Conversations with Tia:
What is the next step for you academically once you complete your degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology?
After completing my degree, I hope to pursue opportunities where I can work with wildlife and gain research experience. I am also considering veterinary school, with the possibility of pursuing a career in wildlife or zoological medicine. My next step will likely involve gaining more hands-on experience in wildlife research and animal care, while exploring whether vet school is the right path for me.
You served as President and founder of the Pan-Orthodox Students’ Group last year. - How did that evolve?
The last two years I served as vice president and I co-founded the group, but this year I am now serving as president. There was no active space for Orthodox Christians on campus my freshmen year, and it was something I really wanted to have moving forward with my undergraduate career. In the fall of 2024, I thankfully met our president of the last two years, Rachel, and I helped her in the process of making a formally recognized club for Orthodox Christian students. Since then, we’ve been slowly growing our member base by attending services together, holding group discussions, hosting guest speakers, and more.
You interned at the Phillips Park Zoo and the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. What did you do at each zoo?
My time at Phillips Park was mainly animal care: cleaning habitats, food prep and feeding, and providing enrichment for the collection animals. Though zookeeping isn’t something I want to do in the long run, I had a really great experience there and it definitely solidified my wanting to work with animals. This summer at the Brookfield Zoo I interned in their Environmental Quality department. The biggest part of the job was conducting water quality tests for all the aquarium systems and water features throughout the zoo. We also conducted air quality tests, which are needed less frequently, and regularly process data loggers for temperature and humidity readings across the hundreds of habitats throughout the zoo.
How did the internships come about?
The summer following my freshmen year is when I worked at Phillips Park, which is a short drive from where I live. A family friend knew I was looking for experience in animal care and recommended I try for there. The Brookfield Zoo in Chicago is somewhere I grew up visiting, and their internship program was something always on my radar. It has definitely been a dream having had the opportunity to work there.
You also interned at the Forest Reserve Project. Can you talk about that?
Yes, my county’s forest preserve district regularly has opportunities for volunteers to assist in their restoration efforts of the local ecosystems. In Illinois (my home state) less than 0.1% of the original prairie remains, with many of the animals that live there having disappeared or are struggling to survive. In past summers where I wasn’t working full time, I enjoyed being a small part of that mission to restore the native ecosystem and biodiversity of the area.
On occasion, the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology students go on a field trip to Antarctica. Is there any talk of such a trip this year?
In years past I know they’ve done semester trips to the Galapagos Islands, which is every ecology and evolution student’s dream. With the basketball season running in both semesters and through winter break, I wouldn’t be able to participate in a trip like that. But I am hoping that my career path will eventually be able to take me to some cool places around the globe!
As a senior and a team-leader, what will you talk about with the younger players?
First and foremost, it’s important our younger players know they can come to me and all the team leaders with anything, whether it be about basketball, academics, or adjusting to the student-athlete life. Balancing the long season with school, and handling all the challenges that come with that, can be really tough. A fantastic culture has been built on our team over the years, and its important the younger players know we are all here for each other. On the court though, my biggest goal for my last year is to lead by example: bringing energy, working hard, and being a good teammate. I hope that through this, I can help continue the culture that has been built here and help others in becoming the future leaders of the team.
You were chosen to serve as vice-president of the Varsity Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (VSAAC) this year. What projects is the group planning for 2026-2027?
I can say for certain one our biggest goals for this upcoming year is to increase engagement within VSAAC and make sure our general committee members feel more involved. We want to plan events that student-athletes across different teams are genuinely excited to participate in, while also creating more connections between athletics and the broader UR community. We really want to get more people excited about Rochester athletics and use our platform to expand our impact in the local community.
How are you able to balance a challenging academic major, leadership roles in the organization you founded and in VSAAC, and playing a varsity sport?
I can definitely say I’ve been determined to make the absolute most out of my time here at U of R, and I think a big part of balancing everything is being very intentional with my time and learning how to prioritize. I’ve been forced to be very organized because my schedule is already structured around practices, games, and classes. I can’t do everything perfectly, so I’ve learned to be realistic about what most needs my time and energy. The biggest part of this though is who I surround myself with; my teammates, my classmates, clubmates, coaches, and family, all people who I can lean on and have helped me stay committed to the things that are important to me.
