Peer Advisors

Veterinary and Animal Sciences Department Peer Advisors hold weekly drop-in office hours to provide support, information, mentoring, and a sense of community for other undergraduate majors in VASCI. Animal Science Peer Advisors have received training in department curriculum, academic procedures and policies, academic enrichment, non-academic resources, and referrals for personal concerns and emergencies. Office hours are held in the Integrated Sciences Building - ISB in the Reception Area adjacent to 427X and 427U. Spring 2024 semester hours will be Mondays 11:15am - 12:05pm, Tuesdays 10:00 - 11:15am & Tuesdays 2:30-3:45pm.

All peer advisors can help with basic questions, for example, the requirements of the different Animal Science concentrations, the Pre-Vet major requirements, changing to the Pre-Vet major, using Spire, GenEds, etc. They can also discuss their experiences with courses, internships, applications, and other activities. However, questions on more advanced courses in Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary Science may be better directed to the advising office or a faculty advisor.

We invite undergraduates to meet with Peer Advisors who have experience in their potential areas of interest.

Meet our Peer Advisors

Olivia Fitzgerald  

   Olivia Fitzgerald
   My name is Olivia Fitzgerald and I am a senior Pre-Vet major and a member of the Commonwealth Honors College - CHC. I am currently working towards Vet School and have built my application with internships, clinical experience, and field work. At UMass, I am a Teaching Assistant -TA for the Belted Galloway Management Course. My interests lie mostly with wildlife, exotics, and conservation medicine, but livestock hold a special place in my heart. This summer, I will be continuing to work for a wildlife rehab center and will be starting a new position with the National Seashore, monitoring endangered seabird populations on Cape Cod. Outside of class, I enjoy painting and going to the gym. Feel free to reach out with any questions, I would love to help out any way that I can.

 

Kaleigh Simmons  

   Kaleigh Simmons
   My name is Kaleigh and I am a senior Pre-Veterinary Science major. I hope to attend veterinary school after I graduate from UMass and eventually practice small or mixed animal medicine. I have worked as a veterinary assistant at a small animal clinic for the past three years and I’ve also worked at the UMass Livestock Barn for the past two years. Previously, I worked at a mixed animal clinic, interned at the small animal clinic where I currently work, and interned at a marine animal facility in the Bahamas. At UMass, I was a Teaching Assistant for Animal Science 103 and a Peer Mentor for the Pre-Veterinary & Animal Science Club. Currently, I work with a PhD student doing Organismic & Evolutionary Biology - OEB research in the Albertson Lab. I’m very excited to serve as a peer advisor this year; please feel free to reach out with any questions!

 

Miranda Leibstein   Miranda Leibstein
   My name is Miranda Leibstein, and I am a senior Pre-vet student applying to veterinary school this cycle. I am applying for both a DVM and a Ph.D. to continue my passion for research and medicine at the graduate level. I am aiming to explore the connection between gut microbiome health and its impact on the onset of certain disorders like Equine Metabolic Syndrome. I am very excited to be a VASCI Peer Advisor this year, as I feel like the program has so much to offer and I would love to help everyone get the most out of their undergraduate experience! I will be able to help students with study skills, how to get into research, choosing classes to fulfill their major requirements, as well as just general college or program-specific advice. I am looking forward to meeting everyone.

 

Ethan Dixon   Ethan Dixon
    My name is Ethan Dixon and I am a Junior planning to graduate with a dual-degree in Pre-Vet and STEM-German. I have wanted to be a veterinarian since I was 3 years old and my parents can attest that my dream has never waivered! Currently, my goal is to become a zoo veterinarian, where I hope to work with large exotics. I also plan on studying abroad in Germany during the Spring 2024 semester, so if you are interested in or have any questions about the process please ask! Apart from school stuff, I like to hangout with friends, snowboard, and play guitar. I am very excited to have the opportunity to be a VASCI Peer Advisor, because I enjoy helping others! I will be more than happy to help students understand course material, develop study habits, answer questions about double majoring, or just have a chat. I look forward to meeting you all!

Annabella Whalen  Annabella Whalen
  My name is Annabella Whalen and I’m a senior Animal Science major with a concentration in Animal Management. I currently work at the UMass Hadley Farm where I have the opportunity to learn different animal management and veterinary care practices regarding our sheep, goats, and pigs. I interned with Dr. Beltaire this past summer, working closely with our Belted Galloway herd, helping with calving, neonatal care, rebreeding, and other management practices.  I also gained experience with animal husbandry, farm management, and public outreach. During the school year I’m a teaching assistant for Dorset Sheep Management and have also been a teaching assistant for Animal Science 103. I have also been involved in research on campus where I studied the effect of calcium on oocytes. I’m really looking forward to peer advisor meetings. Please reach out if you have any questions!

Hanna Moore
My name is Hanna and I am a senior Pre-VetHanna Moore major. At home, I have three horses and three dogs. Over the last two summers, I have gone on two different Loop Abroad trips to Thailand and Australia. In Thailand I got to live the life of an elephant vet and in Australia I got to spend time in the world's busiest wildlife hospital with the kangaroos and koalas. Both were awesome experiences and I'd love to share more about my travels. I am applying to vet school this cycle and hoping to attend the North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine next Fall. I look forward to getting to know more of my VASCI peers, please let me know if you have any questions!

Laura Snow

Laura SnowI'm Laura Snow, a Commonwealth Honors College dual-degree senior studying Biology and Pre-Veterinary Science, with minors in Creative Writing, Microbiology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. I'm very grateful to have been accepted to Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine my sophomore year through the Bachelors/DVM Early Acceptance Program. My veterinary journey began with working in small animal general practice hospitals and ERs as a veterinary assistant, and progressed to being a teaching assistant for Animal Science 101, 103, and 220. For the past three years, I've worked at the UMass Hadley Farm and have been a research assistant in the all-undergraduate Riley Lab in the biology department. In my research, I am the lead of a project developing antibiotic sutures using bacteriocins to prevent surgical site infections, which will be my thesis. I also studied abroad in New Zealand during my junior year, and currently volunteer as a firefighter at the Amherst Fire Department Student Force. As a VASCI Peer Advisor, I'm open and eager to talk about anything and everything!

 

Angela Houh

My name is Angela and I am a senior pre-vet majorA. Houh with a minor in natural resource conservation. While at UMass, I have had the joy of taking care of the sheep, goats, and Tommy the cat on the Hadley farm. My experience at the farm made me grow mindful of how agriculture impacts the environment, which sparked my interest in environmental conservation. Although working with animals will always be my passion, I have recently taken part in invasive species removal on the Connecticut River and currently work for the UMass Office of Waste Management. I have also TAed, worked in a vasci research lab, and studied abroad and am happy to help with those processes! In my free time I like to destress by crocheting, exercising, or going on walks. I’m grateful to have studied at such a wonderful school and for all the professors and staff who have mentored me along the way. Being a vasci student is both exciting and also challenging so I am happy to offer my support and guidance to whoever needs it!

For additional information, please contact Dr. Katie Beltaire, kbeltaire [at] umass.edu