Hi everyone, my name is Jennifer Colcleaser. I enjoy making things in all sorts of mediums, spending time outdoors with friends and family, and I love animals. My thesis began with finding a way to combine my passions for both mental health awareness and the human-animal bond, more specifically with horses. In my third year at Cal Poly, I was very lucky to get involved with the equine center on campus. First, through joining the dressage team and the riding class on campus, it became readily apparent that I loved working with and simply being around the horses. So much so, I even came back to be a teaching assistant for the riding class and had a blast doing so. This experience, both the joy I got from working with the horses as well as the amazing bonds I made with the other people there, definitely opened my eyes to a really rewarding and enriching world. That being said, my initial thesis research focused on the rising numbers of people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the amazing benefits of equine therapy for those with autism and so many more. This is definitely a project I am proud to be a part of and am so thankful to have had the opportunity to apply some of my passions with my love of architecture as well.