Her quiet demeanor may fool you, but a visit with senior Selena Young reveals her tenacity and drive. The equine science pre-vet major from Plymouth, Minn., is focused on becoming a veterinarian. She has been building a vet school application that demonstrates both the depth and breadth of her learning experience.
“I have always loved the sciences, chemistry, and serving and helping others,” Young says. “Since high school, I have never seen myself as anything other than a veterinarian.”
Growing up, she volunteered at the local Humane Society where she was able to put into practice her desire to help.
To support her love of riding and horses, Young did barn chores to support her riding hobby and gain working experience in the barn.”
She also volunteered at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medicine’s Small Animal Hospital, giving her the opportunity to work with a variety of animals and taking her outside her equine passion to broaden her understanding.
As a junior at the University of Minnesota Crookston (UMN Crookston), Young traveled to Thailand for three weeks to experience Thai culture and learn hands-on as a volunteer alongside veterinarians from both the U.S. and Thailand.
An internship took her to Lexington, Kentucky, to work with horses at the Kentucky Equine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center (KESMARC). “I worked with many veterinarians on so many cases,” Young says. “I wanted to gain as much as possible while I was there so I volunteered to conduct my own small study in this amazing rehab setting.”
Riding and the animal science program at UMN Crookston drew Young to the campus following high school. She knew she would have a chance to involve herself in undergraduate research and a chance to work directly with animals throughout her academic career.
Captain of the Golden Eagle Hunt Seat Equestrian team, her love of riding has never waned. she encourages everyone to come and watch the riding competition during shows on the weekend of February 1 and March 1 in the arena in the University Teaching and Outreach Center. “If you love horses, she says, you will enjoy watching one of our home shows.”
She has never shied away from anything related to learning in her chosen field. “I have taken advantage of every opportunity that came my way,” Young says. “I get something out of every experience. I want to enhance my strengths and strengthen areas where I might need more experience.”
She has enjoyed classes in her major, working in the equine facility, and the relationships she has developed with her professors.
“The relationships I have built with faculty and staff are the thing about this campus I will miss the most when I graduate,” she says.
Categories
