April Mauro '04

Large animal veterinarian

Where did you grow up?
Mount Vernon, New Hampshire

Where do you live now?
Los Angeles, California

What was your senior project?
"The Leadership Role of Matriarchs in Elephant Cow/Calf Groups in the Elephant Population of Tsavo" - a research paper analyzing matriarch data she collected while on the conservancy in Kenya.

Did you go to graduate school?
Yes, I earned my DVM from the School of Veterinary Medicine at University of Wisconsin.

What's your current job?
I'm a large animal veterinarian.

What do you want to make sure people know about COA?
I don't think there is any other small college where students receive such a complete education in such a large variety of fields. Even though COA is small, there are more opportunities here than at most other colleges. For instance, the internship requirement encourages unique experiences in a student's particular field. During my four years at COA, I interned with equine veterinarians in Wales and Oklahoma. I also found a research opportunity in Kenya, working on conservation land for three months.

I had always wanted to go to Kenya, and COA's internship requirement provided me with a reason to go. I was able to meet with well-known elephant researchers about my own research. The connections made outside of the classroom are very valuable for the future. Anything that interests you is possible at COA if you have the drive to follow through.