North Indy News

Featured Alumni: Sai Ambaty, Class Of 2019

SAI AMBATY, CLASS OF 2019

Sai Ambaty graduated from University High School in 2019. After high school, she attended Purdue University and is currently a senior honors college student majoring in Animal Sciences with a Pre-Veterinarian Concentration. She hopes to attend veterinarian school soon. Below Sai answers a few questions about her educational and professional experiences and how University prepared her for life in college and beyond. 

What have you been up to since leaving UHS?

I am a senior honors college student at Purdue University majoring in Animal Sciences with a Pre-Vet Concentration. My college experience has been such a transformative time in my life. I’ve made new friends and valuable connections with individuals in the veterinary medicine industry. Earlier this year, I adopted a kitten named Felis. He just turned 1 on Halloween.

Professionally, I got a part-time job at Purdue’s Small Animal Hospital, interned at veterinary hospitals, and organizations such as Camelot Ridge Resort, VAW Global Health Alliances, and Labcorp Drug Development. I am currently working as an Undergraduate Research Assistant. The research involves the physiological effects that heat stress has on lactating sows and their offspring. Additionally, I am the president of Animal Behavior and Welfare Club. This past summer, I applied to eight veterinary institutions across the nation and I hope to attend vet school soon.

During my free time, I love to travel, cook, bake, spend quality time with my family and friends, and watch Food Network, crime documentaries, and romantic comedies. Overall, these past four years have been very informative and eye-opening.

How did you feel University best prepared you for college?

University allowed me to obtain the necessary skills to succeed in college and grow into a better version of myself. Specifically, the skills I have gained at University are leadership, communication, time management, responsibility, and being open-minded to the endless experiences and opportunities life offers.

Do you see that the core values you learned at University still apply to your life now? 

Absolutely! Going from a small-knit community at UHS to a public university with over 50,000 students and faculty of diverse backgrounds has allowed me to embrace my culture and learn about others and create valuable connections. Commitment to Excellence and Personal Responsibility was a huge value of mine during my time at UHS and is still the case now. I have struggled to celebrate my achievements in the past, but I have learned that it is imperative for self-growth. At UHS and now as a Purdue student, I know the importance of being responsible for my decisions and thoughts personally and professionally.

Please share your best University memory. 

The best memory I had at UHS was being involved in theater. I want to give a massive shoutout to [Theatre Director] Callie Hartz for making theater such an enjoyable experience and believing in me. Specifically, Footloose was my favorite musical to be in. I always looked forward to rehearsals after school, and it was so much fun learning the choreography and wearing crazy ‘90s outfits.

What has been the most valuable experience you have had since leaving University?

The most valuable experience I’ve had since leaving University was my internship at Camelot Ridge Resort during the Summer of 2021. I raised over 30+ fawns from hours to 80 days old. This internship challenged me in ways I never thought I would face as a 20-year-old. During my internship, I had to resuscitate several sick fawns. This unexpected event shed light on the difficult side of veterinary medicine, shaped my resilience, expanded my understanding of what it takes to be a successful veterinarian, and strengthened my passion for animal health, research, diagnosis, and treatment. Although the internship came with lows, it also came with highs. The highlight of my job was witnessing the early stages of a fawn’s life, forming bonds with every fawn, and watching them grow and express their true selves.

Original source can be found here.