Support Internship and Study Abroad New Zealand/Australia!

Clara Young Start Date: May 29, 2017 - End Date: Dec 29, 2017
  • Intern Abroad
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
  • New Zealand
  • Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
  • Blue Mountains National Park, New South Wales, Australia
  • Jervis Bay, Jervis Bay Territory, Australia
  • Royal National Park, New South Wales, Australia

My Travel Story

by: Clara Young Start Date: May 29, 2017 - End Date: Dec 29, 2017
  • Intern Abroad
  • Professional Development
  • Study/Degree Abroad
My name is Clara Young and I am a Sophomore at Iowa State University studying animal science with a pre-veterinary track. Unlike so many of my peers who continue to search for their true passion and purpose through study, I am lucky enough to have discovered this path early in life. From a young age, I have been infatuated with animals of all shapes and sizes--concerned about animal welfare and comfort in addition to trying to adopt every stray doggo and kitten I have come into contact with. I am a proud animal care technician, currently employed at an animal shelter which services Iowa and surrounding states. Through this job opportunity I have reaffirmed my desire to apply and become accepted to veterinary college in order to receive the title of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Most people hear "veterinarian" and assume I love dogs and cats--and this love somehow inspired me to make animal care my career. And, although I do love those fluffy creatures, I have a genuine interest in animal science and medicine which has influenced me to pursue a career as a mixed animal veterinarian. 

Like medical school, applying to any veterinary college is extremely competitive. With an abundance of applicants and limited number of seats, good grades do not secure your placement. Additionally, veterinary school is extremely costly (veterinary students often graduate with more student debt than medical students). To pursue this career you must be sure of your wants and dedicated to reach academic and professional goals. Fortunately, I am determined! I am a persistent student who has finished Freshman year with a 4.0 while having completed undergraduate research, an internship with my current employer, and held leadership within my sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. College has pushed me to escape my comfort zone and pursue what I am passionate about, and this is why I have decided to study abroad.

January of 2018 I will begin an unpaid internship in New Zealand through an International Studies Abroad internship program. Through this program, I will be placed in an internship pertaining to veterinary science through a mutual selection process. I have chosen this program due to the fact that the ISA takes time to aid me in developing professionally. My resume will be reviewed, interview skills strengthened, and ultimately I will have gained hands-on experience with the career I have chosen. Although I currently have not been placed, I anticipate my internship will occur in a rural New Zealand setting--allowing me to work with a variety of animals common of this diverse land. This internship will conclude in six weeks, right as the universities start semester courses.

At this time (late February/ early March) I plan to travel to Sydney, Australia in order to begin coursework at the University of Sydney--also through the ISA. I have again decided to utilize this program because of its "bridging cultures" program. With the purpose to ensure international students are aware of and appreciate the culture and history of Australia, the program will allow me to participate in a three-day immersion into the country. During this introduction, I will visit Byron Bay where I will be educated on aboriginal culture, taught the ways of surfing, and introduced to the wildlife of Australia through the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. When classes begin, I will be taking veterinary science courses (Animal Nutrition, Equine Management, Animal Behavior).

It is my hope that this education, paired with a once-in-a-lifetime internship opportunity in New Zealand, will ready me for my professional career in addition to exposing me to a new culture and way of life I am not yet familiar. I am unbelievably excited to embark on this amazing adventure, because I see this time abroad as the beginning of my adult life. While overseas I will be a world away from my family and friends, pushing me to be independent and self-sufficient.

Please consider contributing any dollar amount to aid me in financing this life-changing experience! Airfare combined with tuition and housing costs exceed my financial capability and will inhibit me from partaking in this opportunity if I am unable to raise sufficient funds. 

Thank you for taking the time to read about me and my future plans! I sincerely appreciate any support and will value any investment in my career-building study abroad experience!
  • New Zealand
  • Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia
  • Blue Mountains National Park, New South Wales, Australia
  • Jervis Bay, Jervis Bay Territory, Australia
  • Royal National Park, New South Wales, Australia

Adventure Registry

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