My name is Ryann O’Carroll and I am a senior undergraduate student who will be graduating from the University of New England (UNE) in August of 2020 with two B.S. degrees in Animal Behavior and Environmental Sciences. I have always been passionate about animals, from the time I was a kid to the person I’ve become today. My career in the animal world didn’t really start until I was in high school.
I attended an agricultural high school – turned into an agricultural/technical high school by my junior year – where I was apart of the Veterinary Sciences program. This program allowed students in it to explore the different disciplines within veterinary science, from animal care and husbandry to setting up surgical equipment and practicing restraints on all types of species. While here, the species I worked with ranged from ones including reptile, amphibian, bird, small rodents and other small mammals, livestock, and equine. Graduating from my high school, I received a certificate as a Veterinary Assistant and had much background in the context of animal’s.
Moving onto college, I originally was accepted to University of Maine in Orono, ME, for the Wildlife Ecology program. Upon going to my orientation at this college, I realized this was not the school for me. I do not know exactly what made me realize this, whether it was the overwhelming idea of being three to four hours away from home or feeling like I would not fit in at such as big school. This is when I decided to call UNE, asking to see if I still had a place within the Class of 2020; they said yes and accepted as a transfer student and I was welcomed in to start off my freshman year. UNE has shown me that you can grow, blossom, and change into the person you are meant to become, and you have an amazing support system around between all the students, faculty, and staff you get to know throughout your four years. I have made some amazing connections with all different people at UNE, and it’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything because it set me up to be who I am today and where I’m going with my future career.
UNE provided with me with many experiences, including internship opportunities working in the field of wildlife rehabilitation and management, a passion I’ve always had and want to pursue as my career. Without UNE, I would have not be graduating with a double major in Animal Behavior and Environmental Sciences, I would not have the group of amazing friends that I do, I would not have meet the amazing faculty and staff members that changed my life for the better. UNE is home to me, and will a place I will always look back and cherish the good moments and memories made there.
