Three Majors Towards My Future by Alexsys

Three Majors Towards My Future by Alexsys - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

Through my time in college, I will have multiple majors assigned to my name: pre-veterinary medicine, animal science, and veterinary medicine. My 8 years of college and multiple majors and minors are all important for my goal of becoming a performance vet. Growing up, my parents instilled strong values of helping others and a pride in agriculture. My mother is a USAF veteran and an OR nurse. She has taught me grit to work through hard times and help others. My father is also a USAF veteran and works on a grain farm. His work in agriculture has given me a huge respect for hard work and showed me my love for livestock. I have always loved animals from a young age, but it wasn't until I raised my own cattle and trained horses that I learned the extent of how much someone will do for their animal.

Growing up, I always loved animals and knew I wanted to be a vet, but during my freshman and sophomore years of high school, I started to lose my passion. It wasn't for lack of love for animals; it was because I was rodeoing and showing cattle every weekend and absolutely loved it. I knew that I wanted to be around that atmosphere my whole life, and working in a vet office no longer seemed appealing. At every show, people were doing many different therapies on their horses or giving joint supplements to their livestock. I never really paid much attention to it until my barrel horse fell and injured herself. Although there was no serious damage, she was constantly sore, and I lost confidence in riding. I was recommended to find a chiropractor for her and other therapies such as PEMF. Unfortunately, no vets near me did chiropractic, and the closest person I could find was 2 hours away. Although this was the end of my barrel racing career, it made me realize that this was my calling. To help performance animals and instill confidence back into owners so that they don't feel helpless when their partner is injured.

My first major I chose was pre-veterinary medicine at Lake Land College. These past two years at Lakeland have included a lot of science, math, and ag classes. Although I have taken many general ed courses that I couldn't see how they aided in my degree, I understand now that they are making me a well-rounded student and will help me understand people of all careers. The science and ag classes through my pre-vet degree have built a foundation for my next two colleges. They have also taught me various practices that I use on my farm now. My next major is animal science at SIUC. Although I have not started my time as a student at Carbondale, I know it is a crucial step in preparing me for vet school. Here I believe I will gain more confidence in working with other people's animals and develop quick-thinking skills I'll need in vet school. Lastly, I will major in veterinary medicine. I am unsure what vet school I will be accepted into, but I know this will be my most challenging college yet. Although there will be hard times and tired nights, I know that it will lead to the career I want.

These majors I hold with pride because I know they will lead me to make a difference in an industry I love. After college my plan is to work at a vet clinic until I save enough money and get my name known so that I can travel across the country to stock shows and rodeos and provide therapies such as chiropractic adjustments, PEMF, taping, and more. I would also like to work as a rodeo or fair vet while traveling or as an emergency vet in my local community when needed.

When I first decided I wanted to become a vet and chose these majors, I never thought working at stock shows and rodeos is where I'd find my place, but many experiences in my life and my pre-vet major at Lakeland have taught me more than I could ever imagine and ignited my passion for helping performance animals. Although I can not fully explain my love for animals or the ag industry itself, I hope that my essay shows you my unwavering dedication and hard work towards these goals and that you'll consider me for your scholarship.