Michaela Jacob, Biological Sciences, Alumna 19’

Michaela Jacob, Alumna 19′, at her graduation ceremony showing off her decorated cap reading, “found my porpoise”.

My first year at DePaul University was terrifying. I found myself questioning my decision to attend a city school as well as choosing to study Biological Sciences. As a first-generation student, I felt lost and like I was falling behind my peers. Additionally, the city itself scared me. I did not enjoy taking public transportation alone, being outside of my apartment after the sunset, nor did I want to commute to areas unfamiliar to me. With the extremely difficult course load, hours of what felt like unsuccessful studying, adjusting to life away from home, and slowly but surely gaining that freshman fifteen, I did not think I made the right decision in attending DePaul.

 

Fortunately, my experience at the university drastically changed as I progressed. Throughout the years, I made life-long friends (shout out to my Chem Squad), had the opportunity to learn under brilliant faculty, and I gained experience at locations uniquely available in Chicago. At the end of my first year, I worked as an Animal Specialist at Chicago Canine Rescue. This job opened my eyes to the issue with strays in cities, and confirmed my passion for helping animals in need. Working at CCR also helped me to become more comfortable traveling through the city. Though the bus ride was long and my feet were always aching, this job helped me to grow and appreciate the city as well as DePaul for helping me find this position.

 

I spent my second year at DePaul University working at Jewell Animal Hospital as a Veterinary Technician Assistant and at the Shedd Aquarium as a Marine Mammal Volunteer. As a student pursuing aquatic medicine, both of these work experiences fit into my career goals perfectly. I am extremely grateful to have attended a city school where opportunities such as these became available to me. With my time spread thin, I would rush home from the Shedd Aquarium each week and have twenty minutes to scarf down a sandwich before I headed to a three-hour lab. I apologize to all of my lab mates my second year as I always showed up exhausted and smelling fishy. On top of having less time as I dedicated so much of each week to work, this was my most academically challenging time at DePaul. If it were not for my friends dragging me through my classes and my professors refusing to give up on me, I would not have made it through this stressful time. My successes my sophomore year speak a lot about DePaul. Students are able to gain work experiences instrumental for receiving a job post-graduation while making it through difficult classes because the DePaul community is student focused; professors, friends, and advisors worked to help me through this strenuous period.

 

Since students have the month of December free of classes, DePaul offers unique opportunities during this long break. I was especially thankful for this time because my schedule was jam packed each quarter. In the December Intersession of my second year, I was fortunate enough to participate in a study abroad trip. I spent two weeks studying Roman Catholicism in Rome-arguably the perfect place to do so. We attended guided tours through locations such as the Vatican library and St. Peter’s Basilica, were given time to explore the city on our own, ate delectable food for every meal, and were immersed in Italian culture. My two weeks in Rome were unforgettable, and I owe the memories to DePaul.

 

The summer after my sophomore year, I worked as a Nutrition Research Intern at the Brookfield Zoo. For anyone who knows me, this was truly a dream come true. I spent my childhood visiting Brookfield Zoo with my family every summer, and these visits are what sparked my interest in conservation and animals. I drove three hours one way for the entire summer, and I do not regret one second. With this job, I learned how a zoo operates, what happens behind the scenes, and how well cared for the animals are. I received this position through the Dean’s Undergraduate Fellowship through the College of Science and Health. At the end of the summer, I presented my research on the consumption trial I put together for the Myrmecophaga tridactyla, commonly known as giant anteaters, at the Undergraduate Research Showcase for DePaul University STEM students. I would not have had the chance to work at such a prestigious location or present personal research if it were not for DePaul, and I am forever thankful for this internship.

 

My third year was a blur. It included laughing with friends, crying over exams, and figuring out how to pass Biochemistry. Spring break of my junior year, I spent a week at Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo as a Marine Mammal Medical Student learning what a day in the life of an aquatic veterinarian is like. I was able to see first-hand what I was setting myself up for, and it could not have gone any better. My time at Island Dolphin Care solidified my decision to pursue aquatic medicine, and it sparked a greater interest in conservation. Issues with single use plastics are beginning to gain popularity in Chicago, yet they were very real in Florida. To be so near to the ocean and see the issues for myself opened my eyes to how drastic of a change everyone would need to make to combat years of negligence. Since then, I have done my best in reducing my use of single use plastics by carrying around my own set of eating utensils; reducing plastic in my home by buying bar soap, reusable deodorant containers, and bamboo toothbrushes; using reusable containers and bags for my food and drinks; and signing up for a composting service in the city. There is still more I can do to reduce my waste, but I strongly believe that these simple changes, if done by everyone, will positively affect the world. I hope you will see yourself make some of these changes in the near future.

 

Though I have described positions that became available to me because I was in Chicago, I also took advantage of a few jobs offered on campus. For three years, I was an Honors Mentor through the Honors Program. Every fall quarter, I mentored a group of incoming freshmen students through their first year. I am grateful for the chance to help students in the way others helped me. I found a home in the Honors Program through this leadership position, and I am so thankful for the friends I made and the mentorship I received myself through my Honors Advisor, Nancy Grossman. I also accepted a role on the e-board for the Pre-Veterinary Club as Treasurer my sophomore and junior year, and as President my senior year. This club taught me how to make the most of my time as an undergraduate to make my dream of becoming a veterinarian a reality. I am thankful to the people I met in PVC who guided me through my four years and helped me to gain the experience I needed to feel confident in applying to graduate schools. Finally, in my third year at DePaul, I applied to work for the Biological Sciences Department as their Student Assistant. I did not completely comprehend what this job would entail, but I never dreamed I would get as much out of this position as I did. I want to thank everyone in the Biological Sciences Department for giving me such a friendly place to work in between classes. I felt supported and appreciated my two years as the Student Assistant, and leaving in August is going to be a hard goodbye.

 

There are a few people within the Department of Biological Sciences I want to thank before wrapping up this long goodbye. I want to thank my old supervisor, Justine Amato, for always having a listening ear for my latest struggles with the veterinary application process. You were always so attentive and reassuring throughout some of the most stressful years of my life. I would not be where I am today if it were not for your words of encouragement and great advice. Dr. Carolyn Martineau, you have been a part of my path at DePaul from the beginning. From being my first laboratory instructor at DePaul, to writing many letters of recommendation for the Dean’s Fellowship and graduate schools, I am so thankful for everything you have done for me in my time at DePaul. I would not be where I am today without your guidance and kind words when I decided to pursue a M.S. before a D.V.M. – thank you! I also want to thank Dr. Margaret Silliker for being the best mentor a person could ask for. I have really looked up to you these last two years. I would not have made it through my dozen applications, graduate school interviews, and difficult decisions without your help. I am so thankful for everything you have done for me and taught me during my time here; articulating my level of gratitude seems an impossible task, so I will leave it at that. So many professors and staff shaped my time at DePaul; I hope each one of you knows how impactful you were, and that I will be forever grateful for the wisdom you instilled in me.

 

My final year at DePaul flew by. I have never felt so sure of myself, and I owe this to the people I met and the experiences I had at DePaul University. I spent my last year living in Wrigleyville with some of my closest friends, and the fact that it is time to leave is surreal. With the help of my DePaul and biological family, I have decided to next pursue a M.S. in Medical Physiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago. After I receive this degree, I plan to apply to the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine to pursue a D.V.M. to one-day work with zoological and aquatic animals around the world to focus on repopulation and conservation. I started as an eighteen-year-old who had no idea what to do. I knew I wanted to work with animals and that medicine was interesting, but how much I would accomplish because of DePaul would have been unfathomable. I have graduated as a twenty-two year old woman with aspirations to change the world, and a direct plan on how to accomplish this. I am grateful to DePaul for my unforgettable experiences, the courses that challenged me and pushed me to be my best academic self, and the life-long friends I made. Writing a farewell to DePaul University is bittersweet considering I will miss it dearly, but I wanted the opportunity to properly express my gratitude. Take care DePaul.