The Next Step by Nichelle

The Next Step by Nichelle - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

My next big educational goal is to go to a four-year University and major in animal science, but that's not my only plan. After I graduate with a degree in animal science I will go to a veterinary school. I want to become a veterinarian with my own practice and come back to my community. Being able to help animals has always been a passion of mine, whether it's through spreading awareness of volunteering opportunities or working with them one-on-one. In the future, I'd like to pursue higher education to become a veterinarian and a business owner. I’ve been developing my goals by volunteering at animal shelters and clinics, creating multiple businesses including a dog walking business, creating an initiative connected to the local humane society, attending college EXPO’s, taking college courses, and Tufts Adventures in Veterinary Medicine summer program.
When I travel to Mexico, stray animals always find their way to me, I would find myself feeding them leftover food from our family dinners and buying them treats from the grocery store but I realized I could be impacting the lives of the animals in my community in other ways. I decided to start volunteering at ‘Los Adoptables’, an organization that rescues animals from all over Ensenada. I immediately started volunteering there as much as possible; my passion for animals and improving their well-being only grew.
When I returned home to Los Angeles, I wanted to make an impact on the animals in my community. I began volunteering at my local animal shelter but soon faced the challenge of the limited programs available for my age group. This challenge didn’t stop me from gaining the experience I wanted. I contacted the supervisor of the volunteer department and he allowed me to volunteer in activities that allowed me to gain the hands-on experience I wanted. I’ve learned the language veterinarians use by participating in the medical data entry assistant program and the SNiP Clinic which helped me learn important information about the vaccine process with dogs and cats. Creating a dog-walking business has allowed me to experience the behind-the-scenes of managing a small business. I've learned how to advertise my company by posting flyers and giving flyers to my neighbors, I created a waiver and learned how to communicate with customers efficiently. My passion for animals and becoming a future business owner continues to grow and makes me realize how passionate I am about making my goal come true.