As any upperclassman knows, getting off to a good start is pivotal for a first year veterinary student’s successful “launch” into veterinary college. That’s why Purdue Veterinary Medicine offered a program for incoming students in the fall called “Launch! DVM 2028.” The annual onboarding program introduced members of the incoming DVM Class to College of Veterinary Medicine resources, policies and programs. The students also toured the Veterinary Hospital and received a wealth of helpful information during the week before the start of fall classes. They even had the opportunity to recite the Veterinarian’s Oath, as a precursor to the time four years from now when they will recite it officially as new PVM graduates.
A team of nearly 30 veterinary student ambassadors in the second-year class helped with the Launch program, working under the guidance of two lead ambassadors, Class of 2027 members Kerrigan Fleming and Erin Ison, who were instrumental in planning the orientation. Fun activities interwoven into the Launch schedule included a Campus Scavenger Hunt, during which students traversed the Purdue campus looking for various landmarks and participating in special Purdue traditions. Another highlight was the Boiler Challenge, which involved classmates working together to accomplish a variety of challenging activities on the Purdue Ropes Course. The varied exercises afforded the incoming students the opportunity to get to know each other as they engaged in teamwork and collaboration.
Another annual favorite of the orientation program is the Class Mosaic exercise, which this year took place Friday, August 16. The activity gave class members the opportunity to paint triangular or circular pieces of canvas that then were assembled into a class mosaic for display.
There are a total of 89 students in the DVM Class of 2028, representing Indiana and 19 other states, including Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Montana, North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, as well as the Virgin Islands and the countries of India and Taiwan. More than 20 percent of the class members are first generation college students. Other class characteristics include an 81 percent to 19 percent female to male student ratio, with 31 percent of the students representing diversity of race and ethnicity.
The college’s Veterinary Nursing Program also offers an orientation program for students entering their second year to help prepare them for the experience of taking classes in Lynn Hall, after completing their first year of taking core courses across campus. Conducted as part of the first week of the fall semester, the Veterinary Nursing program orientation included an overview of fall semester courses and instructors, tours, a clinic rotation orientation, and distribution of uniforms and equipment.
There are 34 students in the Veterinary Nursing Class of 2027, including 27 from Indiana, two from Illinois, and one each from Minnesota, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ohio. The class also includes one student from South Korea.
In addition, the veterinary nursing students in the first-year class, the Class of 2028, were welcomed to Purdue Friday, August 16, in the Lynn Hall courtyard, where they participated in the Veterinary Nursing Program’s annual ice cream social. There are 37 first-year veterinary nursing students, including 32 from Indiana, two from Illinois, and one each from Wisconsin, Missouri, and Georgia.
The Veterinary Nursing Program student body also includes a much larger number of students who are studying online in the Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning (VNDL) program. A total of 780 students registered for fall 2024 classes. Besides taking classes online, they also complete practical hands-on exercises at approved clinical sites, including veterinary practices in their home communities. Additionally, the program offers opportunities for students to attend hands-on labs at various locations around the country including Purdue’s West Lafayette campus as well as facilities in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Huntington, Indiana. The VNDL program has experienced significant growth, with current enrollment representing an increase of 44 percent over the previous year.
College resources and support for DVM and Veterinary Nursing students now are delivered through a reconfigured Student Success Center, formerly called the Student Services office. The college also welcomed a new PVM student success director, Jessica Joya, this summer. She is a Purdue alumna who earned her Bachelor of Arts in management with a minor in organizational leadership and supervision and her Master of Science in higher education with a focus on student affairs from Purdue Global. Before returning to Purdue, she gained valuable experience in various social service roles within the non-profit and government sectors.
As Student Success director, Joya leads the Student Success team in delivering comprehensive support services to the college while fostering a positive and supportive environment. Her role includes providing mentorship, resources, and referrals for veterinary medical and nursing students, implementing student-centered recognition programs, and promoting scholarship opportunities.
