J unior Parker Luke Wilson can tell you firsthand how after-school jobs and study abroad help you zero in on a correct career path, boost your skills and put you ahead of others in the job market.

Growing up with a love for animals, Wilson got his first crack at being a veterinarian assistant as a senior in high school working at Gadd’s Animals Doctors of Gray. Since then, he’s been on track to double major in biology and Spanish at Georgia College & State University, while getting a minor in Latin American/Caribbean Studies and a concentration in pre-veterinary medicine.

If that’s not enough?

Well then, there’s always a really cool two-week, study-away, veterinarian-in-training program called Loop Abroad Costa Rica.

In 2022, Parker enjoyed working with sloths there so much, he signed up for another stint this summer with Loop Abroad—this time researching sea turtles.

“Sea turtles always have been special to me. I am genuinely taken away by love for these animals and plan to devote my life to helping them,” Wilson said. “Many people feel a closeness to them, and it’s a very curious phenomenon. They have this beautiful nature and are such an important part of the ecosystem within the ocean.”

Wilson worked with a conservation organization called Latin American Sea Turtles (LAST). A group of students and veterinarians from around the world spent time on land and sea, scooping turtles up by net. The first turtle Wilson saw was a Hawksbill Sea Turtle, “so little and cute.” Like the others, it was checked for health and shell damage, measured, weighed and then released.

The team helped repopulate mangrove trees by potting, building soil containers and watering. Students were also trained in data collection and analysis—crucial elements for career readiness when working with nature.

At the wildlife rescue center, Wilson worked with many other animals as well, like two- and three-toed sloths, many species of birds, porcupines, ocelots (a type of panther cat), kinkajous (a small, big-eyed mammal), opossums, owls and racoons.

Wilson loved the experience so much, he volunteered extra weeks prior to his study abroad and after.

Loop Abroad is the largest pre-veterinary study abroad program in the United States. This year, it spent more than $1 million on conservation projects worldwide. It hosts students in nine countries and six continents throughout the year.

The experience reinforced Wilson’s desire to become a vet.

Now, he’d like to go to veterinarian school and work in Latin America. He credits Georgia College with helping him find this path and connecting him to multiple opportunities, like Loop Abroad. Various student organizations, like the GCSU Pre-Vet Club, also allied him with similar-minded peers.

“The main thing I took away from my time in Costa Rica is the beauty that the earth has to offer,” Wilson said. “So many times, I feel so stressed and worried with classes and schoolwork.”

“But when I take a step back and realize how beautiful this world is that we live in—and the amazing animals that we share a home with,” he said, “it’s extremely comforting to know that people exist in the world who devote their entire lives to protecting these animals. It’s a very beautiful thing.”