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Perez Salgado has always loved animals. After deliberating about choosing a career that allows her to work one-on-one with animals, the biology and environmental studies major is now a wildlife keeper at the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, where she helps rehabilitate injured and orphaned wild animals.

“Coming into school, the only way I thought to work with animals was to be a vet, but when I was working with the vets at the center, I saw that they don't work as closely with the animals as the rehab team does,” she shared. “I found myself drawn to the process of rehabilitation and watching these animals grow up and finding solutions to some of their day-to-day needs.”

Perez Salgado first joined the DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center as a seasonal employee after her first year at Lake Forest College. Inspired by environmental science courses and stewardship work with Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and Chair of Environmental Studies Glenn Adelson, she began working at the front desk, answering calls from the public and educating people about how to safely interact with wildlife.

Each summer, her responsibilities grew. She transitioned into wildlife rehabilitation, caring for baby birds, squirrels, and waterfowl. When a staff position became available as she prepared to graduate, her experience and strong relationships at the center helped her secure the role.

Coursework at Lake Forest College also prepared her for the job. Classes in developmental biology, microbiology, animal behavior, and statistics gave her the knowledge to address nutritional deficiencies, monitor animal behavior, and contribute to research projects presented at a national wildlife rehabilitation symposium.

Perez Salgado was drawn to the creative, hands-on problem-solving of wildlife rehabilitation. "I found myself drawn to the process," she said. "Watching these animals grow stronger and finding solutions to the day-to-day challenges was exactly what I wanted to do."

The DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center also provides free educational programs for the public, an aspect of the work Perez Salgado finds especially rewarding.