Hello! My name is Mercedes, and I am excited to be your Fundraising Chair this year! I’m from Wayland, Michigan, and I am a junior majoring in Zoology with a concentration in Zoo and Aquarium Science on the pre-veterinary track. This year, I will also be serving as the Engagement Coordinator for the Women in Conservation Club.

Back home, I work as a veterinary assistant at a mixed animal practice and shadow a large animal vet. Over the summer, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Thailand, where I learned about elephant and companion animal medicine. It was the best experience of my life, and it furthered my interest in this field.
With that being said, there are so many different paths within veterinary medicine, so I’m still exploring exactly what I’d like to do in the future. I’m excited to continue learning and getting to know all of you!

In my free time, I enjoy watching sports (especially soccer), making crafts, showing my yorkies, and spending time with friends and family.
Feel free to reach out, I look forward to meeting everyone!

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Email: ortizmer@msu.edu