A Student's Story
Napa Valley Horsemen’s Association has been supporting education in
the Napa Valley for many years with our yearly scholarship awards. In 2008 NVHA awarded a scholarship to Zia
Shepp, and in the three years since Zia graduated from Napa High School she has
been following her dream to become a veterinarian.
This is the description of Zia from the UC Davis Western Equestrian Team’s website:
Zia Shepp's
hometown is Napa, CA. Her main goal ever since she was seven years old,
has been to come to Davis and to achieve her DVM while attending the University
of California, Davis Veterinary School. Her focus, in the mean time, is
to specialize in Wildlife/Zoo Animals. She is a lover of the outdoors,
hiking, camping, riding, animals (of course), dirt biking, swimming, skiing,
and ballroom dancing, and her favorite sport to watch live or on the TV is ice
hockey. She is always looking for an adventure and is a very upbeat
person, always willing to get the job done no matter the work. She is a
ball of happiness in a nutshell.
She was the Grand Champion of the Little I Stock Show of 2008-2009 at UC Davis. Zia was also the recipient of the 2008 scholarship awarded by the Napa Valley Horseman's Association, and the 2008 scholarship awarded by Napa County Farm Bureau.
Zia's Story - I graduated from Napa High School in 2008, and have I've resided in Davis, Ca since. I am a senior at the University of California, Davis, majoring in Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity, with a minor in Theatre. For the past three years I have been within the Animal Science major, yet transferred out this past year into something that fit my priorities as well as my goals for my future in a more positive way.
One piece of advice for future freshman, is that you do not need to worry about what major to choose when you apply. One of my favorite quotes states,
"It is not often that a person's vocation matches his passion.
But, when it does...the result is excellent."
Ever since I was seven years old, I have aspired to be a
veterinarian, and now that I have had more experience within the field, a
wildlife/exotic veterinarian specifying in large animals. However, that
future is after I attend Graduate School at (hopefully) Tufts University in
Boston, Massachusetts for their Conservation Medicine Program. It is a
new program that has had its first debut this year!
Conservation Medicine centers on health relationships occurring at the interface of humans, animals and the environment, to develop and utilize health management practices, policies and programs that sustain biodiversity and protect ecosystems essential to the life and health of the planet. I would like to focus on climate change and how that affects the health of the overall globe and it’s ecosystems, as well as preserving species diversity and endangered wildlife. This program focuses on the impacts of climate change on both the wildlife and human communities, which fundamentally is what I aspire to do research in! After my Masters, I intend to come back to the glorious, sunny California to then receive my DVM at UCD. If however, this graduate program is a success and spreads to UCD within the next two years, I would be glad to apply here within this state.
I have been a member of the UCD Western Equestrian Team
since Spring Quarter 2009. I have competed in Levels 11 and 12A. I
have been riding western ever since I was a little girl, but never
competitively until I joined three years ago. It was a great opportunity
to create long-lasting friendships, practice and enlighten one of my hobbies,
and to also have an activity to balance out the stresses of the college
life. Fall 2010, I was voted to be Vice President of the team, and for
that whole year, helped the President and Secretary as well as our members to
become one of the top teams in our league.
We compete in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association
(IHSA) Western circuit in many events including beginning to advanced Western
Equitation and Reining. Some of the schools we compete against are
Standford, College of the Sequoias, University of Santa Clara, Sonoma State,
University of Nevada in Reno, and Cal Poly SLO. In all levels of
competition, a horse is drawn at random from the rider, and you are to carry
out a pattern while riding it.
All of the horses are different levels, coming from contrasting backgrounds and training styles. Depending on which one you draw, this gives even competition as well as a riveting challenge with a horse you've never ridden.
Our coach, Kris Urlaub, provides a comfortable environment as well as teaching atmosphere, and prepares you well for any challenge you'll not only need while at a show, but also skills at which you can use throughout your life as a rider, whether professional or just for leisure.
Here are few things you have to take into account when you become a college student.. One: find a job, Two: SAVE money, and Three: Internship. The job is not just to pay for school, but also for rent, gas, groceries and extracurricular activities. Although the western team is a fantastic program, most of its funding comes from the students. It is not cheap to ride and compete with horses. The internship is because you need to start early or else you may be delayed a year before you go to Grad School. It also provides letters of recommendation as well as professional connections.
There are many activities and hobbies you can carry out that are not as costly.
I have to admit going to Davis is lucky, because it is a college town. Much of the community is involved with something going on our campus. Most of it is centered around a students budget, as well as standing as a very green, sustainable, and forward-thinking community, and holding a spot as a number one research University within the world.
Bikes are the main way of transportation. The farmers market on Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings is always an enjoyable atmosphere, and if you go often enough, you gain many friendships with the local farmers and businesses providing a good foundation of communication as well as, more connections.
Take heed though future students, because you do not want to
jump-start into something you are not passionate about when you apply to
college. Like I stated before: you have time to figure out what you want
to be. All you need to do is get in and build connections. Stay
happy by building friendships and communicating, as well as indulging every
once and a while in the college-like social atmosphere and providing hobbies on
the side to let out the stresses of everyday life. Be smart about
it.
Another of my favorite quotes comes from none other than Einstein, the mathematical and scientific genius whom flunked out of college yet still became one of the most famous and well-thought of persons of our time,
"The World we have created is a product of our thinking
It cannot be changed without changing the Way we think."
I apply this to my life. Change is neither good nor bad, but it is essential for positive progress. So have a goal, yet be lenient and flexible. Stay focused and enthusiastic, and you will go far.
Thank you for your time ~ Zia
