Degree: B.S. Animal & Nutritional Sciences, Equine Studies minor with an emphasis in equine science, May 2018
Career: Julie is currently a laboratory animal care technician at Colorado State University. She is responsible for the daily care and maintenance of various species such as rodents, cats, dogs, rabbits, deer, bats, cows, and sheep. She also monitors health, census, environmental parameters, and biosecurity measures associated with research animal management. Julie cares for animals in various research projects such as cancer biology, high altitude studies, infectious disease research, nutrition studies, orthopedic research, and more. She also assists in teaching classes that help new researchers learn how to properly handle lab animals.
WVU Working Student Experience: During her senior year at WVU, Julie was part of the team of student workers at the JW Ruby Research Farm. In that role, she assisted with the daily care and exercise of the horses, helped with hands-on student labs, assisted with community events, and gained valuable hands-on experience that helped her land her position at CSU.
About attending WVU: "Growing up I had a passion for animals, and I was fascinated with science, but I never wanted to pursue vet school. At WVU, I was able to explore my options and see that there are so many amazing opportunities out there. At the same time, the equine program allowed my passion for horses to grow as I gained experience that has already helped me in my current career."