You might have met Thea from previous posts on our Purdue Dining & Culinary social media pages as a Brand Ambassador, but you probably don’t know she recently graduated from Purdue! She was a great part of our team and we miss her greatly so keep reading to learn more about her journey and what she has been up to.
Can you tell everyone where you are from Thea?
I’m from beautiful San Francisco, California.
Wow are you trying to make us jealous? Can you tell us was you majored in and when you graduated?
I majored in Animal Sciences with a minor in Biological Sciences and I graduated this past spring!
What have you been up to since?
Well I returned to San Francisco and got a job as a Vet Assistant at a vet clinic. Shout out to Oceana Pet Hospital!
That sounds amazing! We sure do miss you here though. Speaking of which, what made you decide to work as a Brand Ambassador for PD&C?
I had originally started working at the Gathering Place when it was not serving Sushi Boss and saw the Brand Ambassadors host events there. I thought it would be cool to join their team so I did.
Can you tell us what you did as a Brand Ambassador?
When I first started, I helped coordinate events with the Gathering Place and helped advertise the Gathering Place. Then I became the Content Supervisor for the PD&C social media channels which meant I made sure all our content was on brand, the correct content was being posted, tasks were being delegated, places were being equally advertised, and helped cover specific events.
Aside from the job, what do you miss most from Purdue?
My friends and the rest of my Brand Ambassador team!
Aww we miss you too! How about what you miss the least?
I do not miss those crazy Indiana winters or the cold in general.
Definitely agree with that! Let’s move on to some fun questions now, who’s your favorite animal at Oceana Pet Hospital?
There is this dog named Butters and he looks like a Corgi and Golden Retriever mix but we did a DNA test and turns out he is a Shih Tzu and Poodle mix.
That must have been a shock to find out! How about the most interesting animal you’ve worked with?
I handled an African Sand Boa before! It was at the Colombian Park Zoo during my internship.
Interesting, now with an ongoing pandemic, were you able to do something fun over the summer?
I learned how to ride a bike! It was scary and every time I thought I was going to crash I would try to jump off the bike which was a bad idea because I would always get caught by the bike.
Good thing you didn’t get hurt pulling stunts like that. If you could have anyone narrate your life, who would you want it to be?
Awkwafina! She would be so funny, especially if she narrated me learning to ride a bike.
That would be hilarious! Now to more serious questions, what are your next steps career-wise and what is your end goal?
I’m trying to get into vet school, hence gaining experience at Oceana, and one day I hope to own my own practice and to lend a hand to shelters.
Why do you you want to become a veterinarian?
I have always wanted to be a vet since I was three and I have been chasing that dream ever since. I just want to be the voice for the animals that do not.
That’s very kind of you! If you could give a piece of advice to someone struggling in Animal Sciences?
Find someone who is experiencing the same struggles you are and help each other learn the course materials and study for exams.
That is very good advice. Okay one last question before we say goodbye, how did working with PD&C help you with school?
Working during school taught me time management and being able to handle a heavy workload.
Happy Friday Boilermakers! The first week of the fall semester is officially over so breathe a sign of relief as you ease into the weekend. Remember to still follow proper Protect Purdue procedures though!
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