For most high school freshmen, summer break means sleeping in and spending time with friends. For Henri Bariselle ’26, it meant ordering an incubator online, buying duck eggs on eBay and discovering the passion that would shape his future.
What started as a small project to help populate his grandparents’ new farm grew into a calling that took him from Saudi Arabia to Austin and eventually to the Texas A&M Department of Poultry Science.
Now a college senior, Bariselle balances life in the Corps of Cadets, a job as a radiology student technician at the Texas A&M Small Animal Teaching Hospital and his work as a student ambassador for the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Through it all, he has stayed focused on his goal of becoming a veterinarian specializing in avian medicine.
Bariselle has taken every opportunity available to him at Texas A&M, from winning the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Most Outstanding Freshman Award to touring poultry operations in Mexico. But he says his proudest achievement isn’t an award; it’s keeping a promise to himself to finish his tenure in the Corps of Cadets, even when balancing school, work and life felt overwhelming.
Bariselle sat down with AgriLife Today to reflect on his path to Texas A&M, the people who shaped his experience, and where he hopes his passion for birds will lead him next.
You grew up in Saudi Arabia. How did you end up studying poultry science at Texas A&M?
My father worked for Aramco as a pilot, so I was born in Saudi Arabia and lived there for about 14 years. Then I went to boarding school in Austin before coming here. Honestly, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a long time.
That changed the summer after my freshman year of high school. My grandparents had just bought a farm, and my mom suggested I raise some birds to help get them started. I bought an incubator on Amazon, ordered duck eggs on eBay and raised them to adulthood before giving them to my grandparents. I fell in love with it — the birds themselves, their behavior, their anatomy and physiology.
After that, I kept raising more birds every summer, especially during COVID-19. Quail, guinea fowl, ducks, you name it. That’s when I realized I wanted to be a veterinarian and work specifically with birds.
What drew you to Texas A&M’s poultry science program?
I had never heard of poultry science as a major. Only a few universities offer it. Since I knew I wanted to work with birds, it felt perfect.
I fell in love with the department immediately. It’s small, but it’s full of great people: professors, advisors and students. I pretty much know everyone, which is rare at such a big university.
That close-knit community, along with the Corps of Cadets, gave me small groups where I always felt supported.
You won the Most Outstanding Freshman Award for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. What did that mean to you?
It was a huge honor to be selected out of the entire college. But honestly, my most meaningful accomplishment has been finishing the Corps, or almost finishing it now as a senior. Balancing school, the Corps and my personal life was hard. Then I got my job at the veterinary hospital, and my classes kept getting more difficult. There were times when I thought I might have to leave the Corps to focus on my career.
But my parents, especially my mom, always told me that if you start something, you commit to it. I promised myself I would finish. The Corps taught me that I am stronger than I thought, physically and mentally. I’m more confident now. If I can get through the Corps, I can get through anything.
Tell us about your work at the Small Animal Teaching Hospital
I work as a radiology student technician. I help take X-rays, order supplies, clean and manage image distribution between the hospital and other facilities. I’ve been there about a year and a half, and it’s an amazing job. Since I want to be a veterinarian, working alongside Texas A&M’s veterinarians and staff lets me learn something new every day. I’m really grateful for that experience.
You also studied abroad. What was that like?
I participated in Poultry Science 444, International Poultry Production, during winter break my freshman year. We went to Guanajuato, Mexico, and toured commercial poultry farms and egg production facilities. It gave me great exposure to the international side of the industry. I learned a lot and met even more people in the department. It was a blast.
What’s next after graduation?
I’m taking an extra semester, so I’ll graduate in December 2026. I plan to apply to veterinary school next summer when the application cycle opens. I’ll apply to Texas A&M and several other schools, but Texas A&M is my first choice.
Long term, I hope to specialize in avian or exotic avian medicine. Eventually, my dream is to open a sanctuary for any animals or birds that need housing, care or veterinary services.
What would you tell high school students considering Texas A&M?
Texas A&M is one of the best universities in the world, especially for veterinary medicine. The opportunities here, working in the veterinary hospital, joining pre-veterinary organizations, being in the Corps and connecting with professors have all prepared me well for the next chapter in my life.
