Jamie Conner

Jamie Conner is an animal science major with ambitions to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Coming to Chico State from Redwood Valley, Conner went to high school at Ukiah High School and spent most of her life around animals. Conner started 4-H at the age of nine and continued to show animals ranging from lambs to steers through high school. In high school, Conner also competed in rodeo, going as far as state finals in pole bending.

Conner was not always the academic that she is today. She openly admits that she barely graduated high school, and it was not until the week before classes began in 2012, when her boyfriend’s mother asked about her future plans, that she decided to enroll at Mendocino College to further her education. Uncertain of the career path or major she wanted to pursue, Conner transferred to Questa College in 2013 in hopes of attending California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. While awaiting admission to Cal Poly, Conner decided to check out CSU, Chico. Conner says that when she was able to see Chico’s agriculture program, she knew it was where she belonged.

The first in her family to go to college, Conner has maintained two jobs to put herself through school while continuing to be a full-time student. Her Grandpa Bob encouraged her to become a veterinarian, and while attending CSU, Chico, she found the motivation she was looking for to pursue that challenging career path.  A summer internship in 2016 at UC Davis with Larry Galuppo, chief of equine surgery, validated her ambition to become a large animal vet.

Conner has worked at the University Farm Sheep Unit for two years. She is involved in helping an animal nutrition course measure average daily gain, feed efficiency, feed-to-grain ratio, and carcass quality in sheep and goats. Conner is most excited about the Sheep Unit’s current research to determine if essential oils can increase melatonin.

“It’s super exciting being a part of research. I find myself wanting to research answers about why something can be affected by another. It really is a great way to learn outside the classroom,” Conner said.

Conner is also an officer for the Alpha Zeta agriculture honor society, as well as the treasurer for the Pre-Vet Club. As an officer in the Pre-Vet Club, she works to encourage other aspiring veterinarians by providing guest speakers and offering resume and interview workshops.

Though Conner will be graduating in May, she knows her days of school are not over. She looks forward to the future, where she plans to continue her studies at veterinary school.