Dear students,

Professional success, for me, is defined by the impact that I can make in the lives of others. As a researcher, professor and mentor, I have had the great fortune of interacting with many talented individuals from all over the world. It is these relationships that make a career in science most rewarding.

The research being conducted at UC Davis shines a light into some of the fundamental questions that veterinary scientists are working to answer to improve the health and breeding of animals. I'm thrilled to welcome you to be part of that work.

You and talented, motivated students like you represent the next generation of pioneers in animal genetic research and, as your mentor in the UC Davis Pre-College Program, I'll have the privilege of introducing you to the work that I find so fulfilling.

Together, we will explore the ideas and questions that fascinated me as a young student first deciding to major in animal science and that still excite me today, like the genetics of eye disorders in horses.

The time we spend together will be meaningful—for both of us. I hope it creates a lifelong passion that becomes your career.

I look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Bellone, Ph.D.
Faculty Director
UC Davis Pre-College Program—Veterinary Genetics