Paulina is a first-year, first-generation, Latina student from Carpentersville, Ill. Her only clinical experience has been in small animal general practice, so she is looking forward to exploring all the other aspects of veterinary medicine. She would love to provide a safe space and mentorship to incoming or undergraduate students of underrepresented backgrounds.

Olivia, a first-year student from Algonquin, Ill., earned a degree in animal sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She hopes to advance the field of cardiology throughout her career and contribute to the success of future veterinary students through teaching.

Karolina is a first-year student from Elmwood Park, Ill. She is interested in emergency medicine and mixed practice and hopes to own her own clinic one day.

Jennifer, a first-year student from Chicago, Ill., would like to explore shelter medicine and behavior. She has developed a passion for working with underserved communities in the Chicago area. Experiences with anxious, reactive animals in a fear-free clinic have inspired her interest in addressing behavioral issues in shelter animals.

Carly is a first-year veterinary student from the southern Illinois town of Breese. She hopes to combine her interests in production medicine and in wildlife conservation medicine with a deeper dive into public health goals. This summer Carly will work with Dr. Matt Allender in the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab to study threatened and endangered reptiles in northern Illinois.

Lucy, a first-year student from Hinsdale, Ill., developed her love for veterinary medicine while volunteering with the Animal Rescue Foundation of Illinois for the past 6 years. She hopes to combine her love for general practice with her desire to support shelter animals by working with low-cost spay/neuter programs and vaccine clinics.

Emma, a first-year student from Chicago, Ill., is passionately drawn to shelter medicine and eager to merge her veterinary pursuits with broader public health initiatives by earning a master’s in public health. She desires to work in culturally diverse communities, utilizing her Hispanic heritage and fluency in Spanish to address disparities in accessible animal healthcare.

Janet is a first-year student from Chicago, Ill., who is interested in emergency medicine as well as shelter medicine.  In the future, she hopes to return to Chicago to provide care for companion pets in underserved communities.  

Carli, a first-year student from New Minden, Ill., plans to combine her interests in rural mixed animal medicine and reproductive physiology in her future career. She wants to work with with local producers to help them excel in production.

Toni, a first-year student from Hawthorn Woods, Ill., has a sincere passion for zoological, shelter, and emergency medicines. In her future career, she hopes to foster a positive learning environment while advancing animal welfare.

Savannah, a first-year student from Odell, Ill., hopes to explore her interest in mixed animal practice through an externship this summer. She enjoys teaching and helping others and thus would like to work in academia during her veterinary career.

Staphany is a first-year student from Chicago, Illinois. She is interested in general small animal and lab animal medicine and hopes to encompass both interests into one in the future. Staphany hopes to provide medical treatment in low-income communities all while evaluating and studying behavior techniques on canines deemed aggressive for rehoming/adoption.

Emma is a first-year student from Glenview, IL. Originally coming to the college with an interest in lab animal medicine or small animal GP, she has discovered a new interest in pathology and oncology during her first round of clinical rotations. She has spent the past four years in Seattle, WA mainly working in research for neuromuscular degenerative diseases and translational models in canines and rodents.

Ana Sofia is a first-year student from El Salvador, Central America. She completed a BS/MS in Biological Science at DePaul University. She is interested in pursuing a residency in oncology or cardiology after graduation.

Vanessa is a first-generation first-year student from Chicago, IL. She is interested in diagnostic or emergency medicine. Eventually she has the goal to return to Chicago and provide veterinary care in low-income communities. Vanessa’s goal is provide veterinary mentorship to future underrepresented groups pursuing the field.

Jamiah is a first-year student from the west side of Chicago. She is enthusiastic about traveling and working with a wide variety of species. She believes that restricting herself to a single species doesn’t allow her to grow as a clinician or as a person. After graduation, she hopes to travel the world, finding ways to make a change, even if it’s as tiny as an Etruscan shrew.