Marisa Braddock has always been passionate about wildlife.
"I started hunting and fishing with my dad at an early age and I always really enjoyed being outside," said Braddock, a senior fisheries and wildlife major from Papillion, Nebraska. "When I was in third grade, I even wrote to the president of the United States on how he needed to protect endangered animals better."
Braddock's fervor for the Great Outdoors is matched only by her desire to become a medical professional, which stems from a tragic loss she experienced at a young age.
"I've wanted to practice in the medical field since I was a child," she said. "My mother passed away from breast cancer when I was five, so I have been working my whole life to make it to this point."
"This point" refers to her recent acceptance into the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Physician Assistant program. UNMC boasts one of the top PA programs in the country – ranked number nine by U.S. News & World Report for 2015, up seven spots from when the magazine last ranked PA programs in 2011.
"If I did not get accepted into PA school, I wanted to be able to pursue my second passion, which is helping to protect wildlife and natural resources," Braddock said. "When I found out I could pursue both of my passions, I declared my major in fisheries and wildlife. Shout out to Sara Winn and the SNR faculty who helped make that possible."
Although her dream has been realized, Braddock said that the road to PA school was a bumpy one.
"When you are applying to such a competitive field, it is extremely difficult not compare yourself to other people," she said. "I was constantly thinking I wasn't good enough because other people were getting higher scores than me or volunteering in more noticeable places. It took a lot of phone calls with my dad, talks with my friends and even with other physician assistants to overcome those thoughts."
When she looks back at the past four years, Braddock said they've gone by quickly and she's learned a lot in that time.
"It feels like I was just starting my undergrad and now I'm graduating," she said. "A lot of my SNR classes caused me to problem-solve and think critically, which is so important in not only my future career but also everyday life."
Braddock recalled two classes in particular that stand out.
"I absolutely loved Dr. Powell's lab out at Cedar Point for NRES 433," she said. "Not many of my friends in other majors can say they went out and caught turtles or wrangled up chickens for a class. Also, I am so thankful I was able to take a class with Dr. Hygnstom for my wildlife diseases class. It made me slightly terrified to ever set foot outside again, but it was one of the classes I took the most information from."
After graduating from PA school in 2017, Braddock said she'd like to work in a family practice.
"I just want to say thank you to all of the SNR faculty that have helped me get to where I am today, and made my four years at UNL worthwhile," she said. "I've enjoyed having the opportunity to learn and work with the SNR faculty and the friends I have made in my classes."
— Mekita Rivas, Natural Resources