Veterinary Student Leadership

Veterinary
Student Leadership

WAVMA Watershed Cleanup, 2026

Pathology Club Cownose
Ray Necropsy, 2025

Student leadership has always been a part of my life, and the rigor of veterinary school wasn't going to change that. Making a difference in my community is an integral part of who I am, and I love giving back to the organizations that have aided in my growth so much.

From the moment of acceptance to veterinary school, I knew I would be a member of WAVMA.

I wanted all the experience I could get in aquatic veterinary medicine. From catfish blood draws to cleaning up the local watershed and learning how to perform surgery on a fish from a veterinarian at Georgia Aquarium, I've really enjoyed my time in this organization so far. As vice president for the 2026-2027 school year, I am super excited to carry on popular events and

to make room for even more exciting ones.

WEZAAM, or the Wildlife, Exotic, Zoological, Avian, and Aquatic Medicine club was another club I was ecstatic to join, to learn about all of the weird and wonderful "special species" that a veterinarian is able to care for. From learning about amphibian conservation efforts to handling raptors and teaching young kids about reptiles, it truly has been a fun experience connecting with a community that loves exotics. As treasurer for the next year, I can't wait to help plan activities that will aid in learning about all of the fields in the organization's acronym!

I don't think I even understood what pathology was when I started veterinary school, so it has surprised me how much I've enjoyed the subject in the year that I have been here. Though, in my experience as a veterinary assistant, I enjoyed running bloodwork and doing cytologies, so maybe it shouldn't have been as shocking. Looking at little "dit-dots" under the microscope and attending case presentations every Friday was enlightening, and learning how much information can be gathered from necropsies to find answers has been interesting. As treasurer for the organization, I am excited to help spread the word about the veterinary pathology field.

Ophthalmology was another subject that surprised me, but I've really enjoyed learning about the differences between eye structure in different species. It has also become abundantly clear how important eyesight is to animals found in zoos and aquariums alike, and how often they can have issues, so any experience with them will be super helpful in my future career. This organization helped me connect with amazing people in the fields I am interested in, and I'm excited to give back to it as treasurer this year.