What inspired you to work for Loop Abroad?
I am extremely passionate about educating others about the plight of the Asian elephant and working to improve their welfare across the globe. I was inspired to work for Loop Abroad because the position gives me the opportunity to work with students, making a positive impact on their education and helping them to become contributing global citizens.
A group of eager vet students ready for some "hands on" learning.
Why do you do what you do?
It is my daily goal to make a positive impact on the lives of others. When I can improve the life of one of my veterinary patients, the people who care for them, and/or students who are learning from me or one of the programs I oversee, I find my true passion.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role as the Academic Director and Head Veterinarian?
As a veterinarian, I use my education every single day—even on my days off! I do have a very different job from most veterinarians, but definitely use the skills and knowledge obtained from veterinary school in my current position. Every experience from around the world has helped shape the person I am today and those experiences are reflected in my daily work. They help me to better understand cultures different to my own. I share many stories from around the world with my students and colleagues.
What challenges do you often face in your role and how do you overcome them?
There are so many challenges in my work which keep things exciting and interesting. I think the two most predominant challenges are language and cultural barriers, and the challenge of working with captive wildlife. Good communication with both people and animals can help overcome most challenges. It is important to take the time to understand and listen to people so that we can work together to reach our common goals.
Enjoying the company of some very friendly dogs while taking in the beautiful views. Travel helps me stay grounded, modest, and thankful.
When working with animals, it is extremely important to also listen to them. In order to do this, we need to have a very good understanding of animal behavior and the natural history of the particular species. Spending a lot of time observing them both in the wild and in captivity as well as researching them is very helpful in this situation. I often also consult with others in the field who may have encountered similar challenges and learn how they overcame it.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Take opportunities as they come to you and don't be afraid to try something new. Money spent on experiences will almost always be more rewarding that money spent on tangible items. Always think about how your actions are affecting those around you.
What makes Loop Abroad special?
At Loop Abroad, our goal is to bring students an authentic travel experience rooted in curriculum and worthwhile activities enhanced by leadership, cultural, and service experiences. We want students to return home with a better understanding of the world around themselves and their roles as leaders in their own lives.
One of the ways we do that is by surrounding them with successful, interesting, and encouraging faculty and staff. Most of our veterinarians (including myself) have commented that we wish a program like this was available when we were in high school or undergrad.
What makes Loop Abroad easy to market to potential participants?
Our students have life-changing experiences on our programs and their reviews speak for themselves. Many return home and tell their friends and classmates of the amazing time they had and are very proud of the positive impact they made. Our programs are taught by veterinarians and I truly believe we offer the best veterinary related study abroad programs.
What do you hope participants take away from Loop Abroad programs?
I hope participants walk away from out programs with a better understanding of that particular area of veterinary medicine. For many, our programs reinforce that the veterinary field is right for them. I also hope that each participant walks away with a more open and accepting mind to different cultures and ways of life.
Alone we can do so little, together we can accomplish so much! Part of traveling together is forming lifelong friendships!
How do you help support participants?
We support our participants throughout the entire experience. Before enrollment, we have trained staff to help answer any questions and assist in communication between participant and schools for university credits for participation in our programs. We offer scholarships for our programs and share information with students about other scholarship opportunities.
Students are prepared with pre-departure information to make the travel day as smooth as possible. For group flights, we have staff at the airport to help ensure students get where they need to be. We pick up participants directly from the airport and during our orientation meetings students are given plenty of information and support to make the most of the program.
Each group of 8-12 students has their own veterinary leader and we have a lot of support staff in each location as well. At the conclusion of the program, we hold a meeting to help students make the most of their experiences when they get back home and keep them in our alumni network for future opportunities.
If you could participate on one of Loop Abroad's programs, where would you go and what would you do?
When I was a pre-vet student, I really wish our programs were around because I would have done anything to participate in our 14 week veterinary study abroad program in Thailand. The courses are all taught by veterinarians with lots of experience in the particular field of vet med they are teaching about.
The amount of experience gained is phenomenal! Form working with elephants at a sanctuary to helping with conservation efforts while SCUBA diving to putting on a high volume, high quality spay neuter clinic in a rural village, nothing compares to this semester abroad!
A positive reinforcement target training session with a 4 month old elephant calf. During Loop Abroad's Elephant Medicine and Management Course, participants learn about different training methods of captive elephants.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel enriches your life by learning, growing, and discovering yourself completely and causes you to return home inspired and wanting to share your experience with others. Meaningful travel helps you to become a better global citizen wanting to make a positive difference in the world.
What hopes do you have for the future of international education?
I hope that responsible programs, like Loop Abroad, continue to propel positive changes in animal welfare and uphold the highest ethical standards while providing students with quality education and meaningful experiences. I hope that international education becomes more accessible to students and that all sending institutions see the value in study abroad and encourage students to participate.
