Hello, everyone! My name is Maria Peshkoff and I am a fourth-year animal Biology major.

I knew from an early age that I wanted to attend UC Davis, but I also knew my journey to get there would not be easy. After attending community college for five years, I transferred to UC Davis as an Animal Biology major.

My interest in veterinary medicine was solidified when our family adopted Lulu, our first dog. Lulu had gotten severely ill and was admitted to an emergency clinic where she was kept for three days. It was during this time that I realized that I wanted to help other animals like Lulu and decided to work at a mall animal veterinary clinic. Without prior experience, I was offered a position as a veterinary assistant and have been working with my hospital for four years. I have been privileged enough to monitor surgeries and help with hospitalized patients all while attending UC Davis, my dream school.

What I love most about the ABI major is that it allows students to get hands-on experience through the practicum project and presents students with research opportunities that would otherwise be missed. I was drawn to this major because of its academic rigor and the freedom of each student to design their own class schedule based on their interest. The ABI major helped me discover y interest in veterinary physical rehabilitation and this has helped guide my practicum project. Post-graduation, I plan on attending veterinary school and using my gap year to gain more veterinary experience.