1. Â Â Â Name: Alycia Skarzinski
2. Â Â Â Â Major, Year:Â Behavioral Biology 2017
3. Â Â Â Â Hometown:Â Ocean City, MD
4. Â Â Â Â Affiliated with:Â Hopkins PAWS
5.     You can probably find me…Either in Dr Moss’s Lab working with bats, running PAWS meetings and volunteer trips, working at the Climbing Wall at the rec center, or hanging out at home with my dog, Sahara.
6.     The best thing about Hopkins is…The diversity among the student body. There’s such a vast array of interests among Hopkins students, and every person has a hobby or talent or skill that makes them interesting to talk to.
7.     Something I’m especially proud of is…How openminded I am. I am willing to try most things once and this has allowed for many eye-opening experiences
8.     Something most people don’t know about me is…My dream job is to be a writer on SNL.
9.     This year, I hope to…Restructure PAWS so that we can help the homeless animal population in a more effective manner.
10.  In five years, I will be…Working in wildlife conservation to ensure that future generations have a rich, green world full of a broad spectrum of wildlife to enjoy.
11. Next up for me is…I will be embarking on a cross country train trip over Winter Break.
12. When / why did you first begin to love animals? I have loved animals for as long as I can remember. My favorite memories from when I was a kid are from when I would run around the neighborhood with my sister trying to catch bugs and frogs and snakes. I’ve always been fascinated by the natural world.
13. What makes PAWS special important and worth your time? PAWS works with the SPCA to provide shelter and care for homeless animals. I think this is a very noble cause, because the fate of domesticated animals such as dogs and cats is 100% the human population’s responsibility. We bred these animals to rely on our care, and they cannot thrive without us. These animals aren’t “wild” in the sense that wolves and lions are, and can’t be released into the wild and expected to be successful. Further, people have allowed for the dog and cat populations to grow far beyond what they should be, causing millions of dogs and cats to starve or be euthanized because there are not enough resources to care for all of them. Basically, dogs and cats need our help and they deserve it.
14. What’s your favorite animal and why? I’ve always liked wolves, they’re intelligent, social, and beautiful!