On May 15, the 145 members of our Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Class of 2026 will formally graduate and recite the Veterinarian’s Oath.
We invited them to share their memories, plans, or advice and the responses we received are below.
Jacob Dalen
“One faculty member who made a huge difference in my veterinary education was Dr. Stephany Lewis, the director of the Wildlife Medical Clinic. Dr. Lewis was an amazing mentor and teacher during my time here and helped me to develop technical and clinical skills, as well as publish a research project that I started with her back in my second year. She always goes above and beyond for the students she mentors, and I am glad to have worked with her so closely the past few years!”
Jennifer Gonzalez
“Throughout my years at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, I have had the privilege of witnessing Dr. Juanmahel Dávila’s unwavering dedication to supporting and inspiring Latinx students. He never failed to remind us that we deserve to be here, and to reinforce that message, he cleverly addressed us as ‘doctors’ from the very first year of veterinary school. When exams grew harder and self-doubt crept in, he reassured us with stories of some of the best veterinarians he had known, who were not necessarily straight-A students.
Dr. Dávila gives us students 120% of the credit for making it this far, but we all know we couldn’t have done it without the support of friends, family, and faculty. I would like to sincerely thank him for everything he does for our community, from offering anatomy reviews in Spanglish to supporting so many of our club activities. As a fellow Puerto Rican, I couldn’t be prouder. Thank you, Dr. Dávila!”
Colleen McDonnell
“Dr. Madsen was the most encouraging and thoughtful mentor I have ever had. She prepared me for my equine externships and personally taught me valuable skills like how to sterilely perform joint injections. She always went out of her way to quiz me and teach me about different equine sports medicine topics. She is the kindest, funniest, and most intentional veterinarian. Dr. Madsen has a huge positive influence on our veterinary curriculum, and we all feel valued by her. We all know that she is on our team, and I am thankful for her teaching through the years.”
Sofia Murillo Logan
“Shout out to Dr. Hague, who taught me that you can balance leadership and your career goals. She is such an inspiration!”
Abby Price
“I want to shout out Sherrie Lanzo, the queen of the CSLC! Sherrie has made such a difference in my time at veterinary school, as she is always kind, caring, and a friend to anyone who walks in the doors of the CSLC. I became close with Sherrie my first year through student work, and she has been a continued mentor and wonderful support person as I navigate the challenging and consistently changing environment of veterinary school.”
Makayla Ward
“Big shoutout to Dr. Laura Frazier and Dr. Kristi Russell for helping me gain the confidence I truly needed to perform surgeries on my own. I appreciate your patience and willingness to show us your tips and tricks during a difficult spay or neuter. You’ve helped shape who I’ve become as a veterinarian, and I cannot thank you enough. Also, a huge thank you for making Shelter Medicine the best three weeks I’ve ever spent during veterinary school! I’ll never forget you!”
Nadia Zange
“Dr. Tessa Marshall.”