In the pages of the book “All Creatures Great and Small” by veterinarian Dr. James Herriot, then middle-schooler Cierra Miller found inspiration for her future career. 

“In the very first chapter, it’s him at 3 a.m. at a calving that’s going wrong, but then things go right and the calf is born—that was the moment I realized I wanted to work with cows,” she says.  

With that goal in mind, Miller focused her undergraduate experiences at Florida A&M University on animal science with the goal of eventually becoming a veterinarian. The Veterinary Leadership through Early Admissions for Diversity (VetLEAD) program at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has been instrumental in helping her reach that goal.  

VetLEAD creates a pathway for high-ability students at two partner institutions and HBCUs (Historically Black College or University), Alabama A&M University and Florida A&M University. The program seeks to meet the increasing demand for veterinarians and to promote diversity within the veterinary student body. Its first participant, Dr. Miranda Shaw, graduated in 2018. 

VetLEAD students who complete the program requirements receive early acceptance to CVM and access to resources such as mentorship from veterinary faculty and advanced students while completing undergraduate studies, opportunities to obtain scholarships, and the opportunity to work with academic and industry leaders in veterinary medicine. Generous scholarship packages bring tuition to in-state rates.

Miller is now a fourth-year DVM student at CVM. The VetLEAD program has been integral in her pursuit of veterinary education focusing on dairy production. It’s no secret that obtaining a DVM is an expensive endeavor, especially for those who are not receiving support from family in the form of housing or financial contributions. 

“Programs like VetLEAD are not just increasing diversity in the field as far as ethnicity goes but also in terms of socioeconomic status,” Miller says. “The financial assistance aspect of the program is a huge one.”

Like Miller, second-year DVM student and VetLEAD participant Zynia Alvarez has long known veterinary medicine would be her career path. 

“It was very simple. I didn't see myself doing anything else,” she says. “This is one thing that I have a passion for, so that's why I went for it.”

Alvarez is interested in clinical pathology and echoes Miller’s sentiments regarding the program’s financial benefits, and adds she appreciates the College is trying to address diversity and equity disparities not only in the field but in the classroom as well.

“I really love that about the school and its role in trying to help close that gap,” she says. 

VetLEAD is one of several student-focused diversity initiatives and resources facilitated by CVM and its community members. As part of its commitment to diversity, CVM seeks to admit and educate a diverse student body to enrich students' educational experiences and prepare them to meet the veterinary needs of a multicultural society.

For more information about the VetLEAD and other early admissions programs at CVM, visit the Early Admissions Programs webpage.