Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is celebrating national recognition for its Vet Aspirations initiative, which has been honored as a 2024 Inspiring Program in STEM by Insight Into Diversity magazine. This prestigious award highlights university programs that actively encourage and support students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). MSU’s Vet Aspirations project will be featured in the September issue of the magazine, the nation’s largest and oldest publication focused on inclusion in higher education.

The Vet Aspirations initiative encompasses four key programs: Vet Camp, Vet Aspire, Vet Chat, and VetaHumanz (formerly known as This Is How We Role). Each of these programs is designed to inspire and educate young students about the veterinary field, offering them hands-on experiences and direct interactions with veterinary professionals.

• Vet Aspire provides a “day in the life” experience for 50-60 high school and college students each year, many of whom are first-generation students entering MSU.

• Vet Chat allows CVM staff to engage with aspiring students, answering questions and offering insights into the veterinary profession.

• Vet Camp, held each summer, serves approximately 180 students aged 10-17, offering activities such as teddy bear surgeries, fish dissections, canine examinations, and equine gait evaluations.

• VetaHumanz works with fourth-grade students involved in the Boys and Girls Club of the Golden Triangle, giving them the opportunity to observe veterinarians and explore career options in the veterinary field.

“Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine has significantly ramped up efforts over the years to promote veterinary medicine and showcase all that our college has to offer to anyone interested in pursuing this career path. We are committed to helping students of all populations excel in the many different options provided through the veterinary field,” said Kyla Leggett, CVM admissions and recruitment coordinator.

The Inspiring Programs in STEM award is given to programs that are making a significant impact in guiding the next generation toward STEM careers through mentoring, teaching, research, and successful outreach initiatives.

Brittany Moore-Henderson, CVM assistant dean of student success and inclusive excellence, emphasized the importance of these outreach programs in shaping future veterinary professionals. “We are seeing just how impactful these outreach programs are to aspiring veterinary professionals. Since 2019, as many as 50 veterinary students entering our college have participated in one of them, and this number continues to grow with each class that enters our college. We’re looking forward to continuing to expose students of all ages and backgrounds to veterinary medicine and other STEM-related fields,” she said.

Mississippi State’s CVM offers a robust curriculum, providing students with two full years of clinical experience, training in all species, and the opportunity to complete more than 50 surgeries before graduation. The college is nationally recognized for its programs in shelter medicine and aquaculture, as well as its research in antimicrobial resistance. Notably, it is the only veterinary college to lead a USAID innovation lab, and it offers both a B.S. in veterinary medical technology and joint DVM-Ph.D. programs.

For more information about Mississippi State’s College of Veterinary Medicine and its outreach opportunities, visit vetmed.msstate.edu.