Before enrolling at Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Paula Agustin had never been near a horse. Growing up 15 miles from Manhattan, the only animals she had experience with were dogs, cats and guinea pigs.

Four years later, Agustin just completed her George H. Cook Scholars Program senior thesis on equine health and will now enter the 4+1 program where she will get her master's in endocrinology and animal biosciences next year.

Agustin studied the viability and accuracy of a device that is intended to measure a horse’s lactate concentration through its sweat rather than by drawing blood. “Coming to Rutgers, I’ve been able to have that experience [with large animals],” she said, “and I’m really grateful for it.”