Finding Your Path: From Valley Student to Penn Vet

Daelyn Stabler ’23 studied Biology at LVC while being a four-year starter on the Women’s Basketball team, but wasn’t sure what career she wanted to pursue. Two Valley experiences helped her find a path that led to enrolling in the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine after graduation.

“I decided on veterinary school a little later in life than many of my peers, but the internships I had at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, ZooAmerica, and Annville-Cleona Veterinary Associates while at LVC confirmed that I wanted to become a veterinarian,” said Stabler, now in her third year at Penn. “Also, my First-Year Experience (FYE) course, The Good Life, helped me think about my priorities in life and whether ‘I work to live or live to work.’”

After the decision was made on her post-LVC life, Stabler worked closely with several professors to achieve this difficult goal. The faculty on the College’s Pre-Medical Professions Committee, which has guided numerous students to successful medical, veterinary, dental, and other health professions acceptances, were particularly helpful. Visit here to see LVC’s most recent post-graduate acceptance rates to medical schools.

“Dr. [Kristen] Boeshore [Chair and Professor of Biology and Director of Pre-Medical Professions] was supportive of me and my professional goals starting when I visited campus as a high school senior,” said Stabler. “Dr. Stacy Goodman [Professor of Biology], my other advisor, was incredibly helpful, advising me to write daily logs about the cases I worked on during my internships and delivering the most rigorous class I took at LVC, Human Physiology. The quantity and complexity of the information was exactly how veterinary classes were in my first two years at Penn, which gave me a leg up.”

The Pre-Medical Professions Committee, comprised of faculty from Biology, Chemistry, Physical Therapy, and Psychology, meets all incoming pre-medical profession students in their first year to develop a plan for success.

“The committee was great,” noted Stabler. “Dr. Boeshore was astronomically helpful with getting my personal statement written and knowing the timing of applications. I would have been lost in a bigger school without the tremendous LVC support system.”

Stabler benefited in other ways from her FYE course with Dr. Matt Sayers, Professor of Religion.

“I think anytime you get praise, encouragement, or recognition for your work, it is a confidence booster,” she said. “Dr. Sayers provided a LOT of feedback on my writing. I considered myself a good writer entering LVC, but my first essay came back covered in red ink. However, after every class, he took the time to meet independently with each student to discuss their writing method, content, and thought process. I had to work hard, but getting an A in that class greatly boosted my confidence.”

Stabler highlighted another advantage of taking courses outside your comfort zone and preparing you for graduate school in the health professions. She later took another course Sayers taught.

“I encourage any student considering going into the medical field to take courses like World Religions at LVC,” said Stabler. “It helps to try and see the world from another person’s perspective because as a doctor you constantly have to meet people where they are in terms of their knowledge and perspective.”

All the hard work left Stabler with an important decision after being accepted into five veterinary schools.

“Ultimately, I chose the University of Pennsylvania because it offers a well-rounded education, a new integrated body-systems curriculum that I love, and it was close to home,” said Stabler. “There were also financial benefits from being an in-state student, and the added benefit that my boyfriend, now fiancé [Robbie Moul ’22, Chemistry], was accepted to Penn as a Ph.D. student at the same time.”

Stabler has continued building her professional résumé while at Penn. She was a Reproductive Sciences Intern at the Saint Louis Zoo and worked with seals at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, N.J. She also traveled to Kangwon National University in South Korea for a week and did a clinical rotation at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Md. These experiences and strong grades have positioned her for the next goal: a rotating small animal internship, ultimately preparing Stabler for a career in zoological or aquatic medicine.

“I owe a lot to dear ol’ LVC! Academically, the College provided me with a strong foundation in scientific knowledge and study strategies for rigorous coursework,” said Stabler. “Emotionally, The Valley gave me some of my best friends who continue to provide moral support and encouragement. I can confidently say my LVC experiences molded me into the person I am today.”