Our Students

Hi everyone! I am in the DVM class of 2025 and interested in general practice working with small animals and exotics. I applied to this Engaged Cornell program because of my interest in exotic animals and to continue to study conservation efforts in other countries. In the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to travel to the Jane Goodall Institute in the Republic of the Congo, Africa. For 6 weeks, we worked with chimpanzees, mandrills, pangolins, and African gray parrots doing health checks at the sanctuary of Tchimpounga National Reserve. During this time, we also traveled to the chimpanzee islands to do behavioral observation for data collection and monitoring. We also traveled to remote field sites to check camera traps for footage of wild chimpanzees and tracked the wild mandrills in Apuombo to monitor them. This amazing opportunity allowed me to do clinical work on many species, as well as work with members from the community. I learned in the moment how integral One Health is and why it is necessary for the surrounding community to support efforts to conserve wildlife and the environment. This experience has validated my interest in working with exotic animals and incorporating conservation into my future career.