At UNE, graduating senior learned that self-care is key to success on and off the field

Photo submitted by Brooke Coen

At the end of her first year at the University of New England, Brooke Coen (Animal Behavior, ’25) made the women's soccer team as a walk-on. Later, she earned honors on the Dean’s List, the Psi Chi Honor Society, and the Alpha Chi National Honor Society. This spring, Coen received the Outstanding Student Award for Animal Behavior from the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences — right around the time she was accepted into an impressive seven veterinary schools.

Yet, unlike some high-performing scholar athletes, Coen didn't know what she wanted to study when she got to UNE. Today, she credits her team of mentors at UNE with helping her find a path clear and promising — and also for teaching her to prioritize her well-being, even while striving for excellence in school and life.

“There should be times where you choose to take a break and go hang out with your friends or play sports. That’s definitely something I've learned here,” Coen said.

When Coen first arrived at UNE, she knew she loved animals, but not what career paths she’d take. She knew she would major in animal behavior — one of only a handful of such dedicated animal behavior programs in the country — but not what she could do with the degree.

Coen would often stop by the offices of Zachary Olson, Ph.D., associate professor of animal behavior, and Maggie Stanton, Ph.D., assistant professor in the program, whose lab Coen worked in for two years. Both extended no-pressure invitations to come chat about school, internship ideas, or just life. The support meant everything to Coen, who said she is not one to ask for help.

“When I first had her in class, she just very quietly excelled at everything — and that’s in a class where that doesn't happen very often,” Stanton said. “One thing I do is encourage students to just try all sorts of things, because it’s also important to know what you don't like. That can be just as important as finding out what you do like.”

Research in Stanton’s animal behavior lab piqued Coen’s interest in working with animals. Her advisor provided a valuable example of someone who was passionate about animal welfare, since Stanton’s research focuses on wild animal populations. Stanton also stood out as someone who is simply curious about life.

“‘Don't be afraid to reach out to people and just see what happens. Don’t be afraid to try something new.’ That’s what she said to me,” Coen recalled. “That was something my professors instilled in me.”

Coen took that advice and tried as many opportunities around animal care as she could find. After her first year, she worked at an animal rehabilitation clinic in South Walpole, Massachusetts. The following summers, she parlayed that experience into internships at two veterinary hospitals near her home in Lakeville, Massachusetts, experiences that cemented her decision to become a vet.

But what Coen said helped her find her area of interest the most was Stanton’s and Olson’s encouragement to be bold in the face of failure and embrace experiences that don’t work out.

“What we strive for as faculty is simply to help our students connect passion and profession,” Olson said. “Sometimes that happens in the classroom, sometimes in the research lab, but sometimes it happens during those conversations in the hall or during office hours.”

As her advisor, Stanton also tried to encourage Coen to slow down at times, recognizing that the high-achieving Coen, who is heading to the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in the fall, needed to prioritize her own mental health. So, for her final semester, Stanton recommended Coen take 12, rather than 15, credits to carve out more time for herself the year before she starts vet school.

“She was like, ‘This feels weird.’ And I said, ‘No, no, no, no, this is good. Do this. This is exactly what you’re supposed to be doing right now,’” Stanton recalled.

Finally, what really convinced Coen to take a more holistic approach to success was her time playing for UNE’s women’s soccer team. Coen said she appreciated the prevailing philosophy in the UNE athletic community to always go for the win but forgive yourself when you fall short.

“I've learned now that it is important to take breaks for yourself, and do something that's fun,” Coen said. “I think I'm going to carry that with me into vet school, and it will be helpful with the workload and stress that I'm going to shoulder.”

This spring, Coen was named the UNE Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Winning is important at UNE, said UNE head women’s soccer coach AJ Stueck, but “mental health, academics, exercise, and who you are as a teammate matter more.”

“We strive to make the soccer field the best part of our day, a combination of competitive spirit, positive support, and joy. I believe this philosophy resonated with Brooke,” Stueck said.