Every animal lover dreams of working with animals one day, and Tessa Kalin was no exception. Before she was even old enough to work, she spent her time volunteering at local kennels, barns, and rescue organizations. As she got older, she gained hands-on experience as a Veterinary Technician at a local cat hospital throughout high school and college. Her passion for animal care then took her across the world, where she rode through the savanna in safari Jeeps during a field ecology study abroad program in South Africa. Today, as a Quality Assurance Training Specialist at Boehringer Ingelheim, she has transformed a lifetime of professional experience and discovery into a fulfilling career.
Tessa’s educational journey began at a vocational agricultural high school where she was active in 4-H, a youth development program whose slogan, fittingly, is “learn by doing,” and participated in her high school’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter. She earned an associate’s degree in veterinary technology from Connecticut State Community College (formerly Northwestern Connecticut Community College), then moved on to the University of Connecticut, where she earned her bachelor’s in animal science in 2014. Tessa is currently earning an M.S. in Laboratory Animal Science through Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University.
As a student at UConn, Tessa took many opportunities to explore different paths in animal science. From interning with Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) on the Cottontail Project—a mission to restore populations of the threatened New England cottontail rabbit—to conducting an independent study on artisan cheese production and studying abroad in South Africa to gain a new cultural perspective on ecology, she fully embraced every opportunity to explore her career options. “Dabble in whatever it is that you think you might be interested in,” Tessa advises. “Develop your background to see if you like certain lines of work.”
“Dabble in whatever it is that you think you might be interested in,” Develop your background to see if you like certain lines of work.”
Tessa Kalin
To students pursuing a career in animal science, Tessa offers this advice: “Just because you try something out doesn’t mean that’s where you have to stay.” Career exploration is important, and trying your hand in different areas of an industry is a great way to learn what you’re truly looking for in a career. It’s a fitting perspective from someone whose career in animal science has been anything but narrow.
Outside of the classroom, Tessa prioritized building a diverse network by connecting with individuals beyond the animal science department. She took classes outside her major in subjects that interested her, attended workout classes at the recreation center, and even stopped by Late Night at the Student Union on some weekends. It was her dedication towards building this network that ultimately led to her postgraduate position at Boehringer Ingelheim.
“I went to a networking event and met somebody who knew somebody who worked at Boehringer [Ingelheim], and that’s how I found the company,” Tessa said. She notes that networking played a valuable role in the early stages of building her career.
Through all her professional experiences, Tessa discovered her deep love for research, which has made her especially passionate about her current workplace and the roles she has taken on there. She began as an Animal Health Technologist, performing hands-on technical work, including medical care, sample collection, and patient monitoring. As her role evolved, she took on responsibilities as a principal investigator, maintained protocols, and began training junior staff in the foundational skills she once carried out herself.
As someone who has loved animals her entire life, Tessa brings a sense of compassion to her work in research. For her, caring for animals remains the same across all settings—it’s about treating them with respect and dignity. “Having somebody who cares about animals doing this type of work is important,” she says. She’s also encouraged by the progress being made in the search for alternatives to animal research.
Tessa loves her role, and her biggest advice for students considering a similar path in research-based animal care is to build a strong support system within the field. While the work can be emotionally challenging, she believes it’s also incredibly rewarding. For Tessa, combining strength and compassion to make a meaningful difference in the lives of animals is what makes the career truly fulfilling.
Now approaching her ninth year at Boehringer Ingelheim, Tessa’s career continues to grow in new directions. Her recent move into the training specialist role lets her care for animals in a new way—by teaching others. She embraces the movement throughout her career, appreciating the well-rounded perspective it’s given her. After all, she’s right where she always wanted to be: building a meaningful career with animals.
