Joe is a second-year student from New Lenox, Ill. He has more than five years’ experience as a professional biomedical engineer and hopes to leverage this expertise in translational research for veterinary medicine.

Sarah, a first-year student from Bradenton, Fla., is interested in small animal general practice and zoological medicine. She hopes to work with wildlife or zoological companion animals in her future career.

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.

Alyssa is a third-year student from Chicago, Ill. She is interested in small animal general practice, with special interests in surgery, neurology, and nutrition. Alyssa is looking forward to combining and enhancing these skills over the coming year and in practice.

Jesi, a third-year student from Glencoe, Ill., is interested in equine medicine. She plans to do an equine internship upon graduation and then enter private practice or a residency in internal medicine or anesthesiology. She may also like to go into academia at some point in her career.

Amy is a non-traditional second-year student from Punxsutawney, Pa. She is mom to a 4-year-old son, Lucas, and wife to a general surgery resident, Nicholas. She is interested in small animal general practice and shelter medicine and hopes to find a way to incorporate both into her future career.

Kara, a fourth-year student from Denver, Colo., has a master’s degree in biomedical science from Colorado State University and has research experience in equine sports medicine. She is interested in small animal medicine and plans to complete a small animal rotating internship after graduation. She is interested in specializing further in neurology and neurosurgery.

Caitlin, a fourth-year student from Mount Prospect, Ill., earned a degree in neuroscience from Tulane University before coming to veterinary school. She is interested in small animal general practice, with focus on surgery and feline medicine and plans to return to the Chicago area to practice.