Lindsey Lavin ’14

“My favorite thing about UNE was being able to explore a wide variety of interests. At UNE, I was able to explore my interest in animals within the animal behavior department by working in Dr. Dzieweczynski’s research lab, conducting my own research project, and writing a review of the current literature as an aspiring expert in my field. I was also able to explore my love for wildlife and environmental conservation by working as an “Eco-rep,” promoting environment awareness to the student body. I believe this wide range of experiences helped me to become a highly competitive applicant when I applied to veterinary school.

"My favorite thing about earning a degree in animal behavior is the knowledge that I have collected about important and interesting animal behaviors including examples of the territorial displays of lizards, mating behaviors of snakes, the concepts of altruism, imitation, and culture in non-primate species, and everything in between. Every day, I find the opportunity to describe one of these incredible animal behaviors to the people I interact with. It is rewarding to feel that I am comfortable enough in my knowledge of animal behavior to share that information with others.

"My animal behavior background has provided a useful baseline of knowledge for my continued education. Specifically, as an animal behavior major, I learned to think about animals in a way that many other people will never see them. It is a rare and useful skill to be able recognize that all animals have individual differences (personalities) that make them different from one another and that each species has unique behavioral characteristics. As a student of veterinary medicine at Cornell University, I believe this skill has already assisted in my interactions with animals during live animal labs and will continue to give me an advantage in working with differing animals and species in my career.”