2020 Farm to Table Speaker: Jenelle Pawluk
Jenelle Pawluk is a senior in animal science from Pomona. She will attend the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in the fall. Jenelle wants to become a veterinarian specializing in large animal medicine..
Growing up in the Phillips Ranch neighborhood of Pomona, I had numerous pets of many different species. I had dogs, cats, fish, rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, and even snakes! I enjoyed learning each animal’s personality and picking up on their unique quirks, likes, and dislikes.
Having such a wide range of animals gave me experience handling and caring for them. I enjoyed all aspects of taking care of the animals, and I felt that I had a good sense for when they were ill or injured. By my junior year of high school, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine and I feverishly researched universities that would best prepare me for this endeavor. Cal Poly Pomona had a wonderful reputation in agriculture, and I believed that the curriculum set forth for animal science students would prepare me for a career. My decision to attend Cal Poly Pomona was solidified following the Showcase of Excellence hosted by the Kellogg Honors College. I was impressed by the vast amount of opportunities presented to students and also by the “Learn by Doing” mindset that shaped the curriculum.
Cal Poly Pomona’s education allowed me to immediately participate in hands-on laboratories working directly with small and large animals. At first, it was daunting to be met with such tasks like giving injections and castrations, however the professors provided us with a comfortable environment to learn and freely ask any questions that came to mind.
In my first year, I began an internship at Batista Family Farm, a family-owned dairy farm located in Ontario. Prior to this internship, I had no experience working with cows, but I knew that I wanted to follow a career path that involved large animal medicine. By the end of the 80-hour internship, I knew how to milk cows properly, move cows and calves safely, and provide care for calves. More importantly, I confirmed my desire to work with large animals and I realized a developing passion for agriculture and specifically the cattle industry. I was hired to a job at the dairy following the completion of the internship.
The skills that I acquired through my Small Animal Handling and Restraint Lab at Cal Poly Pomona, coupled with my experience with dairy cattle allowed me to get my first job in a veterinary setting as an assistant in a mixed-animal practice. I can clearly remember working with one of the veterinary technicians, who asked me if I knew how to properly restrain for a cephalic blood draw. It was wonderful when I could confidently answer “Yes!” because I was taught those skills at my school. The animal science labs were my favorite aspect of my education at Cal Poly Pomona. Not only was I able to actively work with animals, but I learned valuable skills that I could directly apply to my work as a veterinary assistant.
A wonderful aspect of Cal Poly Pomona’s education is the ability to gain experience in multiple fields and jurisdictions. As a prospective veterinary student, I knew the importance in having diverse experiences to strengthen your chances as an applicant. I took animal nutrition in my third year with Assistant Professor Ondieki Gekara. Professor Gekara was quite involved with research projects pertaining to nutrition in sheep and goats. During the class, Professor Gekara would extend invitations to students to participate in his research projects. I saw this as a great opportunity to earn valuable research experience, and I began assisting him in a project that involved giving lambs different types of feed and subsequently monitoring their weights.
That summer, there was a job opportunity to become a research assistant under Professor Gekara, and I was fortunate to earn the position. The summer leading into my fall semester of my senior year, I began working on my senior capstone project and one of Professor Gekara’s more extensive research projects. Students that were participating were directly involved with the entire process of the project, beginning with building the enclosures that would house the sheep. After a long six months of preparation, the project was finally underway, and it was such a rewarding moment.
The smaller size of the animal science program at Cal Poly Pomona allows students to build valuable relationships with their professors. It was not uncommon to walk down the halls of the Huntley College of Agriculture building and be greeted by several professors. Undoubtedly, the interactions with one professor led me to my favorite experience at Cal Poly Pomona working with animals.
Assistant Professor Hyungchul Han, who previously taught my anatomy and physiology and endocrinology and reproduction courses, was organizing a rumenostomy surgery at our school. The surgery was to be performed by a veterinarian from Colorado State Veterinary School. Professor Han offered me and a few other students the opportunity to participate and help with the procedure. On the day of the surgery, I was surprised and thrilled to learn that I would be allowed to scrub in for the surgery and be a direct assistant to the veterinary throughout the entire procedure. It was easily one of the best experiences that I have ever had, and I owe this opportunity to Professor Han, who made it a priority to include students in any way possible.
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic impacted some events that I was set to participate in this spring. A team of two other students and I won our school's Academic Quadrathlon for animal science, and we were going to participate in the next level of the competition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in April. The coronavirus also forced the cancellation of the Huntley College of Agriculture’s Farm to Table dinner, which was disappointing because I felt incredibly honored to be nominated and selected to represent the animal science program. I am fortunate that my classes were easily converted to a virtual format and that my course load was also much lighter than normal as it is my last semester.
It’s also very disappointing not to have commencement. I am not the first child to graduate from college, however, I would have been the first to physically attend their graduation. Several family members wanted to be present, and I am hopeful that we will be able to celebrate in the future.
In the fall, I will be attending UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and I intend on pursuing a career in large animal medicine. There is a fair chance that some or all of our first-year classes will be virtual, but they have not cancelled any of our first-year experiences, such as our White Coat Ceremony, thus far. I understand that the school is following Centers for Disease Control/World Health Organization recommendations, and I understand the importance of minimizing the spread of this virus, so I remain hopeful and positive for the future. I am thankful that my education at Cal Poly Pomona allowed me to gain diverse and unique experiences that helped solidify my career choice.