C.E.L.A. Belize: Large Animal Veterinary Practices in the Tropics

Hi, my name is Alison Lawlor, and I am a rising senior at Rutgers University, majoring in Animal Science, Pre-Vet & Research Option with a minor in Psychology. I spend most of my time at Rutgers Farm, working as an animal care worker, a teaching assistant for the swine and small ruminant practicum classes, and doing research in Dr. Katz's lab. Next year I will be working on my own research project through the G.H. Cook Scholars Program. I also work as a lifeguard through Rutgers Recreation, and will be starting work this summer as a vet tech/assistant at Prospect Ridge Veterinary Hospital. I am beyond excited that I will be spending two weeks in June studying abroad in Belize taking the "Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics" class, and I can't wait to share my journey with you. (:

Hi! My name is Angela Feasel, I am a rising senior studying Animal Science with a concentration in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Research with a minor in Biochemistry. In my free time I enjoy trips to the beach, reading, horseback riding and spending time with my family and friends. I am super excited for this incredible opportunity to be traveling to Belize this summer! I cannot wait to work alongside veterinarians, spent time in the Belize zoo and be emerged in their culture for the next four weeks.

Hello, my name is Cindy Salazar, a junior attending Rutgers University and I am studying animal science and am on the pre-vet track. I am going to be traveling to Belize this summer and I am very excited to be studying abroad for the very first time! My goal is to gain enough experience to be able to add onto my CV when applying to veterinary schools after my Rutgers graduation. Before attending Rutgers, I attended Hudson County Community College and earned my associates degree in Biology. While Rutgers was always on my plan, I actually never thought that studying abroad would be part of it. I cannot wait to share my experiences with my peers and am excited for this life-changing trip!

Hello! I am a rising sophomore, Class of 2019, majoring in Animal Science (Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Research option) and minoring in Art History. This summer I will be traveling to Belize for two weeks to attend the “Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics” program. There, I will be gaining hands-on veterinary examination techniques on various species and learning the animal agriculture and livestock industry in Belize. While I am looking forward to closely work with animals in Belize, I am also excited to learn about their history and how it is portrayed in their customs and art.

My name is Danielle Kulyk and I’m a sophomore in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the Honors College. I’m majoring in animal science (pre-veterinary medicine and research track) with a minor in microbiology. I’m excited to be studying abroad in Belize this winter! I hope that through this program I will be able to learn more about large animal veterinary practices and be able to view animal care from an entirely different perspective. I’m most excited to learn about the culture in Belize as well as their perspectives on animal health care and how it differs from us.

Hi! I am Deanna and I am going to be a senior this coming fall majoring in Animal Science with a Companion Animal Science concentration and minoring in Psychology. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to spend a month this summer in Belize studying Large Animal Veterinary Practices as well as Wildlife Health, Ecology and Conservation! I cannot wait to travel abroad and meet everyone I will be learning and growing with this summer.

Hi, I’m Francesca, a sophomore majoring in Animal Science with the pre-veterinary track. I’ve had a passion for animals since I was a little girl, and as I’ve grown, so has my passion! I’ve always been especially excited about the science behind animals and the environment, and to this day I love exploring and learning about the natural world. At SEBS, I’m trying to take advantage of every hands-on opportunity I can get my hands on—pun very much intended! I thoroughly enjoy participating in equine research with the Rutgers Equine Science Center, and I’m so excited to (hopefully) be taking my first Animal Practicum course this coming spring semester. I am also an avid equestrian, and have been riding horses for over eleven years. When I’m not studying or helping out at the Equine Science Center, you can usually find me training my off-the-track-Thoroughbred, Atlas. Between school and riding, I’m usually very busy, but when I can find some down-time, I like to fill it with creative, relaxing activities—singing, writing, and birdwatching, just to name a few.

Hi! I am a rising sophomore at Rutgers University in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences majoring in Animal Science (Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Research Option). On campus, I am an active member of the RU Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club and Veterinary Science Club. This summer I will be travelling to Belize for two weeks where I will be working closely alongside their large farm animals to learn more about the ways in which veterinary care is administered outside of the United States. I am excited to have the opportunity to both learn about veterinary care and actually get the chance to practice suture techniques and physical examinations in the classroom so early on in my career. I am also very much looking forward to giving back and connecting with some of the local communities in Belize through the free animal health clinics offered. Getting the chance to see first-hand how my education can make an impact on my surrounding world is something I feel will continue to ignite my passion for animals and motivate me to create change within my community. I cannot wait for all of the transformative experiences that Belize has to offer!

Hi my name is Kayla Coleman, I'm a senior Pre-Vet major. I will be attending the Large Veterinary practice in Belize summer 2019, which I'm more then excited to attend. With My time at Rutgers I've been an admit member of the The Rutgers Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Club as a sitter. I've got to take part in the journey of watching our puppies grow into amazing guide dogs. I've also gotten the opportunity to be employed by the Animal Care department at Rutgers Farm for the past three years. This has brought so many memorable experiences by watching the births of our livestock and providing treatments. This also made me perfect in animal handling, since last year I was awarded Grand Champion in swine for the handling and fitting course. I'm also certified in Artificial Insemination in Cows. I've grown to love large animals and aspire one day to become a large livestock Veterinarian. I've also work at a Vet clinic where I get to draw blood, take part in x-rays, and run lab procedures. I've gotten to foster a cat, seagull, and week old squirrels through my job. I can't wait to learn more about the animal field and grow as an individual.

Hello! My name is Kayla Gantz and I’m a rising junior in the School of Environmental & Biological Sciences. I'm majoring in Animal Science, with a minor in Biochemistry. This summer I will be traveling to Belize for two weeks with the “Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics” program. I am so excited to learn and experience the culture of Belize, as well as gain knowledge by working with animals!

Hi, my name is Kayla Luis and I am a freshman majoring in Animal Science with a double minor in Spanish and Portuguese. I am going to become a Resident Assistant next year and am also a part of the Pre-Veterinary club here at Rutgers. I am super excited for the opportunity to work with animals through the CELA Belize program! I love learning and can not wait to be immersed in a new culture while working with animals!

Rutgers Honors College Pre-Vet Student exploring Belize and all of the adorable creatures that reside there.

Hi! My name is Leena Roy. I am a junior studying Animal Science with a concentration in PreVeterinary Medicine/Research. I'm really excited for my study abroad in Belize - from the class itself, it's amazing hands on approach to education, and just the total experience. I can't wait to meet the local people, eat different foods, and see and experience the beautiful country of Belize. I can't wait to become friends with others in my program as well, and travel this country with them. The values and adventures one acquires while traveling independently really help to further shape them as a person. I can't wait to see more of this bigger world.

My name is Letticia Perez. I graduated from Hudson County Community College with an associate in Biology. Currently, I am a Rutgers student majoring in Pre-veterinary medicine. If I’m not hitting the books I am working at Mad Science as a lead scientist. I teach children from ages 4-14 basic science concepts and perform in-class science experiments. Occasionally, I pet sit dogs, cats, bunnies, even hamsters. I am CPR and AED certified for adults, children and infants. I also have a pet aid certification. During my downtime I volunteer for my local TNR program and the community cat shelter. I assist in adoptions and love to foster older cats in need. My goal is to become a veterinarian and open a practice in an urban community that offers low cost vet care.

Hello, my name is Madeline Procopi! I am a junior at Rutgers University, majoring in Animal Science on the pre-vet track, as well as minoring in Environmental and Business Economics. I plan on applying to veterinary schools in the summer of 2020. I am so excited to be going to Belize through the C.E.L.A. Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics program this winter. I have had only limited experience with large animals, so I am looking forward to the hands-on skills I will learn in Belize that I can then take with me to veterinary school. This is going to be a great opportunity to meet new people, work with animals, and embrace a new culture!

My name is Melissa Ortiz, a third year student at Rutgers University majoring in Animal Science and minoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources. Ever since I was a little girl, I have always had an incredible love for nature and have dreamed of working with animals(I must thank my dad for paying for all my National Geographic subscriptions all these years). This passion is what led me to where I am now. I have chosen to study abroad in Belize in hopes of coming to the realization as to where my path lies: in veterinary science or conservation work. During my month stay, I will be taking two different hands-on courses focused on these two fields of study. Without a doubt, the experience I will have during my abroad program will be eye-opening and I am very excited to see how this will shape my future endeavors.

Hello! My name is Nicole Meddaugh and I'm a sophomore majoring in Animal Sciences with a focus in Pre-Veterinary Medicine and Research. I will be traveling to Belize to participate in a Large Animal Veterinary in the Tropics Course. I am very excited to work with all the animals alongside a veterinarian!

My name is Shannon Dalton, and I am going to be a senior undergraduate student at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. I am perusing an Animal Science degree, and am visiting Belize for a month. Abroad I will be working alongside of two highly accredited Central American veterinarians and working hands-on with Belize's amazing animals in San Ignacio and at the Belize Zoo. I am Very excited for this amazing adventure and opportunity!

Hi everyone! My name is Sofia Fernandes and I am currently an upcoming sophomore at Rutgers University where I am majoring in Animal Science with a focus on Pre-Veterinary Medicine. Some things I like to do when I am not in class or studying include spending time with family and friends, exercising, visiting the animals on the farm, lifeguarding at the beach, volunteering, reading, and seeing movies. The fact that I will be studying in Belize this summer feels like a dream! I am beyond exhilarated to meet my classmates, work with the Belizean veterinarians and animals, and experience a culture that is unfamiliar to me. This is not something I could have ever imagined I would be lucky enough to experience after my very first year at Rutgers and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity!

Hi everyone! My name is Tatjana Burke. I am a current freshman here at Rutgers—New Brunswick majoring in Animal Science/Pre-Veterinary Studies. I am SUPER excited to be getting ready to embark on the experience of a lifetime through CELA Belize where I will be studying Large Animal Veterinary Practices and Wildlife Ecology and Conservation!! I have known I wanted to go into veterinary medicine for as long as I have been alive, and I am super fortunate to have the had the opportunities to work in small animal clinics, volunteer at a therapeutic riding, and more recently here on the Cook Campus Farm! My ultimate goal for this experience is to be able to learn practice the veterinary skills I will need to use in the future, and I also hope to make friendships and professional networks capable of lasting a lifetime! Thank you so much SEBS for helping me along my journey and for being by my side as I pursue my dream!

My name is Valerie Collado and I am an undergraduate student at Rutgers University pursuing an animal science degree. I’m currently an animal care assistant at the Rutgers Farm where work with horses and cattle. I also volunteer at a local shelter where I walk dogs and socialize the cats and smaller animals. I am the treasurer of the Rutgers pre-veterinary club too. After gaining my bachelor's degree, I hope to go to veterinary school to gain my D.V.M.

Hello, I am a rising junior, class of 2022, majoring in Animal Science on a Pre-veterinary medicine/Research track. I will be attending the “Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics” program provided by CELA Belize where I will be exploring hands on veterinary examination techniques, animal agriculture, and laboratory specimens. I am excited to further my knowledge on animal medicine while delving into the Belizean culture.

Hello! I am Zu Szmacinski, and I am a junior Animal Science major with a Pre-Veterinary and Research concentration. After undergraduate studies, I plan on attending veterinary school, focusing on mixed animal practice. This summer, I'm excited to be attending the C.E.L.A. Belize Large Veterinary Practices in the Tropics study abroad program. As a hands-on program that not only allows me to explore the practical side of large animal veterinary medicine but also different cultures and perspectives, it is an amazing opportunity that I look forward to. Apart from academics, I enjoy singing (Voorhees Choir, Alto II), playing the piano, participating in women's organizations on campus (Douglass Student Recruitment Network), and binge-watching TV series.