RUSVM Alumni Magazine Fall 2017

FALL 2017

inside this issue:

CELEBRATING

The Class of 2017

UNDER THE SEA

Students Take the Lead in Ocean Research Opportunities

NOV 4–11

PAYING IT FORWARD

Scholarships Yield Dividends for Students and Graduates

SAFETY FIRST

How Vets are Making a Name in Public Health

MESSAGE FROM DR. WALLACE

Dear Ross Alumni, Our alumni community truly is a family, a tight knit network of veterinary professionals, many remaining friends and colleagues upon graduation. Our alumni are found in many areas of the veterinary profession, from private practice, zoo medicine, academia, public health to veterinary specialties and more.

By promoting the school amongst prospective students and contributing to the veterinary profession at large—you are Ross’ most active ambassadors.

In my near 25 years at Ross, I have taught 72 semesters and I never stop to be amazed by what the Rossie family has achieved together. This year, we reached an especially important milestone, as the first Master of Science in One Health students crossed the stage at the 2017 commencement ceremony.

Ross strives to produce high quality veterinarians and deliver an education program that truly prepares graduates for practice.

Maintaining this reputation is important not only because it reflects upon the Rossie family, but the quality of our programs as a whole.

We know that this can only be achieved with the continued support and input of you, our alumni. I look forward to hearing about the accomplishments of our alumni and faculty. If you have comments, questions or feedback please reach out to rusvmalumni@rossu.edu.

Kind regards,

Dr. Charles Wallace DVM MS Dip ACVS Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Alumni Relations Professor of Large Animal Medicine

FEATURES

8 10 16

UNDER THE SEA Students Take the Lead in Ocean Research Opportunities

Meet Ross’ Coral Crusaders—teams of students who investigate the coral reefs around campus as part of a research effort to aid in their conservation.

PAYING IT FORWARD Scholarships Yield Dividends for Students and Graduates

For veterinary students, scholarships are beacons of light that shine through the cloud of accruing debt.

SAFETY FIRST How Vets are Making a Name in Public Health

From food safety to biosecurity and disaster management, the role veterinarians play in public health continues to expand.

FALL 2017 Sean Callanan MVB CertVR MRCVS PhD FRCPath DiplECVP Dean Charles Wallace DVM MS Dip ACVS Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Alumni Relations Professor of Large Animal Medicine Nathalie Mather-L’Huillier, BSc (Hons.) MPhil PhD Director of Accreditation and Alumni Relations ALUMNI REL ATIONS

James Errico

SPECIAL E VENTS

Kenneth Edwards M ARKETING & COMMUNIC ATIONS

Jennifer Colodney IN OTHER NEWS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/EDITORS

4

BULLETIN BOARD

Kristin Baresich Sara Kaufman Melissa Kvidahl

18

PROFILES

Kristine Lester

24

ALUMNI EVENTS

Peter Gialloreto Howard Design Group, Inc. Princeton, NJ

ROSS ALUMNI MAGAZINE is published by the Office of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations along with the office of Marketing and Communications. It is distributed to alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends. For information or to send name/address changes please contact: rusvmalumni@rossu.edu.

M AGA ZINE PROJEC T M ANAGER

DESIGN

Alumni Magazine | 1

TOGETHER, WE ARE

Proud Sponsor of WIVC

EMPOWERING

A HEALTHY TOMORROW Visit Banfield.com/MeetOurTeam to hear stories from veterinarians who chose Banfield.

Banfield.com/Careers Follow us at @BanfieldCareers #IchoseBanfield

2 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

©Banfield 2017.07

BE A ROSS ALUMNI AMBASSADOR Do you have some free time to give to your alma mater? Would you like to share the value of your education with prospective students and their families? Are you looking for a meaningful way to volunteer? Become a Ross Alumni Ambassador today!

Alumni activities include, but are not limited to, the following: • DVM Program Recruitment Events • Current Student Outreach Rep • On-Campus Panelist • White Coat Ceremony Speaker • Commencement Speaker • Social Media Ambassador (Facebook®, LinkedIn®, Twitter®) • Enrollment Webinar Alumni Rep • Prospective Student Outreach Rep • Clinical Representative • Speaker at College Fairs • Transitional Program Speaker • Regional Chapter Leader • New Student Reception Event • Profile in Marketing Material • Alumni Association Council Member • Post Internship/Job Opportunities • Class Representative • Conference Speaker/Presenter • WIVC Speaker • Make a Scholarship Donation And much more…

If you are interested in the Alumni Ambassador program and would like more information, please email us at rusvmalumni@rossu.edu.

Alumni Magazine | 3

BULLETIN BOARD EXPANDING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES ON CAMPUS

FALL 2017

Soon, a new research and pathology building will occupy the Ross campus—22,000 square feet of it, to be exact. The new research center will enhance student research opportunities for field, bench and computer-based research, while also benefiting the larger community.

“Research fosters an inquiring mind, which is an important part of education,” Dean Sean Callanan said. “But at the same time, a big part of research is giving back. We’re committed to giving back to the local community, both in St. Kitts and the Caribbean region, by researching topics of interest for the islands.”

One such topic of interest is leptospirosis, a zoonotic bacterial disease found more commonly in areas with warm

4 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

climates and high annual rainfall. As Ross seeks to contribute to the knowledge needed worldwide to advance the study of various diseases, issues that are making headlines such as anti-microbial resistance or mosquito-borne infections are also top of mind.

As with ongoing research on campus, students will have meaningful opportunities to be involved at many different levels, including collection of samples, presenting abstracts at conferences, and writing and contributing to papers.

“We continue to reinvest in our program, and this research center is an example of a significant reinvestment,” Dean Callanan said. “We’re constantly looking to the future and looking to do things differently.” n

ud W S po I V ns C or o

f

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If you know a prospective student of veterinary medicine, or have had one volunteer at your practice, now’s the time to help them earn the Alumni Legacy Scholarship. For more information or to submit a recommendation, please contact Sharon O’Dea at sodea@rossu.edu.

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18PV0179 (8/17) Alumni Magazine | 5

feature

Celebrating

THE CLASS OF 2017

O

n Saturday, May 20, more than 300 Ross students graduated from veterinary school at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla. This year’s ceremony was one for the books: Graduates included not only candidates for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) and Master of Science

by Research degrees, but also the first cohort of Master of Science in One Health (MSc One Health).

“Our institution is committed to One Health education, and I could not be more delighted to have our first cohort of students graduate from this program,” said Dr. Sean Callanan, dean at Ross.

“Through the program, we challenge

6 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

our students to explore more holistic approaches to solving world health problems that extend across animals, humans and ecosystems. I am confident that the MSc One Health degree program will equip our graduates from the first cohort to advocate for One Health and uphold their oath to promote the health of all species.”

One Health is the integrative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally to attain optimal health for people, animals, and the environment. The MSc One Health degree program was designed to equip veterinarians, animal scientists, medical and biological scientists with an indepth understanding of the principles of, and issues associated with, One

Health. Within the program, students have the opportunity to focus on an area of interest, such as area disease control, vector borne diseases, zoonotic infections or conservation medicine.

Among the graduates was St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Agriculture’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Tracey Challenger-Walters. Dr. ChallengerWalters also graduated with her DVM degree from Ross Vet in 1999.

“I am excited to be one of the graduates from the first cohort of the MSc One Health program at Ross Vet,” said Dr. Challenger-Walters. “As a veterinarian myself, I understand the impact of One Health in emerging areas of veterinary and human health, including research. The MSc One

Health program plays a key role in generating awareness and understanding of the interdependency of the health of humans and animals and the environments we share in St. Kitts and also challenges veterinarians like myself to be global health professionals in advocating and responding to emerging pandemic threats.”

Duane Landals, DVM, senior advisor to the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA) served as the keynote commencement speaker.

After spending 25 years in rural mixed veterinary practice in Alberta, Dr. Landals served 13 years as CEO/ Registrar and Secretary-Treasurer of the ABVMA. He is Past-President of both the Alberta and Canadian Veterinary

Medical Associations and served as Vice-President of the World Veterinary Association as well as chair for the 29th World Veterinary Congress in Vancouver, Canada.

“I congratulate the graduates as they start their career journey as veterinarians and global health professionals,” said Dr. Landals. “I urge them to challenge themselves in the days and years ahead as they strive to become leaders in the field of veterinary medicine by making key contributions to improve animal, human, and environmental health.”

Dean Callanan emphasized the impact that Ross graduates can make and encouraged the Class of 2017 to learn from those around them as they pursue their careers.

“You will make a difference in your communities. You will make a difference nationally. You will make a difference internationally,” said Dean Callanan. “And we will be proud to follow you as you do that.” n

If you are interested in the MSc One Health, please contact postgrad@rossvet.edu.kn

Alumni Magazine | 7

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UNDER THE

SEA

STUDENTS TAKE THE LEAD IN OCEAN RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES Divers and snorkelers in St. Kitts may notice a new arrival to the waters, peeking out among the fish and reefscape: small tags (in fact, they’re cattle ear tags), zip-tied to the coral, each bearing a different number.

No, it’s not claimed territory. Instead, these tags are an indication of the research done by Ross’ Coral Crusaders.

8 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

It started humbly enough. Dr. Michelle Dennis, associate professor of anatomic pathology, had been fielding consistent student requests for special lectures about coral diseases. Semester after semester, student groups would come to her for more information. While Dennis was interested in learning more about the coral diseases around St. Kitts, she didn’t exactly have the time to leave her office for daily dives. She needed eyes in the field to see what was there, and report back to her with what they found.

Around this same time, Bec Crawford, 2018 DVM candidate, had arrived on the island to begin her journey through veterinary school. With a degree in marine biology and two years (and over 3,000 hours) working as a technician under her belt, Crawford was looking forward to living in a place where she could learn the ropes of veterinary medicine, expand her marine knowledge, and get some hands-on experience with the ocean and its wildlife all at the same time. When she arrived for orientation, she heard Dennis speak about her marine research. And something clicked.

“At the end of Dr. Dennis’ lecture, I was so inspired. I knew I was in the right

place,” Crawford remembers. So she sent Dennis an email, and before long they had an appointment to meet. As they say, the rest is history.

Within a few months, Dennis and Crawford made a plan to start snorkeling and scuba diving together, to conduct a survey of the coral in St. Kitts. They noted what species were there, and their condition. After the survey was complete, they decided to embark on a health assessment. “Coral covers one percent of the ocean floor, and creates homes for 25 percent of all life in the oceans, so we wanted to ensure that the St. Kitts corals were healthy,” Crawford says. “It turns out they’re not.”

So Dennis created “snorkel squads” of about four students at a time, who would help locate and tag the diseased coral with cattle tags. They’d secure the tag with a zip-tie, log the GPS coordinates, and take pictures of the coral. Then, they’d create laminated maps to help find the coral again. As the research grew, so did student interest. Today, about 20 to 30 students participate each semester, and they’re known as the Coral Crusaders.

Among the seven reefs within snorkeling distance of campus, Crusaders

Diving Into Research Like the Coral Crusaders, Ross’ research on sea urchins arguably started with student interest.

have tagged about 60 or 70 colonies.

They visit and photograph the abnormal corals every three weeks to track disease.

“This is going to help us understand what diseases the coral are affected with and, of those diseases, which are progressing and which are most seriously damaging the reef,” Dennis explains.

The next stage consisted of identifying the most seriously diseased coral, and taking biopsies.

Dennis imagines that one application of this research could be helping St. Kitts to assess the impact of development on the reef. “The coastal development on the horizon is great for tourism and the economy of St. Kitts, but it may impact the reef,” she explains. The group’s current work will be an important baseline to determine changes to the reef after development nearby grows.

Beyond coral assessments, students have the opportunity to bring a special project to the Coral Crusaders. One recent student chose to do a prevalence survey of abnormal and normal corals; for his work, he earned second place at Phi Zeta Student Research Day. Another student decided to follow the biopsy sites, and see how they healed at two and

three week intervals. “It’s amazing how fast they’ve healed,” says Dennis.

“It makes me want to turn it into a masters project, and learn more about how they heal because there is very little known about that. This is truly an endless opportunity for Ross to investigate.”

But for students like Crawford, the opportunity to be a part of the Coral Crusaders is also a unique professional experience she can’t imagine getting anywhere else. “Ross and St. Kitts gave me my dreams, all in one collective package,” she says. “As a Canadian and young marine biologist, I always dreamed of living in a tropical paradise to be able to get up on a Saturday morning after a long week of hard work, to be greeted by warm sea air on my way down the peninsula, to submerge myself in the underwater world of the Caribbean Sea, and tag coral colonies for research and conservation. When I was four years old, I told my mom I wanted to be a doctor for dolphins and fish. This is more than the child in me could have ever dreamed of.” n

Aakansha Virwani is a part of Ross’ new combined degree program, which allows DVM candidates to also simultaneously earn a MSc by Research degree. She approached associate professor of aquaculture Mark A. Freeman with her idea: dissect and understand the urchin’s anatomy, with the goal of eventually identifying diseases or associated parasites. “For many marine invertebrates, not much is known about their anatomy and their histology particularly,” Freeman says. “During her literature review, she found that there are many ciliates— small parasitical organisms—associated with sea urchins, and in our primary searches we found these, as well.” The result? A research project focused on characterizing these organisms they found inside sea urchins, and seeing if there’s a threat to using the urchins as seafood for humans. “She wants to look at the bacterial populations, as well,” Freeman adds. “And I’m not sure it’s been done before.”

The key, explains Dennis, is that this could change the way researchers study sea urchin disease. Currently, traditional outbreak investigation entails collecting the sick urchins and examining their tissues with a microscope. “We’re in such a frontier here,” says Dennis. “If we look at tissue with a microscope, there are few references to tell us what’s normal. So, it’s hard to interpret an abnormality.

This new research will illuminate abnormalities around St. Kitts, but it will also help to put together some baselines so researchers investigating sea urchin disease will have something to compare to.”

Alumni Magazine | 9

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PAYING IT FORWARD Scholarship opportunities yield dividends for students and new graduates

R

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine prides itself on being a place where aspiring veterinarians can achieve their dreams and live their passion. For some, that dream is opening a hometown clinic and

connecting with pets and their families; for others, the dream takes them across the world to make a difference with exotic or forgotten animal populations.

Ross students don’t let anything hold them back. So there’s no reason why the anchor of student debt should stand in the way of their potential.

10 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that today’s veterinary school graduates face the highest debt-to-income ratio of all health professionals, with DVM graduates carrying a mean debt load of about $141,000. Meanwhile, the mean starting salary for private practice in 2015 was about $67,000.

In an effort to address this issue, students and industry leaders from the AVMA, veterinary colleges, and private practice convened at the 2016 Fix the Debt Summit. They came up with a few strategies: appealing to the government to eliminate interest on student loans, increasing financial literacy across the board, and enhancing demand for veterinarians topped the list. Also on that list? Increasing scholarships for veterinary students.

Scholarships at Ross

The Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Scholarships are a part of the Empower Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity which operates in cooperation with but separate from Adtalem Global Education. Established in 2000, the Empower Scholarship Fund was designed to provide scholarship assistance to continuing students with a financial need and a successful academic track record. In 2015, it expanded to benefit all of the colleges and universities of Adtalem Global Education, including Ross.

Even without RUSVM fundraising in 2015, the first Ross Veterinary Scholarships awarded through Empower were significant, totaling $25,000 in funds awarded to 10 students. And although the fundraising from Ross was again limited in 2016, scholarship impact grew to $52,000 and 17 student recipients.

“The need continues to grow,” says John Stachniak, National Director

What’s in a Named Fund?

Named funds celebrate the life

and career of an individual, while also helping launch a whole new professional life. Here are just two of the endowed funds available to Ross students: Jenny Askin

of Advancement for the Empower Scholarship Fund. “Even with limited fundraising, we’ve been able to expand the number of Ross Veterinary Scholarships through the generosity of a small but growing number of Ross Vet colleagues, corporate partners, and alumni.”

In 2016/2017 the results were even more dramatic. More than $64,000 was raised from Ross alumni and partners, and when combined with other Empower resources, and it allowed Empower to award $122,000 to 36 RUSVM students in 2017. The 2017/2018 year promises even bigger things, with nearly $103,000 raised from Ross alumni alone. When this is combined with gifts from other corporate partners and Empower resources, the awards will likely double again in 2018. “Each year the word gets out, and we see more student applicants, and more alumni coming forward to help,” adds Stachniak.

Corporate partners and outside donors have also stepped up to establish scholarships for Ross students through the Empower Scholarship Fund, but it’s only a fraction of what’s truly needed to address concerns over student debt.

The reality is that donations from Ross

Dr. Lanse T. Fox Endowed Memorial Scholarship Lanse Truman Fox graduated from Texas A&M before enrolling in Ross to pursue his dream of becoming a veterinarian. In his memory, Dr. Fox’s family formed this scholarship fund to support students who follow a similar path.

Don Morris Memorial Scholarship In memory of Don Morris, one of the founding board members of the Empower Scholarship Fund, this scholarship is available to student leaders.

To make a memorial or recognition gift, or for more information, visit www.empowerscholarshipfund.org or email info@empowerscholarshipfund.org

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Ross Veterinary Scholarships through the Empower Scholarship Fund by the Numbers

190 36

Ross applicants in 2017

Scholarships granted in 2017

$122,000 2.5 1

Dollars given to Ross students in 2017

GPA required

Letter of recommendation needed

alumni and partnerships are a critical component of helping students achieve their career goals. Here are just some of the ways that is beginning to happen on St. Kitts.

A Solid Financial Foundation

One benefit that scholarship recipients receive is the ability to chip away at their debt before they graduate. And no one knows this better than Jennifer Askin, a Ross student in her second semester of her clinical year at Ohio State, who served as president of the Veterinary Business Management Association (VBMA) and has received scholarship assistance from a corporate partner. “There’s a huge debt-to-income ratio problem with veterinary education, and that’s something we all encounter

12 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

Eric Lynch

because the cost of education can be astronomical,” she says. “I am very passionate about financial responsibility, and part of my passion for business management is making sure you have a solid financial foundation. Scholarships greatly help reduce my debt—which is something I think about every day.”

According to Askin, Ross didn’t offer any formal business education courses when she was on island, so to fill the gap, her goal was to provide some. “Everyone needs a little bit of that whether you want to be a practice owner or not,” she says. “Through VBMA, we went over salaries and how to negotiate a contract.” Thanks to scholarship assistance, she also had the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C. to work with the lobbying arm of the AVMA. “We learned about the issues applicable to veterinary medicine, and they educated us on their views and stance,” she adds.

“Then, we went to our state senators to lobby on behalf of AVMA.” Indeed, scholarships provide students with access they may not have otherwise had. And that begins with helping them save a little bit of money.

Jasmine Gibbs, a 2018 DVM candidate, receives $2,000 per

Jasmine Gibbs

semester through the Eliza Ann Grier Scholarship, a special program for veterinary students who come from underrepresented minority groups in the field of medicine. She’s also a recipient of the Empower Scholarship Fund. “Both scholarships have shown me that I can do anything I put my mind to, and that becoming a doctor doesn’t always require a high amount of debt,” Gibbs says. “I’ve been able to save a little over $20,000 because of the combination of both scholarships, and that helps me save for my future goal of becoming a business owner of a general practice. No matter how big or small a donation may be, it truly makes a difference in a person’s life who may have struggled to get where they are, or someone who wants to save for future endeavors like myself.”

Better Campus Experiences

Saving money is key. But scholarships also allow Ross students to have a richer on island experience.

Eric Lynch, a 2019 DVM candidate, had the opportunity to take care of animals on the island over campus break, from checking on cows, horses, sheep, and

DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Arlene Rodriguez

The Dr. Arlene Rodriguez Veterinary Scholarship is awarded to eligible students attending Ross.

Graduation year: 1989 What she loved about Ross: The small classes, getting to know her professors, and the Ross family.

Vlada Bhukhanova

donkeys, to walking dogs and taking care of birds and tortoises. Receiving scholarship money helped him gain these valuable hands-on experiences because, without the additional funds, he’d have to get a different job that paid better during the breaks.

Vlada Bhukhanova, a 2019 DVM candidate, received a scholarship from a corporate sponsor that included a caveat that she participate in small animal research. So she found herself a mentor, and started brainstorming potential projects she could do on St. Kitts. She’s currently working on a project about lizards, which are intermediate hosts for a common parasite on the island that, when transmitted to cats, can cause liver failure. “I had never done research before, but it was an area I definitely wanted to get involved in,” she says, “and this scholarship was the catalyst for that.”

A side benefit, Bhukhanova says, is the vote of confidence she gets from receiving a scholarship: “It gives you a boost in morale, because you have been recognized for your work. The cost of education has increased substantially, and if you look at the loan debt and our options for repayment, it’s very scary. It

could scare you away from veterinary medicine entirely. But scholarships lessen that burden and boost morale at the same time.”

Educational Opportunities

Without the Empower Scholarship Fund, Sara Bresse, 2018 DVM candidate, would not have been able to study abroad and volunteer with veterinarians in other countries, nor would she have been able to afford a large and small animal veterinary acupuncture class and her subsequent certification.

It started with the Integrative Medicine Club at Ross. Bresse had learned about the possible veterinary applications of acupuncture, and was interested in becoming certified.

She found a certification course in Colorado, which was science-, research-, and anatomy-based, and which incorporated acupuncture into western medical approaches. “After taking this course, I can say that I have changed my way of thinking about every patient that I see in a clinic,” Bresse says. “It has taught me how to look at the patient as a whole, and

Point of pride: “What we were able to do compared to other students when we arrived at clinicals amazed me. Some other students had never done a surgery before, and we had done so much surgery. I felt very confident coming out of Ross.”

Her Ross Connection: As the owner of more than one practice, Rodriguez finds herself hiring a lot of Ross graduates. Why? She loves their gumption, independence, confidence, and communication skills.

Today, as a member of the university’s scholarship committee, she gets to review applications, meet applicants, and see exactly where her donations go.

Why she gives: “I feel that I would not have had a chance to become a veterinarian and become successful if Ross wasn’t there. I didn’t have a pre-vet program as an undergraduate, and didn’t think I could get accepted into veterinary school. If I was able to become successful and confident in this field thanks to Ross, whatever I can to do give back I want to do.”

Her message to alumni: “US schools have huge alumni bases, and get all kinds of money from football and other initiatives.

Ross doesn’t have that. So if we don’t start fundraising, we won’t be able to compete.

We owe this to the future of Ross and its students—they count on us and future graduates to help keep it going. The bottom line is that it’s important to give someone else a chance at their future.”

Alumni Magazine | 13

feature DONOR SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Jeremy Buishas

The Dr. Jeremy Buishas Veterinary Scholarship is awarded to eligible students attending Ross.

Graduation year: 1989

Sara Bresse

not just treat a problem the patient may currently have.” Next up, Bresse hopes to either begin an equine internship or start working in a mixed animal practice. But she realizes that her acupuncture training wouldn’t have been possible without that scholarship: “The help and assistance has truly made special opportunities possible for us veterinary students who would not be able to afford them on our own.

Donors are making more of a difference in the future veterinary world than they may think, and I am so grateful for the opportunities I’m provided through scholarship assistance.”

Continuing education is a common thread among scholarship recipients, who use the cushion provided by the funds to maximize their training. Zachary Sloan, a recipient of the Dr. Lanse T. Fox Endowed Memorial Scholarship and 2018 DVM candidate, was able to afford a flight to attend the American Association of Bovine Practitioners conference. Because he was able to attend, he had the opportunity to network with practitioners and sit in on lectures about his area of interest.

“You always hear about the Ross family, and a lot of veterinary schools have a family like that, so it’s important

14 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

Zachary Sloan

“Any support is so appreciated, and really motivates us to know that alumni are behind us.” to support the new generation coming in. It builds community, and helps new students realize that there are people out there that have done it before, and they enjoyed it enough to give back to the future generation to support them,” he says. “But being in a position to give back also sends a message that if you manage your time and money properly, you won’t be in financial hardship as a veterinarian, which is so encouraging to current students.”

Lynch’s message for alumni?

“Remember where you were when you were trying to get through school—it has gotten a lot more expensive. Veterinary medicine is a great career that people should want to get into, and not be afraid to get into because of money. Any support is so appreciated, and really motivates us to know that alumni are behind us.” n

Point of pride: “Some graduates quit practice after a year or two and go into research and, don’t get me wrong, we need that. But Ross graduates are more ready for private practice and ownership possibilities—why wouldn’t I want to support more qualified practitioners going out into practice?”

His Ross Connection: As the owner of five full-service animal hospitals, he often needs assistance and has found it in RUSVM’s senior year externship program. He mentors students and receives assistance, as they learn more about what it’s like to be in practice.

Why he gives: “It’s a way for me to give back to the school, for giving me the opportunity to become a veterinarian. It helps the student who’s in need. It helps the profession as a whole by supporting the next generation. And, as a bonus, it’s a tax deduction. So it’s a win-win-winwin. For years, I never gave back. But I’m 56 years old now, and I started looking back and said...it’s time to start giving back.”

His message to alumni: “It doesn’t have to be a lot of money, but give something. Because that’s where it all started. If you didn’t have your Ross education, and if they didn’t give you that opportunity, you wouldn’t have the career that you have. Why not give back to where it all started?”

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NOVEMBER 4–11, 2017 Whether you’re a veterinarian, researcher, or vet tech, you’re invited to the newly revamped West Indies Veterinary Conference, held on campus November 4 through 11.

This year’s event will feature 55 available continuing education credits across a number of specialized tracks. Based on the track chosen—from bovine to equine to small animal to business focus and everything in between—attendees can walk away with up to 30 credits of continuing education. This year’s event will also feature a job fair.

New to the conference is an echocardiography wet lab for small animal practitioners. Led by Dr. N. Sydney Moise, DVM, MS, DACVIM, professor of medicine in the section of cardiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, the course

will equip practitioners with the ability to obtain quality echocardiographic images that will permit the diagnosis of the most common disorders. Attendees will also learn how to set ultrasound controls for optimal use of the echocardiographic system, and how to define an optimal image during echocardiographic examination.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Mark Setter, Diplomate and former president of the American College of Zoological medicine, and founder and president of the Elephant Population Management Program. His career took him from being associate veterinarian at the Audubon Zoo to becoming the director of animal programs for The Walt Disney Company. Dr. Setter’s talk, entitled “From Disney to Dean” will address how to thrive in the veterinary profession.

Visit us online to register now.

DR. MARK SETTER

DR. N.SYDNEY MOISE

WIVC REGISTRATION LINK IS LIVE!

REGISTRATION

veterinary.rossu.edu/WIVC2017

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How Vets are Making a Name in Public Health from DVM to MPH

W

hen Christa Gallagher, DVM ’93, joined the North Carolina State Veterinary Response Corps, that was her first introduction to the ties between public health and veterinary medicine. From there, as she took courses in disaster management and dove into epidemiology, zoonotic disease, and other public health issues, she began to see that the two were inextricably linked.

That’s when she decided to earn her Master of Public Health (MPH) degree.

She enrolled in a program designed for practicing veterinarians at the University of Iowa, while continuing management and practice within her small animal hospital.

Today, Dr. Gallagher is Assistant Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at Ross, where she’s continuing her work to strengthen the relationships between public health and veterinary medicine. It was her

16 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

CHRISTA GALLAGHER, DVM ’93

brainchild to pursue a partnership between Ross and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. In November of last year, that idea became a reality when Ross and the Bloomberg School signed an agreement to explore research collaborations and joint educational activities.

Among other opportunities, the agreement paves the way for Ross

students and alumni to pursue public health degrees at John Hopkins— something eagerly anticipated by Dr. Gallagher.

“Due to my own experience, I knew there was a need for DVM students to have the opportunity to do a Master of Public Health,” said Dr. Gallagher. “It’s really gratifying to see it come to fruition.”

She added, “This opens the door not only for those in the Ross community to obtain a world-class MPH, but also for our students and faculty to do collaborative public health research with the Bloomberg School.”

The MPH program can be completed full-time in 11 months on campus, or part-time over 2-3 years, with the majority of coursework conducted online with some required in-person time. The online option is ideal for alumni who are practicing veterinarians, Dr. Gallagher said. They can complete most of their education from home, while occasional

ALUMNI IN PUBLIC HEALTH

Meet two alumni who have dedicated their careers to veterinary public health on-campus sessions allow them to form relationships with classmates.

Dr. Gallagher is still close with many of her own MPH classmates.

In fact, she worked with her MPH classmate and fellow Ross alumna, Dr. Barbara Jones, to co-develop an elective in disaster management for Ross’s Master of Science in One Health degree.

“We’re now seeing vets sitting on various public health boards as well. We need veterinarians in public health— there’s no dispute about that.”

“There are so many ways you can use an MPH, both in and out of private practice,” Dr. Gallagher said. “The government sector is a large employer of veterinarians for public health and an MPH is desirable. The United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] hires vets to work in food safety, disaster management, and zoonotic and infectious disease. There are also employment opportunities within the CDC and FDA. You can work as a state veterinarian, and there are options to work in human health departments as well.”

This blurring of lines between veterinary medicine, human medicine, and ecosystem health is a testament to the One Health movement, Dr. Gallagher said.

“Vets are being recognized for their expertise in topics such as population medicine, zoonotic disease, and food safety,” she noted. “We’re now seeing veterinarians sitting on various public health boards as well.

Our country and the world needs veterinarians in public health—there’s no dispute about that. n

BARBARA JONES, DVM ’08

Owner, One Health Consulting, LLC

DAVID FUCHS, DVM ’90

Inspector in Charge, USDA-Food Safety Inspection Service

HER ROLE | Dr. Jones offers a range of consulting and education services in biosecurity, infection prevention and control, disaster planning, and other preventative safety protocols for farms, equestrian facilities, veterinary hospitals and clinics. Her interest in One Health was originally piqued when she worked at an equine practice after graduating from Ross. There, Dr. Jones became involved with the security measures that come with international travel and equine travel. “You need to monitor who’s traveling where, put protocols in place, do quarantines and focus on lots of biosecurity matters,” Dr. Jones explained. “That’s how I really developed a preventative outlook and became fascinated with One Health.”

HIS ROLE | Dr. Fuchs is the Inspector in Charge, also known as the Supervisory Public Health Veterinarian, of a large Tyson poultry facility in Green Forest, AR. He oversees food safety; makes sure animals are handled humanely; supervises the inspectors; and regulates products to be wholesome and free of disease processes or pathologies.

“Every package of meat you see in the grocery store will have a USDA inspected and passed for wholesomeness label on it. Most likely, that product has been supervised by a veterinarian,” Dr. Fuchs said. Apart from a few years in small and mixed animal practice shortly after earning his DVM, Dr. Fuchs has been practicing in food animal medicine for his whole career.

WORKING TOGETHER | A critical part of progressing with the One Health movement, Dr. Jones said, is for DVMs and MDs to work closely together at all levels. “We need to keep having academic conferences between MDs and DVMs and nurses, but we also need to start implementing that dialogue into individual cases,” Dr. Jones said. “For example, if someone goes to the hospital with MRSA, physicians might not think to ask about pets at home, but the disease can be transmitted between humans and animals.”

COMMUNITY EDUCATION | In addition to regulation and administration, Dr. Fuchs also does outreach for the USDA. He recently set up a booth at a senior citizens’ event where he offered pamphlets and shared tips on how to safely prepare food, including proper temperatures, handling and chilling.

SERVING THE COUNTRY | Dr. Jones also serves as a Public Health Officer in the Air National Guard branch of the Air Force. She holds the rank of Major and is a member of the National Guard Homeland Response Force.

CAMPUS MEMORIES | Thinking back to St. Kitts, Dr. Fuchs remembers driving his 125 Yamaha motorcycle to and from campus every day, scuba diving on breaks, and catching his own lobster for dinner.

GO MULES! | Before coming to Ross, Dr. Fuchs played football during undergrad at Central Missouri State University.

Alumni Magazine | 17

PROFILE

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING HOW ONE ALUMNA LEVERAGED TECHNOLOGY TO DOUBLE HER PRACTICE REVENUE.

It was 2012, and Michelle Durkee, DVM ’89 had reached a turning point. As the owner of Florida’s West Palm Animal Clinic, she was maxed out, overwhelmed with charting, and considering hiring another veterinarian to help with the load. She couldn’t possibly take on any more clients, so growth was at a total standstill. She had to make a decision: either hire someone new, or invest in technology that would integrate her practice and cut down on all the time she spent performing administrative tasks. “I chose the latter,” Durkee says, “and have never regretted it.”

At their completely paperless clinic, Durkee and her staff benefit from being able to share all client records online, which cuts down on review time needed at the beginning of appointments. They have a new server, 14 new workstations throughout the clinic, a full diagnostic lab, digital x-ray capabilities, and two electronic 50-inch whiteboards that are invaluable to the team. Each whiteboard tells staff which animals are there, what needs to be done, and what’s been completed. When tasks are overdue, the board highlights them in red. “It’s all electronic, and you can access that from any room in the hospital,” Durkee says.

“Even though I’m a one-doctor practice, we are very busy. I need to make sure everyone is efficient.”

All this technology is fully integrated, which means that when Durkee submits orders for a client, those orders are sent directly to the lab or x-ray room; when the test is completed, clients are

automatically charged and the results are populated back into their electronic medical record. “No more missed charges or duplicate inputs needed,” she says. “In turn, within only five years, we’ve doubled our annual practice revenue—still with one veterinarian.”

Durkee’s tech-minded approach to medicine earned her a coveted place among the six national winners of the 2014 Innovations 4 Entrepreneurs competition, a joint effort from Comcast Business and Inc. Magazine that awards more than $600,000 in cash and services to business owners who leverage technology to better serve their clients and grow their businesses.

As a winner, Durkee had the opportunity to fly to New York and have one-on-one meetings with nationally recognized business leaders like Michael Angelakis, vice chairman and CFO of Comcast, celebrity chef Robert Irvine, and Marcus Lemonis, businessman, investor, and star of “The Profit.”

But Durkee’s always looking forward.

She’s currently a beta tester for IDEXX, her software provider, which allows her to access new technology before it becomes public, and provide feedback that shapes the official launch. “And, I’m at the point in my life where I really need to start thinking about an exit strategy,” she says. “No matter what, I truly want this clinic continue to thrive long after I am gone. I probably need to start looking for a veterinarian who operates in the same spirit as I do, or help groom someone who maintains an energetic, internal drive to do what’s right for our clients and their furry loved ones.”

So, is she looking for a Rossie to follow in her pioneering footsteps?

As Durkee puts it: “You know what, I wouldn’t mind a Rossie. I think Ross students have a uniqueness to them, because they went and did something a little different.” And that’s something Durkee, surely, knows a little bit about. n

“You know what, I wouldn’t mind a Rossie. I think Ross students have a uniqueness to them, because they went and did something a little different.”

18 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

PROFILE

WATER WORKS

THIS ALUMNA’S PATIENT LOAD IS 10,000 STRONG.

As a young girl growing up in seaside Vancouver, Allyson McNaughton ’11 developed an early fascination with the ocean. That fascination only deepened when she pursued an undergraduate degree in marine biology. “Vancouver is a beautiful place,” she says. “Through my marine biology program, I got to spend a lot of time in pristine ecosystems and also learn what we need to do to protect them.”

As a component of her undergraduate program, McNaughton was required to take on co-op work experience, and she soon found herself working in a medical research lab taking care of animals. “I realized there was a greater role that veterinarians could play in that type of animal care,” she says.

“I knew I wanted to work with animals, I knew I wanted to work in an aquatic setting, and once I came to understand the roles veterinarians can have in this field, I knew I wanted to go to veterinary school.”

McNaughton decided to get a little more experience under her belt, working at the Vancouver Aquarium, before applying and getting accepted to Ross. As it turns out, St. Kitts was the perfect place for her to explore her academic passion.

“A big draw for me, when it came to Ross, was the location and the access I’d have to working with aquatics,” she remembers. “Once I heard about the Sea Turtle Monitoring Network, I knew I was in the right place.” Thanks to her work with the network, she landed a job with the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. And after a stint at Connecticut’s Mystic Aquarium, she accepted a position at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. She started as a part-time employee in September 2015, and was brought on as a full-time veterinarian August 2016.

Today, McNaughton is the only full-time veterinarian at the center, overseeing the care of the 10,000 animals that call the aquarium home,

as well as the center’s rescue and rehabilitation program.

The rehabilitation program’s large marine animal response team responds to live (and sometimes dead) animals that wash up on Virginia’s beaches. “In terms of the live animals they find, we admit them into the rehabilitation center, and I do assessment and determine their treatment,” she explains. “Hopefully, they go through the rehabilitation experience and are released back into the ocean.” Any dead animals that wash up are assessed and used for research.

Primarily, they see sea turtles, though the occasional dolphin will arrive, too.

For now, McNaughton is focused on getting her new position up and running, expanding the veterinary care offered at the aquarium, and planning for a board specialty certification in zoological medicine with a focus on aquatics.

She’s pursuing research and publication opportunities to be eligible for that when the time comes. Suffice it to say that she has a full plate.

But she credits Ross with preparing her for that: “If you can go through veterinary school working off a generator during a power outage, you can get through any situation. Beyond excellent academic and clinical training, there is a component of the lifestyle at Ross that’s a bit intangible. You learn to be adaptable and flexible. And, maybe because of that, Ross students end up in interesting and diverse careers.” n

Alumni Magazine | 19

PROFILE

WHAT A RELIEF! THIS ALUMNA TURNED A STEPPING STONE INTO HER DREAM CAREER.

When Yvonne Boutges, DVM graduated from Ross in 2003, she was looking forward to settling into a comfortable routine at a small animal clinic, getting to know her own set of clients, and maybe even buying a practice of her own one day. But her path has been very different—and she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Boutges has made a career of relief work, traveling from practice to practice, sometimes working at three or more different locations every week. It might not sound like the familiar career path she had planned, but it’s given her the work/life balance and financial stability that she always hoped for.

After earning her DVM, Boutges was hired by a fellow Ross grad, and worked in his practice for almost six years as a full-time small animal veterinarian. It fulfilled her goal of working as a family vet, helping pets from “puppyhood to senior land,” as she says, but after some time she felt she had stagnated a bit. “I wasn’t growing in my medicine and knowledge base, and it was a smaller practice so I wasn’t getting exposed to many surgeries besides routine procedures,” she says.

“I wanted to expand.”

She followed her instincts to another practice, where the owner was looking to mentor a vet and eventually sell his practice. It seemed ideal. But Boutges still found herself wanting more. “It wasn’t a good fit for me,” she says, “so I started relieving because, obviously, I needed an income until I could find another good position.” That was 10 years ago.

It may not have been the original plan, but Boutges soon found that being a relief vet suited her. She started with an overnight shift in an emergency practice. “I was terrified initially, but the staff was fabulous,” she remembers. “I started to really enjoy it.” From there, she started advertising, cold-calling, and sending her resume around to find more work. “Next thing I knew,” she says, “I started getting really busy.” Today, she books at least two to three months in advance, and even a year in advance in some cases, in and around New Suffolk, New York on the North Fork of Long Island.

Her jobs range from filling in for a solo practitioner to picking up emergency room shifts. One of her clients 20 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

sees a lot of exotic animals, which has exposed her to learning experiences she never would have gotten had she stayed in a small practice. Some of her shifts are in suburbia, where she sees the typical range of pets; others are in a semi-rural environment, where she lends a hand with farm animals like pigs and goats. Yet another practice she worked in partners with a wildlife foundation, and she had the opportunity to help stabilize a range of even more unusual animals.

Learning new things is just one of the benefits.

Boutges is also able to set her own schedule, which helps her attend her son’s school events or baseball practices.

On the flip side, if finances are a bit stretched, she can always pick up more work. “Last summer, I was able to take my son to France to visit family for two weeks,” she says. “The majority of associate veterinarians can’t take two weeks off from work like that.”

As a relief vet, Boutges also gets to stay out of the fray of day-to-day drama among staff, while at the same time feeling very much part of the team. And she finds that she is professionally fulfilled—and not just because she is appreciated by her clients who call her up in a pinch. “I get to do the things that I like the most,” she explains. “I have a few associates that aren’t comfortable doing surgery, so I’m their surgeon one day a week.”

In the end, the hectic environment at Ross that she hoped to settle down from actually helped her to find her dream career embracing change. “The challenge of living on the island and doing something as difficult as veterinary medicine pushes you to your limits and you survive it,” she says. “Ross gave me confidence, so I can walk into a practice and hit the ground running. It helped me to be independent, and that helps me today as I run my own business. And, personally, I thought I’d want to be in one place after an experience like that. But my path was a different path, and it’s been great.” n

PROFILE

FINDING THE BALANCE ALUMNUS DISCOVERS TALENT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

Nicholas Spacarelli, ’06, Beacon Veterinary Associates, Stone Cottage Veterinary Hospital, as the owner of two veterinary practices and a stand-up paddleboard business in St. Kitts, Spacarelli’s career has provided opportunities on both land and sea.

At Ross, Spacarelli was one of seven students in the very first one-semester Veterinary Preparatory (VetPrep) program, back then a pilot program at Ross. The goal of the VetPrep program is to enhance the likelihood of student’s success in veterinary school. Spacarelli credits his success partly due to the teaching faculty he studied with at Ross. “Your professors really cared about and knew you. We had a lot of tremendous talent teaching us, and I look back on those interactions with our professors and I feel very lucky,” he says.

Of his time in St. Kitts, he recalls that there were many things other than veterinary medicine that shaped the course of his life. One of those experiences is surfing. His life on the island introduced him to a love of water, and during his spare time between classes he immersed himself in the ocean. His passion for surfing has taken him all over the world, with many adventures and relationships made along the way. Some of these experiences he notes might not have been possible if he had attended a landlocked vet school rather than Ross.

After graduation, Spacarelli worked in private practice and eventually pursued his goal of owning

a practice. “For me, practice ownership was always something I was going to do, there was no doubt,” he says. He first purchased a community practice in Upstate New York, Beacon Veterinary Associates and now also owns Stone Cottage Veterinary Hospital in Newburgh, NY. However, the pull of St. Kitts was never far and he traveled back to Ross to spend a period of time working as faculty and clinician at the Ross University Veterinary Clinic. During this time, he started stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and looked into starting his own company. Now, he is CEO and owner of Ballast Bay Outfitters & Honu and Pelikana SUP Tours and Rentals at Christophe Harbour in St. Kitts.

His advice for new grads is to seek out mentors and learn from others who have gone before you.

As an alumnus, he lectures on practice ownership and tries to provide some of what he has learned to future Ross grads and get them thinking about the next steps in their career. Even with the many responsibilities of his businesses and family life, Spacarelli believes it is important to try and have a balanced life. “It’s different for everyone, you have to figure out what it is that does it for you,” he says. n

“Your professors really cared about and knew you. We had a lot of tremendous talent teaching us, and I look back on those interactions with our professors and I feel very lucky.”

Alumni Magazine | 21

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Ross is happy to work to build relationships between your organization and Ross alumni. Listing your openings with Ross will provide you with increased exposure to quality physicians from a variety of specialties. Support the Ross community of alumni and enhance your organization by recruiting and hiring fellow Rossies. Please email rusvmalumni@rossu.edu. n

Alumni Magazine | 23

ALUMNI EVENTS AMERICAN COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS

Alumni Reception

WEST INDIES VETERINARY CONFERENCE (WIVC) St. Kitts, West Indies NEW YORK REGIONAL CHAPTER

Alumni Reception

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF EQUINE PRACTITIONERS

24 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

November 4th–11th, 2017

November 9th, 2017

Cocktail Reception

NORTH AMERICAN VETERINARY CONFERENCE AND EXPO WESTERN VETERINARY CONFERENCE

October 13th, 2017

Alumni Reception

Alumni Reception March 7th, 2018

November 17th, 2017 February 3rd, 2018

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Alumni Magazine | 25

IT ALL STARTED HERE

Your alumni association wants to keep you connected to your friends, former classmates, colleagues, and all those who made your experience here memorable.

And when it comes to memories, there’s no better place to start than St. Kitts—a unique campus environment that allows our students to simultaneously master the study of animal health and venture beyond the classroom to participate in impactful research on wildlife, livestock, habitats, and diseases. You and others took your first, tentative steps toward the practice of veterinary medicine on this quiet, picturesque island. You forged friendships. You earned victories.

No matter where you ultimately ended up, it all started in St. Kitts.

26 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

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Find out more at Alumni Magazine | 27

ROSS RECRUITMENT EVENTS CALENDAR Looking ahead, there are always opportunities for alumni to be engaged with Ross. If you would like to volunteer at a Ross recruitment event this fall, or speak to prospective students in your area about pursuing their DVM, please contact our Alumni Relations team.

OCTOBER

MEET ROSS VET AT UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

MEET ROSS VET AT UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

When: Saturday, October 28, 2017 from 11:00AM–1:00PM Where: University of Guelph – University Centre, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2M7, Canada

MEET ROSS VET AT UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

When: Monday, October 30, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: Purdue University: Forney Building, Room B124, 480 W. Stadium Ave, West Lafyette, IN 47907

When: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: University of Calgary: Dining Centre, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada When: Thursday, October 19, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: Hilton University of Florida Conference Center, 1714 SW 34th St, Gainesville, FL 32607 MEET ROSS VET AT UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

When: Thursday, October 19, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: Illini Union, 1401 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801 ROSS VET EXPO IN PUERTO RICO

When: Saturday, October 21, 2017 from 10:00AM–2:00PM Where: 1077 Ashford Avenue, San Juan, 00907, Puerto Rico MEET ROSS VET AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

When: Wednesday, October 25, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center at Michigan State University, 219 S Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48824 MEET ROSS VET IN MISSISSAUGA

When: Wednesday, October 25, 2017 from 6:30PM to 8:30PM Where: The Living Arts Centre Mississauga, 4141 Living Arts Drive, Mississauga ON L5B 4B8

28 | Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine

MEET ROSS VET AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY

NOVEMBER MEET ROSS VET AT TEXAS A&M

When: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: Hilton College Station & Conference Center, 801 University Drive East, College Station, TX 77840 MEET ROSS VET AT UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

When: Thursday, November 2, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: University of Delaware: John M. Clayton Hall, 100 David Hollowell Drive, Newark, DE 19716 MEET ROSS VET AT CAL POLY POMONA

When: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: Kellogg West Conference Center & Hotel @ Cal Poly Pomona, 3801 West Temple Ave, Pomona, CA 91768 MEET ROSS VET AT UC DAVIS

When: Tuesday, November 28, 2017 from 5:00PM–7:00PM Where: University of California Davis Campus: ARC Ballroom, 116 A Street, Davis, CA 95616

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rusvmalumni@rossu.edu veterinary.rossu.edu

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RossVetSchool

SPIRIT STORE Get your Rossie gear! Visit our online apparel store at: vetspiritstore.rossu.edu, where you’ll find a variety of school-spirit items, great for gifts and everyday life.

Feel free to take a few moments to look around, and show off your Ross spirit today!

E-Gift Certificates are also available, if you would like to send a gift!

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine’s DVM degree program is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE) 1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100, Schaumburg, IL 60173 | Tel: 800.248.2862 | Email: MMaresh@avma.org Important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of students who attended this program can be found at veterinary.rossu.edu/gainful-employment © 2017 Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. All rights reserved.