A love for students and agriculture fuels UTCVM coordinator of recruitment and student engagement’s passion for veterinary education
Where are you from, and how did your career lead you to UTIA?
I grew up in Middle Tennessee in Hendersonville, and I graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in animal science and a minor in theatre.
After I graduated, I moved to Upstate New York where I was the 4-H and Adult Agriculture Extension Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County for four years. It was a little too cold for this southerner, so I decided to come back home, and have now been back on Rocky Top for a little over two years.
What is your role within UTIA, and what do you do on a typical day?
I am the coordinator of recruitment and student engagement at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM), and every day is different. Some days I am giving tours or getting work done in the office. However, my favorite days are the ones where I am out in K-12 schools or meeting with pre-vet clubs or similar organizations from across the country sharing about what it looks like to go to vet school and/or attend UTCVM.
What is the most fulfilling aspect of the work you do?
The most fulfilling aspect of my work is definitely getting to talk to prospective students and their families about their dream career, and sometimes their dream school.
What has been your proudest moment while working at UTIA?
When I had a student go through our Veterinary Summer Experience Program (VSEP) for high school students. She came back to visit to let me know that she got into UT Knoxville and plans to pursue a degree in animal science with the hope of attending UTCVM.
What do you hope to accomplish through your role at UTCVM?
I hope to show our future students as well as those interested in animal science and agriculture in general, that the field is changing. It is open to anyone and everyone and is becoming more diverse every day.
What is one of your favorite experiences you have had while working at UTCVM?
Starting our Big Orange Friday Vol Vet Spirit Competition. Getting to see our students, faculty, and staff come together for some friendly competition has been so fun. Getting to wear my checkerboard overalls is just a bonus.
What is a project you are currently working on that you are excited about?
My Masters! I just started the Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications (ALEC) Online Master’s Program through UTIA.
What do you like to do outside of work and/or what is a fun fact about yourself that your colleagues may not know?
I love cows and hope to have a few of my own one day. I am also a big theatre kid, so I love going to a show or doing an event with the princess party company that I work for on the side. If I’m not doing something revolving around theatre, then I am probably hanging out with the cats (Evangeline & Kiara), traveling, or doing something outside with my fiancé, John.
