Globetrotting Vet Student Clarissa "Gooey" Engstrom (RPCV Congo Kinsasha) Aims to Make the World Her Practice



Globetrotting Vet Student Clarissa "Gooey" Engstrom (RPCV Congo Kinsasha) Aims to Make the World Her Practice

Globetrotting Vet Student Aims to Make the World Her Practice

Clarissa "Gooey" Engstrom of Morrisville is dedicated to traveling the world and caring for its animals, and she’s got the passport and the resume to prove it. Building on her two- year Peace Corps stint in Africa and the doctor of veterinary medicine degree she’ll earn from NC State University, Engstrom is preparing for a career in global veterinary medicine.

Engstrom’s first stop after graduation will be Edinburgh, Scotland, where she will study for a master’s degree at the Center for Tropical Veterinary Medicine with funding from a prestigious Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship. After that, she wants to work on integrating sustainable development with animal welfare and wildlife protection.

The 31-year-old Concord native is passionate about animals. "They are strong in the face of their problems," Engstrom says. "In them, you can see the tenacity of life and the fragility of life in the same moment. You need to treat animals as individuals," she says.

As a Peace Corps extension agent in Zaire from 1989 to 1991, Engstrom taught aquaculture and small animal husbandry to farmers. Her experience in Africa included learning to speak and write Swahili, caring for juvenile chimpanzees in Burundi, and working with high-risk human populations on AIDS awareness. After returning to the United States, she organized the mammal collection at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

While a student at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Engstrom cared at home for goats, chickens and orphaned puppies, in addition to her "regulars" – two dogs and five cats. Should someone ever joke that she wears her heart on her sleeve, Engstrom has a ready response: She could just nod, extend her arms and show them her horseshoe cufflinks.

Engstrom will receive a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from the College of Veterinary Medicine. A Morrisville resident, she is the daughter of George and Linda Engstrom of Concord. You can reach her at (919) 303-5599, or through the Teaching Hospital Large Animal Clinic at (919) 513- 6500.

When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Our debt to Bill Moyers Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

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December 10, 2004: This Week's Top Stories Dodd says Rumsfeld's answer was unacceptable 9 Dec RPCV Blake Willeford runs classic movie theatre 9 Dec RPCV says education is key to curbing AIDS 9 Dec RPCV Dannielle Tegeder opens exhibition 9 Dec Shalala 1st Woman In Touchdown Club 9 Dec "Today we have a new country" says Toledo 9 Dec DDN wins Investigative Reporting Award 8 Dec Celeste on Panel to study Colorado finances 8 Dec RPCV leads Rotary Club medical team to Togo 6 Dec Vasquez to speak at Hawaii, Wisconsin commencements 6 Dec Tom Murphy warns Pittsburgh on budget abyss 2 Dec Venezuela RPCV Martha Egan runs Pachamama imports 30 Nov more top stories...

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Is Gaddi Leaving? Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

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