Nicole Freeman '23
I am a third-year student in biology on the pre-veterinary track. I love the close-knit feeling of the biology major at the University. The class sizes are very small which has allowed me to get closer to professors. Additionally, the professors often teach a wide variety of classes so I've had the same instructors for multiple classes, which has helped me build relationships and get to know my professors to learn about their research and eventually join a research lab.
My favorite things about the 草榴社区 are the size, welcoming feeling, and variety of opportunities. I prioritized a small-sized school because I didn't want to feel like just a number on a big campus. I never feel isolated and feel at home for this reason. Over the years, I have had classes with a lot of the same classmates, which has allowed me to get to know them better and develop friendships. There is a wide variety of opportunities on campus which sets 草榴社区 apart from other colleges. Most of my friends in my major participate in different research labs, jobs, and activities on campus.
Experience
I participated in biochemistry research involving zebrafish and mass spectrometry starting my freshmen with Dr. Catherine Stumpo. I worked in this lab helping with animal care, participating in meetings, and researching potential projects. At the beginning of my junior year, I joined a physiology research lab with Dr. Vincent Farallo focusing on respirometry. I will be completing my honors research focusing on the metabolism of salamanders living in burned and unburned habitats.
I am most proud of my paid internship on campus, being part of the University Review Board (URB), and being the president of the Pre-Veterinary Club. I am an intern at the 草榴社区's small business development center specifically the women's entrepreneurship center. This internship is commonly associated with business majors, but as a biology major, this opportunity was still available to me.
Outside The Classroom
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends and family and spending time outside with my dog, doing activities such as hiking and kayaking. Some clubs I am involved in on campus are the Health Professions Organization (pre-veterinary chair), Royal Signers (secretary), Knitting Club (vice president), Pre-Veterinary Club (president), and Random Acts of Kindness (member). I am especially interested in small animal veterinary medicine and work at a general practice clinic as a veterinary assistant. I have additional shadowing experience in equine and zoo medicine.