SOAR Magazine Volume 2 Issue 2

JAYCEY DEAL

Early College Trailblazer

What does it look like to be a trailblazer?

For alumna Jaycey Deal, it means taking a chance on a different kind of education— and an unusually significant career path.

During her freshman year of high school in 2016, Jaycey Deal decided to join the inaugural Alexander Early College High School, the county’s first high school for dual-enrolled college students. Though participants were excited to start a new era of education, many students were uncertain what this cohort would require—and how the college-level coursework would play out.

For many months, Deal and her peers described themselves as the early college “guinea pigs”. As their studies progressed, students realized that the Early College was a rigorous and life-changing education which provided them several out-of-the-box experiences.

And, after the culmination of four years, Deal walked across the graduation stage with her high school diploma and an associate in arts degree from Catawba Valley Community College.

That same year, Deal transferred to LeesMcRae College in Banner Elk, North Carolina to pursue her bachelor’s degree. She knew that her work with the Early College program had shaved off at least one year of college, and because she had transferred with several general education courses under her belt, she was able to use the rest of her time as an undergraduate to explore her interests in biology and wildlife.

“Some people don’t have to go farther than earning their associate’s degree [for their job],” Deal remarks. “The Alexander Early College program allowed me to shave off one year of college. For different career goals, it can be more or less.”

Deal aspired to attend Lees-McRae College and then go to vet school. As her academic studies rolled on, however, she fell in love with the sciences, biology, and wildlife rehabilitation. She was able to work handson with animals in the college’s rehabilitation center, providing them medicine, formula, and making sure the animals felt safe within the center.

Not only did she enjoy learning about the best practices for conservation and care, but also, she learned she had a talent for sharing her knowledge with others. This led Deal to an “a-ha” moment—rather than attend vet school, she decided to pursue wildlife studies and find a career in education. After just three years, she graduated from Lees-McRae College with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology and a concentration in Wildlife Rehabilitation.

“The education aspect [of wildlife] is my favorite,” Deal says, “and I learned that some people worked with ‘wildlife ambassadors’, or animals who could not be released from rehabilitation due to their inability to survive in the wild. I wanted to be one of those people who supported the species’ quality of life, and I wanted to educate others about the significance of those species.”

After college, Deal moved home and began the job search. She recognized that her career field was limited—especially in the Catawba and Alexander regions—but, after a hard and ambitious search, she landed a full-time job at a local animal shelter. During this time, she was able to save money and gain more experience working with domestic animals. She also took care of endangered cats and dogs who arrived at the shelter.

But one day, she received the opportunity she had been waiting for: an internship at the Carolina Raptor Center. As a part-zoo and part-animal hospital, this was one of the facilities where Jaycey had dreamed of working. As soon as she accepted the internship, she found a new home with the resident bird care team.

Most of her responsibilities included feeding the birds, cleaning enclosures, passing out

enrichment treats, and gaining hands-on experience with both the hospital and zoo. Deal was impressed by the center’s ethical forms of training, called Choice-and-Control. “None of the birds are forced to do any [tricks],” she remarks. “The Carolina Raptor Center wants to build trusting relationships with the birds. I was so interested by this style of training; I fell in love with it, and thought, ‘Wow, I want to do this!’”

It was during this internship that Deal also discovered ambassador species. These animals, whether in a zoo or at an animal center, are identified based on the center’s conservation goals. For the Carolina Raptor Center, this meant taking special precautions with every species considered “endangered” or “at risk.”

Deal’s love for ambassador species also led her to work in the Carolina Raptor Center’s keeper chats, where she taught visitors about the special birds which resided at the center. It might have been out of her comfort zone—very few would consider public speaking as their forte—but for Jaycey, it is always a special occasion to talk with interested people and watch their faces light up when they learn something new.

The internship at the Carolina Raptor Center was one of her first jobs that excited her. Everything felt new. Everything felt... different. And as a nature lover, working outside made even the stressful times feel much less daunting.

“If you’re passionate about animals, conservation, or the environment, there are so many routes you can take. We need people who are willing to make the sacrifices which help our environment.”

Though many people find an interest in wildlife conservation, it can be difficult for graduates to find jobs in their field. There are more applicants than there are positions.

As she pushes toward the next level of her career, Deal is full of faith that God will guide her in the right path and towards the right goals. This year, Deal is hoping to work at the North Carolina Zoo full-time, specifically in the zoo’s ambassador species department.

Wherever her career takes her, Deal is proud to be a graduate of the Alexander Early College with CVCC. She believes that her efforts in those early years of education have led her to become the person she is today.

“If you know that college is the path you’d want to take, I’d highly recommend Early College,” says Deal. “So many of our teachers helped with the education side as well as helped us manage our mental health.”

Early college may sound difficult. It may be tough to earn your associate’s degree by senior year. But, as Jaycey reminds us, what matters is that you take the right steps which lead toward your goals.

“Dive in headfirst,” she says. “Don’t be scared to mess up, because you will mess up—but that is how you learn.”