For Jessica Fury ‘19, an animal science major and Groveton, NH native, graduation will mean moving out of her apartment at the UNH Organic Dairy and leaving her beloved Jersey cows, including Andie, who’s calf is the first Fury ever delivered. But it also means a new opportunity to care for some special creatures in Jefferson, NH and the beginning of a career devoted to animal health and wellbeing.
Jessica Fury: I have accomplished so much academically and personally at UNH so there are many things that I am proud of. Most of all I am proud to have put my best effort into my education and that I have gone out of my way to achieve more than just my degree during my time here. I am the first member of my family to have the opportunity to reach this level of higher education so I really have tried my best to make everyone back home and myself proud.
Fury: I have been drawn to animals ever since I can remember. I got my first job in middle school volunteering at a horse farm across the street from my home. It was the best part of my day just spending time with the horses, and since then I knew I wouldn't be happy doing anything unless animals were a part of it. When I came here, I chose to major in animal science because I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to do, I just knew it involved animals. Thanks to my coursework and experiences I’ve found a career path I am excited to follow.
Fury: I think the best approach you can take in this major is to always stay open minded and go out of your way to get the hands-on experience. From my experiences and courses, I have learned about so many other animal science fields I had never even considered when applying here. There is such a variety of experiences available on campus, you can really shape your education into whatever you want it to be.
Fury: I am really excited to be managing the reindeer at Santa's Village in Jefferson, NH when I graduate. I have worked at the park part-time through high school and college and they have always been very supportive of my academic goals. When they heard I was going to school for animal science they offered to work with UNH for an independent study. I work with their reindeer as my capstone project and a couple months later the owners offered me the position and I was ecstatic! I would have never imagined I would be so lucky as to get a job close to home doing what I love. Not everybody gets such a unique opportunity, and I am so thankful UNH has helped me get this chance.
Fury: I care a lot about animals, and I want to make a positive difference for the animals in my community. UNH has taught me how to improve the welfare of animals by being an informed participant in the animal industry. I truly believe that being well educated is a requirement of all people who plan to work with animals. I want to take what I have learned here and apply it to my management practices for the betterment of animal care. I hope along the way I can help teach others some of what it takes to keep animals happy and healthy.
Fury: There is a lot to love about UNH. I am grateful for all the wonderful students, professors, and coworkers I have met in my time here. So many of them have made an impact on my life I will remember long after I graduate. My favorite part of UNH is living at the UNH Organic Dairy in Lee. I come from a small town and sometimes things on campus are too busy for my liking so being at the UNH Organic Dairy has been a perfect fit for me. I get to live a little out of the way and best of all spend lots of time with their lovely Jersey girls.
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