Student Life

Hello, everybody! My name is Raaghav Saxena, and I'm a fifth-year Animal Biology major. I grew up for about half of my life in the southeast of the United States, where my love for nature and wildlife specifically developed. That is why I chose this major; to be able to understand and potentially care for the animals that I have seen in the wild throughout my life, and to make sure that future generations may continue to see them. My time at UC Davis has allowed me to work with birds at Meyer Hall, turtles in the Arboretum, and livestock at a ranch in Vacaville.

Hello! My name is Gennie Shane, and I am a fourth-year Animal Biology student with a Spanish minor. My interest in animal welfare started when sweet border collie, Kaia, got diagnosed with Addison's disease in 2017. After learning how to administer her cortisone shots, I learned more about veterinary medicine and found my way to UC Davis. Since then, I have had the opportunity to work on a ranch in Vacaville with large animals and I currently work at a small animal hospital as a kennel technician.

Hi, everyone! My name is Gloria Becerra, and I am a third-year Animal Biology student with a minor in Education. I am from the Central Valley, where my love for agriculture and science began. My interest in large animal medicine has led me to become a resident at the UC Davis Swine Facility and the Vice President of the Young Cattlemen’s Association at UC Davis, among other things. I thoroughly enjoy every opportunity I get to work with animals and interact with my peers.

I am part of the graduating class of 2022 with a Bachelor's in Animal Biology and Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology. I am originally from Stockton, CA, and I at first chose UC Davis because I wanted to be a veterinarian (while sticking close to home). However, over the course of my undergraduate experience, I learned more about the world around me and what kind of research opportunities are available with an Animal Biology degree.

Hello, I'm Rakhay Burtzlaff, a senior ABI undergraduate student. I've always been interested in the past, and how genetics map the progression of life through time. Most of all, I love the ancient and unusual, which is why I was excited to focus my practicum research on moon jellyfish. My research is focused on the effect of environmental factors on the physiology of moon jellyfish. Specifically, the process of reverse-development, which allows the jellyfish to go back on its lifecycle to repair damage.

Hi everyone, my name is Nayeli Echeverria and I just graduated! Woot woot! I transferred to UC Davis in the Fall of 2020, during the pandemic. I was lucky to begin my first quarter working at the 

My name is Kenny Ruiz and I am a first-generation transfer student, currently finishing my fourth year at UC Davis. I grew up in Salinas, California, and joined the Marines right out of high school, where I served four years. I enjoy baking, reading, photography, hiking, and martial arts. My field of interest is wildlife conservation and animal behavior.

Hello ABI Majors! My name is Kimberly Aguirre, I graduated from UCD in spring 2022 as an Animal Biology major with a minor in Public Health Sciences. As part of my practicum, I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Alda Pires in her Food Safety and Urban Agriculture lab, under the Department of Population Health & Reproduction at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. My project was on comparing fecal microbiomes in grazed and ungrazed sheep, and seeing if there were any associated changes in food-borne pathogen-shedding.

Hi there, my name is Monica Ardon. I am a 5th year transfer student from Folsom Lake College. I graduated with an AA in Interdisciplinary Studies: Math and Science in 2020. I am majoring in Animal Biology and minoring in Spanish. I completed my practicum last July where I studied effects of Insulin Dysregulation in Quarter Horses at the Center for Equine Health.

Hi everybody! I'm Lisa from the c/o 2021. After all the time I've spent being so deeply involved in this major as a student and peer advisor I can't express enough how grateful I am for the meaningful opportunities I have been given through this program, and how it has shaped my undergraduate years to be a truly unique and unforgettable time.