She Didn't See Anyone Who Looked Like Her in Vet Med — So She Became the One to Watch

Rising Stars 2026

When Hiba Ali dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, she didn't have a blueprint to follow. She didn't know anyone in her community who had taken that path. She didn't see herself reflected in the textbooks, the classrooms, or the professionals in white coats. But she knew one thing for sure that her love for animals and her calling to care for them was undeniable.

Now heading into her second year at Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, Hiba is doing more than chasing her dream. She is forging a new path for the next generation to follow.

"I didn't see many people who looked like me in this field," she says, reflecting on her experience growing up in Fort Lauderdale as a Pakistani Muslim woman. "But that only made me more determined to be the representation I once needed."

From a young age, Hiba was drawn to the natural world — especially to animals like lions, monkeys, and tigers. "Seeing wildlife up close changes your perspective," she says. "It makes you realize how much more there is beyond our everyday lives."

That sense of wonder grew into a fierce dedication to zoo, wildlife, and exotic animal medicine, and eventually a deep commitment to conservation medicine. Her hero is none other than Jane Goodall. "Watching her work with chimpanzees and speak up for animals lit a fire in me," Hiba says. "She showed me that women belong in the wild, doing the work — not just observing from the sidelines."

But the road to vet school wasn't paved with ease. As a woman of color and a first-generation veterinary student, Hiba had to push past barriers of access, cultural expectations, and self-doubt. The pressure to succeed, to represent her community, and to live up to the dream she held so tightly was intense.

"There were moments I felt like giving up," she admits. "But something in me always pushed a little harder."

That something, she says, is a combination of persistence, curiosity, and compassion — three values that have become her guiding light.

"Persistence got me through the hard days. Curiosity kept me hungry to learn. And compassion — whether for people or animals — has opened more doors than I can count. Leading with empathy has created so many meaningful connections I never expected."

Now a year in and finding her stride, Hiba is not only building clinical skills and scientific knowledge — she is learning how to show up unapologetically as herself in a profession that hasn't always welcomed diversity. And she is passionate about using her voice to address the bigger issues facing the field.

"Burnout and mental health are huge problems in vet med," she says. "We're expected to give everything — our time, our energy, our hearts — but there isn't always enough support in return. That needs to change."

For Hiba, purpose is what carries her through even when motivation runs low. "Purpose is what keeps you going when things get hard," she says. "It's that quiet voice that reminds you why you started in the first place."

Her message to young women and girls from underrepresented backgrounds is clear and unhesitating:

"It gets better. The struggles, the self-doubt, the moments you feel like you're not enough — they pass. Keep going. You're building a life that younger you would be proud of. Trust the timing, and don't be afraid to take up space."

From Fort Lauderdale to Baton Rouge and beyond, Hiba Ali is proving that with courage, heart, and a fierce sense of purpose, anything is possible. She is not just studying to become a veterinarian. She is becoming the role model she once searched for.

Remember her name.