Academic Programs > For Prospective Students > Meet Our Students > Sara Meagher
Sara Meagher
Hometown: Jarrettsville, MD
Majors: Animal Science (equine track) and Agriculture Science and Technology
The University of Maryland College of Agriculture and Natural Resources made a good impression on me right from the beginning. When I visited Maryland, everyone I met with in the college was friendly, sincere, and extremely helpful. Even though the university is big, I felt like I could make myself a place within the college and really flourish in its welcoming atmosphere. And I was right. I know many of the students and most of the faculty and staff. It means a lot to me that my professors and even the dean know me personally, and I always feel comfortable asking them for help.
Scholarships have helped me realize my goal of a college education. Prior to starting at Maryland, I had received no merit-based scholarships despite being an honor roll student all through high school. However, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources has been an incredible help to me with securing scholarships. This semester my tuition is almost completely paid for by scholarships I wouldn’t have won without the help of faculty and staff in the college.
When I started at Maryland, I wanted to pursue a career in the equine industry. I had grown up with horses and knew I liked working outside and with animals. After taking some other courses in the Animal and Avian Sciences Department and completing a few diverse internships, I realized that I have a love for all agriculture, not just horses. I was able to experience things at school that I couldn’t experience at home, and that really helped me decide that I want to expand my horizons career wise and look outside the narrow realm of the equine industry.
I’ve participated in several agricultural internships, including a horse pasture renovation project and work at an organic vegetable farm. I’ve also been a member of the University of Maryland Agricultural Fair Team (UMAFT) at the Maryland State Fair. Working at UMAFT’s state fair birthing center had been one of the most interesting, educational, and fun experiences I’ve ever had. Along with five other students and our director, I helped to birth fourteen calves and six litters of piglets over the course of eleven days. I received more hands-on experience with births and the care and management of pregnant and newborn animals than I could have anywhere else.
On campus, I had the opportunity to be a teaching assistant for the horse management course. It was an excellent experience; I wrote and graded assignments and instructed laboratory sessions with the assistance of the professor. Experiencing the course first as a student and then as an instructor gave me a whole different point of view. I actually learned more about the material as a TA than I did as a student!
Advice for prospective students: Visit and meet with representatives from the college. The academic instruction is impeccable, and the professors and staff are always willing to help. There are tons of opportunities to get involved, receive scholarships, and have amazing experiences abroad and through internships. I think that by attending a small college at a big university you get the best of both worlds—the support of a program tailored just for you and the diverse opportunities of a university. I feel confident that my experiences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources have given me a huge advantage and thoroughly prepared me for a career in the field of agriculture.
For more information, contact Elizabeth Weiss
Last updated: 03/9/2009
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