a series of stepping stones that would lead to the development of other imaging technologies, such as CT scans and MRIs. As a student who is attending veterinary school in a few short months, this development is one that I admire to the highest degree. X-rays are such a normal part of everyday medical endeavors, that we rarely stop to think, "what if this was never discovered?" Not only would the x-rays themselves not exist, but so many other things would not exist as well. Every advancement is like a domino, knocked over, causing the next to fall. The most amazing thing about technology is that it never reaches an end. There is no "finished product," because as we learn, the technology grows with us. And that is also the amazing part about humans; we never stop growing. We yearn for more knowledge, craving answers to the unknown. My goal in the veterinary field is to do just this- keep learning, keep developing, and help advance medical technology in any way that I can.