Rosemary Klass has cared for patients as a veterinary technician at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center (VMC) for nearly three decades, but it isn’t just her longevity and dedication to her work that has made her an integral part of the hospital’s community. 

“She brings a smile to everyone she meets,” says Pat Berzins, director of operations for the VMC. “She greets people in a hallway and asks them how they're doing— she's just a really good morale booster.”

Klass also is a trailblazer. She is recognized as the first Black and Native American veterinary technician hired at the VMC. She began her career at the center in 1998 and has spent the majority of it working overnights in the intensive care unit. 

In the decades since, Klass has been lauded as an agent of change for her tireless efforts in improving the work culture at the medical center and as a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the center and the broader College of Veterinary Medicine community. 

The impact of her compassion has been felt not only by the patients she cares for and the clients accompanying them, the clinicians her work supports, and the veterinary students she imparts wisdom upon, but also by the greater Twin Cities community and the veterinary profession.  

One of her favorite parts of her job is attending career fairs and inspiring the next generation of veterinary care professionals. For years, she has given tours of the Veterinary Medical Center and hosted students interested in job shadowing herself and her peers. Klass also visits with children attending VetCamp, an interactive education program for middle and high school students interested in learning about veterinary medicine careers. 

In 2022, her passion bloomed into an official program. Klass and Berzins created the VMC Diversity Initiative, which invites underrepresented youth to explore veterinary medicine as a career choice. Participants are provided with opportunities for mentoring and education that can include shadowing, internships, or employment at the Veterinary Medical Center.

“It is our hope to cultivate and broaden the candidate's dreams and goals for their future collegiate endeavors and career by building confidence and purpose to support them throughout their life—because they matter to us,” Klass has said of the program.  

In addition to encouraging students of color to pursue a career in veterinary medicine—which remains a predominantly white profession—the initiative also seeks to change the cultural climate of the Veterinary Medical Center to one that is even more inclusive of underrepresented groups, such those in BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. 

Klass is at the forefront of driving that inclusion. One of the many hats she wears is a certified mediator. When a few teams within the medical center struggled with communication and morale issues, leaders brought her in to facilitate change. 

“Rose communicates with a tranquil and patient demeanor, consistently highlighting the strengths in people and situations and inspiring others to strive for improvement,” says Becky Bergo, a supervisor with the VMC’s anesthesia team. “Her presence brings a refreshing perspective.”

Klass also works passionately to better the lives of her fellow veterinary technicians—both at her job and around the state of Minnesota. She currently serves as chair of both the Wellness and the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Acceptance committees for the Minnesota Veterinary Technician Association. 

Within these roles, Klass strives to create environments where technicians can feel supported in their emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental well-being as well as being heard and seen without discrimination based on economic status, age, ethnicity, gender identity, or any physical impediments.

Her dedication to helping people and animals alike makes Klass a treasured member of the VMC community and the veterinary profession.