by Jenni Hodges
Aly Garwood ’15 didn’t have a job lined up when she moved to California, but it didn’t take her long to find an opening at Mountain Resort Television in Zephyr Cove, Nevada.
Garwood started as an administrative assistant — now she’s a reporter with her own show. Animals With Aly airs each Saturday, and Aly introduces viewers to animals and individuals throughout the area.
“It is such a unique job — I interview all types of people from all walks of life,” says Garwood. “The forests, lakes and mountains here provide extremely diverse climates for many different animals, and there is a plethora of local organizations who work to keep it that way.”
Garwood wanted to become a teacher when she started at Central, but a different program soon captivated her. “I took a random sociology class at Central and fell in love with it,” she says. “So I chose to major in sociology, and I minored in biology because I have a love for science — especially animals and our environment.”
Before finishing at Central, Garwood also studied abroad in Wales. “It instilled in me an insatiable desire to continue traveling and experiencing other cultures and ways of life,” she says. “I’ve now traveled to 17 countries and have a few more trips planned this year.”
Most importantly, Garwood says professors at Central opened her mind to perceiving life in new ways — even sharing their own life lessons. “I wanted to attend a school that was smaller so I could get to know the other students well,” Garwood says, “and I genuinely feel like I received a better education than I would have at a large school.”
As she continues to explore the world, Garwood is considering a graduate program in biology — or perhaps something entirely different. “I’m not too worried about that!” she says. “Life has a mysterious way of working itself out, so I’ve decided there is no point in stressing about the unknown. I know that if I continue doing what I love and following my passions, the rest will eventually fall into line.”
