Here is a little interview we had with the new student leaders of Broad Spectrum. You already know Nikki, now meet Amanda and Arturo!
Amanda Lynnea Fischer (blue font)
Arturo Otamendi (red font)
• BSVSA
Position
VP? Treasurer! Queen of the
Twitterverse
Executive Officer/Facebooker/blogger
• School
Cornell University!
Louisiana State University
• Undergrad
Cornell University!!
Louisiana State University
• Other
Degrees
None yet! But fingers crossed I’m
taking a year off from vet school to do research full time and possibly get a
masters in biomedical science (from Cornell).
B.S. in Animal Sciences, hoping to do
a residency/masters program after vet school.
• Where are
you from?
Cornell University? Actually Long
Island, but at this point it feels like I’m from Ithaca
Where am I not from? I was originally
born in Maracay, Venezuela. Lived there for several years and then moved to San
Francisco when I was 6 years old. One year later, we moved to Indianapolis, and
another year after that we moved to New Orleans. I now live in Baton Rouge,
LA.
• Non-vet
interests
Knitting, crocheting, sewing (all of
my pants need to be hemmed and I’ve made a few things from scratch like skirts,
bags, etc.) gardening (I have an organic garden plot with some other vet
students where I’m growing squash, chard, and herbs), cycling, I’m also a huge
fan of roller derby!
I love to play my trombone. I have
been playing for 12 years and it is something I do to relieve some stress. I
also dabble on the violin and the clarinet. I love watching sports and spend
any free time I have on ESPN. Love to play ultimate frizbee in between studying
for exams.
• Vet
Interests and Career aspirations
Wildlife a/o zoo pathology somewhere
where I can use my research training. Maybe teaching someday. Maybe lab animal
medicine...
I am very interested in internal
medicine and hope to one day do a residency and become board certified. I also
love research, more on the clinical side, and would like to continue some of
the projects I have worked on during veterinary school.
• what
interests led you to be involved in your school's LGBT organization or with
Broad Spectrum?
Friendship and community. The
Homophiliacs (Cornell vet’s LGBT group) were super friendly at the info fair my
first year (who doesn’t find rainbow leis and Starburst inviting?). I
started hanging out with them on Friday evenings and they had fun casual events
(picnics, movie nights) that really made vet school fun. Last year I was
really excited to go to my 1st SAVMA symposium and was told by upper classmen
what Broad Spectrum was and that they would be having a meeting. At that
point I was an officer of the Homophiliacs and the only one of us attending
SAVMA Symposium, so I felt I needed to go. Once I met everyone I felt
like I need to be involved. I think everyone who wants a group like the
Homophiliacs deserves to have that at their school too.
While at SAVMA Symposium in Purdue
this past spring, I met some very awesome people (Sonia & Liam) who were so
proactive in leading the way for LGBT veterinary students with their leadership
in Broad Spectrum. I was in awe of the many projects they had underway and the
way they reached out the community. I immediately knew I wanted to become
involved in Broad Spectrum and Sonia and Liam helped show me the ropes and what
I was to do. I never imagined myself being in a leadership role in an LGBT
organization for veterinary students, but I could not think of anything better
to devote myself to.
• what were
you most afraid of when applying to/deciding where to go to veterinary school?
I was afraid that by staying at
Cornell I wouldn’t change or grow as a person. I was really concerned
that I would not branch out to meet new people and would be sad when all my
friends from undergrad left and moved on.
I was more unsure, as opposed to
afraid, or whether or not I should be out in vet school. I was out in
undergrad, but with the size of the university, I had no worries that people
would create any trouble for me. I worried that with the small classes in vet school,
and the amount of hours that we would have to spend with each other, that my
classmates would judge me and treat me differently because of my sexual
orientation.
• Did these
fears prove to be valid? Or were you surprised by how awesome and sparkly your
school experience has been so far?
That was definitely not the case.
Friends I still have in the area always wonder where I’ve disappeared to.
I think they assume I’m studying constantly. But I became really
involved in the vet school with volunteering at the wildlife health center,
clubs, SCAVMA, and Omega Tau Sigma (and studying!). I’m busy, but it’s
stuff that I really want to be doing (most of the time).
I decided to be true to myself and to
my classmates and not go back in the closet. It was very relieving because I
never had to worry about keeping any secrets from anyone. I was very surprised
at how open and accepting my classmates were. Louisiana is not known for being
the most welcoming state to the LGBT community, but everyone at the veterinary
school opened their arms and welcomed me for who I am. I have never had anyone
use my sexual orientation in a discriminatory way and because of that I am able
to live a free and open life.
• This is
the precise moment at which the reality of being a vet student, studying
round-the-clock, and having no life outside of school hits our sad
interviewees:
I do wish I had more non-vet student
friends, partially to escape talking about vet school all the time. Even
when I find non-vet school people, I still talk about vet school. Maybe I
should learn to talk about those other interests I have... Either way at
least one afternoon a week my brain shuts down and I spend a few hours watching
the X-Files.
Vet school certainly has been an
intense ride so far. I feel constantly overwhelmed, and feel like I do not even
have time to sleep. I miss the little things in life, like going to the movies
with friends on a weekend. However, when I think about what I am doing, I
realize that I am fulfilling every dream I have ever had. I know one day all
the hard work, dedication, and sleepless nights will eventually pay off. I must
decide to take it one day at a time and look forward to the future. I want to
make a difference in the veterinary community, and I know that all of the
little things that we do at BSVSA matter, even if it is just to a few people.
• Four fun
Facts about you
1. I’ve been to Honduras and Belize on school trips (in vet
school). 2. I’ve ridden my mountain bike 100 miles around Cayuga lake.
3. I
really like going to karaoke nights in Ithaca and singing every Maroon 5 song
they have.
4. I’m addicted to True Blood (it’s so bad, but soooo good!)
1. I was born in Venezuela, where most of my family currently
lives, and am fluent in Spanish
2. I attended 10 different schools from the ages of 6-9
3. I can play the trombone, violin, clarinet, euphonium, french
horn, and cello.
4. I love CATS! I am the president of the feline club at my
school and have three cats of my own.
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