University of Georgia
UGA College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences Department of Poultry Science
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Student Spotlight: Jocelyn Garcia

A group of College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Ambassadors gathered together with a staff member, all wearing sunglasses and two have shiny cowboy hats, they are in their traditional red blazers. One girl in the front right of the group photo is holding a sign reading “Absolutely Fabulous”.
Jocelyn is petting a capybara while feeding it a carrot piece at Bear Hollow Zoo.

Jocelyn Garcia's Story

Jocelyn Garcia is a Biological Science Major with a Portuguese Minor and a One Health Certificate. She is originally from Columbus, GA, and came to Athens as a pre-veterinary/pre-medicine student. As a freshman, Jocelyn went to a Pre-Vet Club meeting where she was introduced to the concept of One Health, which piqued her interest greatly due to her “...trying to find a way to connect human health, animal health, and environmental science…” which led her to the One Health Certificate. Furthermore, Jocelyn came in with a heightened interest in zoonotic diseases and epidemiology, so her discovery of the One Health side of research and medicine made her open to exploring within the research field. She explains, “I don’t necessarily want to be a veterinarian who only focuses on one speciality…Through research, veterinarians can collaborate with people in human medicine, environmental scientists, and professionals from other disciplines.” This idea really motivated Jocelyn to keep her interest in vet med and human medicine, but also push boundaries and explore things that she didn’t think about before coming to UGA.

Since discovering her interest in research, Jocelyn has gained a few experiences in the lab by working with Dr. Sean Chen for the past year. This experience not only gave her a chance to expand her resume in both research and soft skills, but also to gain a mentor whom she says “pushes us to think critically and always rewards people who put in effort in the lab.” Now, through her work in the Chen Lab, she has had the opportunity to take those skills to the next level by presenting her research in Canada at the 2026 Poultry Science Association Conference. Along with being in the Chen Lab at the Poultry Science Department, she is also a student assistant at the USDA Agricultural Research Service, specifically in the Egg and Poultry Research Unit, where the focus is on “how different environments impact chicken health, comparing indoor broilers vs. outdoor broilers…they’re studying Salmonella and Campylobacter and how they’re more prevalent in certain environments.” This research really gave Jocelyn the chance to explore her One Health interest through the lens of world-renowned researchers.

Beyond her career, Jocelyn is deeply involved with the University on many levels. She is a College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Ambassador, which allows her to interact with current students from diverse backgrounds and interests, prospective students, industry professionals, and others. She expresses that this experience really pushed her out of her comfort zone, something that she was incredibly proud to accomplish during her years at college, as she never had imagined herself in this position coming in. She will supplement her ambassador skills as a Department of Poultry Science Avian Ambassador in the upcoming academic year as well. Jocelyn has also worked on the Large Animal Critical Care Team (LACCT), where she helped in the Large Animal Section of the UGA Veterinary Teaching Hospital, giving her valuable veterinary experience. She is also continuing to volunteer at the Bear Hollow Zoo, where she gets wildlife experience. Lastly, in this upcoming year, Jocelyn will be becoming a “Peer Learning Assistant (PLA) for Genetics with Dr. Schumann”.

In Spring 2027, Jocelyn will turn the tassel on her graduation cap and conclude her undergraduate studies, hoping to attend veterinary school that fall and earn a DVM with a research focus. Though Jocelyn is keeping her options open, and if not veterinary school, then she wants to explore more in research and extend her scope, branching “into something like space microbiology…it involves astrobiology and studying how microbes mutate in space and what happens when they return to Earth.” Though this may seem out of pocket at first glance, it continues to emphasize her interest in One Health, as she explains that this “helps us better understand how bacteria change depending on their environment.”

Jocelyn’s broad range of interests and experience makes her an incredible student and intellectual to work with, but beyond her academics, Jocelyn is a hobbyist at heart. She has a passion for athletics and crafting, and she is also learning to juggle and play the harmonica. Jocelyn is a well-rounded and kind student we are proud to have in the department, and no matter what she pursues in her career, we know that she will succeed with heart and determination!