From Degrees to the Seas
Lynn Alumna Haley Gielbeda Takes “Living the Beachy Lifestyle” to the Next Level
By Sydney Burke, Social Media Editor
Since graduating in 2023, Lynn alumna Haley Gielbeda has been working as a wild animal keeper for the New York Aquarium’s Wildlife Conservation Society program.
Gielbeda, who grew up in Long Island, New York, has always had a passion for ocean life. That passion eventually led her to South Florida as a student at Lynn University.
“As a kid, I grew up admiring zoos and aquariums and what many of them do for our ecosystem,” said Gielbeda. “I always knew my long-term goal was to end up working for an accredited veterinary facility.”
Although she was unable to study veterinary medicine, Gielbeda utilized many of the other benefits of attending Lynn while working towards receiving her psychology degree. Her goal in attending college was not only to get her degree but also to utilize the area around Lynn to find professional oceanic veterinary experience.
“One of the courses I took at Lynn was very helpful in my initial career search,” said Gielbeda. “It helped me learn how to interview for jobs, write a cover letter and resumé, and so much more.”
In 2021, she began working with the Miami Seaquarium as a dolphin keeper, which allowed her to gain professional veterinary experience while completing her degree.
The job was also a fantastic gateway to her current role at the New York Aquarium, where she rescues animals who are sick or injured and can no longer live in the wild. She now does day-to-day care for sea lions, sea otters, penguins and seals. This includes teaching them husbandry behaviors like how to stay still during a checkup or when getting their teeth brushed.
“Helping to train husbandry behaviors is one of the coolest things I’ve done in my field so far,” said Gielbeda. “By teaching animals these sorts of behaviors, we are often able to double their life expectancy.”
Gielbeda’s dream of becoming a veterinarian did not stop at Lynn or the New York Aquarium. This winter, she will begin attending the Ross School of Veterinary Medicine in Saint Kitts.
