Abbey Jessup

My name is Abbey Jessup, a junior photography major here at Ball State, and I am in my second year of working with Conservation Tales as their photographer. For my second year, I am also a co-author of one of the books. For as long as I can remember, I have loved animals, and been interested in protecting wildlife. I was always reading about it, watching shows over it, and drawing (later photographing) it. So, when I arrived at Ball State, I was torn between which path I wanted to take- conservationism and zoology, or photography. Conservation Tales was a way for me to bridge that gap between art and science.

This group has opened so many doors for me in regards to my future career. Thanks to Conservation Tales, I have gotten the opportunity to make many connections in the scientific community. This has lead to the potential of jobs and internships in the fields of conservationism. I now know where to begin looking for jobs and internships, as well as what all they are looking for. It is an amazing thing to put on a resume, and has already helped me in getting a job with the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo.

I have also grown and made many connections with the team members and faculty as well thanks to this project. It really teaches you how to work together as a team. Everyone is heard and all ideas are considered openly. They have helped my photography to blossom and improve from year to year. It has been an amazing experience so far and I cannot wait to continue with the project next year as well.