On June 6, the College of Veterinary Medicine inducted the inaugural members of the Dean’s Leaders Program.

The program, first developed in spring of 2021, was created with two primary missions — to increase the number of graduates filling leadership positions in academia, industry, government and private veterinary practice; and to support diversity at the College of Veterinary Medicine and in the veterinary profession

At the induction ceremony, Lorin Warnick, D.V.M., Ph.D. ’94, Austin O. Hooey Dean of Veterinary Medicine, greeted the group. “Your selection reflects the excellence you have achieved in your academic work so far and our confidence in your future,” Warnick said. “I want to again thank and congratulate our students for taking a leap of faith and joining this brand-new program. As you learn about the various activities, I hope you will find that it will help you on your veterinary journey.”

The inductees hail from all around the country and come with a variety of backgrounds experiences, ranging from working at the American Institute for Goat Research to volunteering for Cornell University’s Emergency Medical Service.

The program inductees are:

• Sergio Acuna
• Ashley Broderick
• Joshua Farris
• Alysa Giudici
• Rebecca Jaramillo
• Sylvia Kimmel
• Rimsha Malik
• Angelina Marin
• Neal Mohit
• Chaia Ona
• Hunter Powell
• Abigail Reid
• Sydney Sill
• Ashley Stroud

Said Dr. Melanie Ragin, assistant dean of inclusion and academic excellence and head of the program, “I am proud and honored to be a part of the Dean’s Leader Program. This was just an idea a year-and-a-half ago, and now, through collaboration from almost every corner of the college, has become a fully realized, transformative program that puts in action the college’s commitment to the success of these newly admitted veterinary students. It has been a joy getting to know each student, and I look forward to being a part of their journey.”

Written by Lauren Cahoon Roberts