Rising Stars: Meet the Veterinary Students Who Are Changing Vet Med
Every generation of veterinary medicine has a moment when new voices step forward and change the conversation. Vet Candy's Rising Stars program exists to find those voices early — and make sure the profession knows their names.
These are the veterinary students, new graduates, and early-career DVMs who are already doing the work. They are researchers, advocates, innovators, and clinicians who chose this profession with intention and are building something worth paying attention to. We profile them not because they have arrived, but because they are on their way — and this community deserves to watch them get there.
Rising Stars is published annually by Vet Candy, the leading media platform for veterinary professionals, with over 50,000 members across the globe.
Amanda Lo McGregor Played for Thousands and Then Chose a Different Stage
Amanda Lo McGregor has never done things the conventional way. She has stood in the wings of sold-out arenas, violin in hand, performing alongside some of the biggest names in music. She has felt the rush of stadium lights and the particular electricity of a crowd that stretches as far as you can see. And then, deliberately and joyfully, she walked away from all of it to pursue something she wanted just as much.
How Amber Elalem Is Building Something Real
Amber Elalem has been helping dogs get the care they need for the past five years. A vet tech currently pursuing a Master's in Veterinary Medicine, Amber is dedicated to helping pets and their families and she is doing it in more ways than one.
Taylor Smallwood Is Graduating, Licensed, and Ready to Change the World of Small Animal Medicine
"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make." These words, spoken by the renowned Jane Goodall, have never felt more fitting than they do for Taylor Smallwood, who is closing out her final year at the Western University and stepping into the profession she has spent her entire life preparing for.
Sydney Paris Survived Homelessness. Now She's Rewriting the Rules on Who Gets to Be a Veterinarian
Cornell Vet Student, Sydney Paris, had already logged over 2,000 volunteer hours before she ever set foot in a veterinary classroom. Not because it looked good on an application. Not because someone told her it was required. Because service wasn't something she did, she did it because it was survival, community, and the only path she knew forward.
Twinkle’s Bright Future: How Dilmeet Kaur is Lighting Up Veterinary Medicine
When you meet Dilmeet “Twinkle” Kaur, a member of the 2028 Class at Purdue University, get ready for a whirlwind of passion, ambition, and a heart full of dreams. Ask her what excites her about veterinary medicine, and you’ll get an inspiring list that spans from small animal medicine to wildlife conservation, from emergency care to international outreach, and everything in between.
Finding Grace in the Deep End – Jessie Sun’s Journey to Veterinary Medicine
When Jessie Sun moved to the United States from China at just 14 years old, she didn’t expect that one of the most powerful lessons she’d ever learn would be so simple: “Most people don’t know what they’re doing.” The advice came from a mentor, and it landed like a lifeline—one that reshaped the way Jessie viewed herself and the world around her.
She Became a Vet Student at 27 With a Toddler—Now She’s Proving Everyone Wrong
When Rachel Woodhouse (@gingervetjourney) stepped into her first day of vet school at University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) at 27, she wasn’t your average first-year. With a toddler on her hip and years of life experience behind her, she carried something even more powerful than straight A’s. This is a story of resilience, determination, and purpose.
Aaryn DuBose isn't waiting for doors to open. He's already inside and holding the door for everyone behind him.
A fourth-year student at Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, Aaryn carries a leadership load that would humble most. He manages the core lab in the biomedical research department, serves as Class of 2027 president, VP-elect of SAVMA, vice president of the Veterinary Surgery Club, and student representative for Nestlé Purina. All at once. All with intention.
From Broadway Dreams to Veterinary Medicine: The Journey of Gabrielle Acquaviva
Gabrielle Acquaviva is well on her way to becoming a veterinary dermatologist at LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, but her story is one of passion, persistence, and taking the risks that most people shy away from. Born and raised in New Jersey, Gabrielle’s journey to veterinary school has been anything but conventional. From the stage to the clinic, her path has been shaped by both a love for the arts and a fierce desire to help animals, proving that dreams can take many shapes along the way.
Alexis Hudson: From Accounting to Veterinary Medicine—A Journey of Determination, Resilience, and New Beginnings
At 32, Alexis Hudson is already a rising star at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine—but her path to veterinary school was anything but traditional. With a background in accounting and consulting, Alexis made a bold career change that led her to her true passion: caring for animals. Her story is one of resilience, self-reflection, and embracing new opportunities.
Diva Vet: How Mildred "Millie" Mullings is Redefining Veterinary Medicine
When Mildred "Millie" Mullings enters a room, the energy shifts. It’s impossible to miss her—her unshakable confidence, warmth, and unwavering commitment to making veterinary medicine more inclusive. Known as Diva Vet to her friends and followers, Millie, a first-year student at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, is on a mission to break barriers: bridging gaps between people and animals, urban and rural perspectives, and the veterinary field and the diverse communities it serves.
Double HBCU Ivy, Classic Car, and a Sister Who Changed Everything
Lauren Petry is a soon-to-be Tuskegee graduate from Abbeville, Louisiana, who has built her career on grace, grit, and a very clear sense of what it means to belong to something larger than yourself.
Andrea Suárez Carrió is the Big Sister the Vet School Generation Needs
The fourth-year student at the University of Glasgow has spent the last several years building a social media platform aimed specifically at current and aspiring veterinary students, not to curate a highlight reel of how great vet school is, but to offer something more useful: the honest version. The one that includes the pressure, the doubt, the moments of feeling lost, and the reminder that feeling those things does not mean you are doing it wrong.
Megan Weidenbach Is Building Her Voice Before She Even Graduates
Megan Weidenbach is a third-year DVM student at Lincoln Memorial University, President of her school's WVLDI chapter, and one of Vet Candy's Rising Stars for 2026. A self-described yapper, ceramics artist, and social media creator with thousands of followers, Megan talks about her grandmother's legacy, the creative life she never gave up, and why the veterinary profession needs more people willing to make noise. Read her story.
Through the Lens: How Jessica Wood Is Capturing the Heart of Our Profession
Jessica Wood was one week away from giving up on vet school. The photography business rebrand was ready to launch, the decision had been made, and she had finally made peace with letting go of a lifelong dream. Then her mentor of 15 years called her bluff.
Finding Her Voice: How Orli Algranatti Is Redefining Veterinary Mentorship
When CSU vet student, Orli Algranatti, accepted a veterinary internship in a country where she didn't speak the language, she was terrified. The barriers felt insurmountable, the risk enormous. But something inside her knew that the opportunities that scare us the most are often the ones we need to pursue.
The Long Game: Marcus McCaskill Is Building Toward a Mission Bigger Than Himself
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln vet student (Class of 2028) has a goal that most people would call ambitious. He'd probably call it necessary. Marcus is working toward creating a wildlife rehabilitation site and sanctuary, complete with reforestation and habitat revitalization. The kind of thing that takes decades, not semesters. The kind of thing that requires becoming someone capable of carrying it out.
Chloe Link is a Fourth-Year Vet Student. She's Already Worked on Five Continents. And She's Just Getting Started.
Most veterinary students spend their fourth year finalizing rotations, finishing boards prep, and trying to remember what sleep feels like. Chloe Link is doing all of that and arriving at it having already worked as an African mammal zookeeper, contributed to marine mammal rehabilitation, participated in sea turtle conservation, performed wildlife capture and immobilization, and cared for more than 100 species.
Courtney Ford-Franklin is Still in Vet School. She's Already Changing the Profession.
She has not graduated yet. She has not opened a practice, published a paper, or collected a single credential beyond the ones she is still in the process of earning. And she is already exactly the kind of veterinarian this profession needs more of. Meet LSU fourth year veterinary student, Courtney Ford-Franklin, a 2026 Vet Candy Rising Star.
Spencer Stelly Wanted to Be on Broadway. Instead, He’s Going to Bat for Every Vet Student in America.
Spencer Stelly has 416 days until he graduates. He knows the exact number. He also knows exactly what stands between him and that moment, the NAVLE, a mixed animal internship, and a career in emergency and critical care that he has been building toward since he was a kid watching his father run the crime laboratory in Louisiana.
FAQ About Vet Candy Rising Stars
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Vet Candy Rising Stars is an annual program that identifies and celebrates veterinary students and early-career DVMs who are already making an impact in the profession. Each year, Vet Candy profiles a select group of next-generation veterinary professionals — highlighting their stories, their clinical interests, and the work they are doing to move vet med forward.
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Rising Stars features veterinary students, recent graduates, and early-career DVMs who demonstrate exceptional promise, leadership, or innovation in the field. Nominees can be in any specialty or practice area — what matters is the impact they are making and the trajectory they are on.
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Honorees are selected by the Vet Candy editorial team based on nominations from the community, academic institutions, and professional networks.
We look for candidates who exemplify what the next generation of veterinary medicine looks like — curious, driven, community-minded, and unafraid to do things differently.
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Nominations for Rising Stars are accepted through our online form at myvetcandy.com/nominate
You can nominate a classmate, colleague, student, or yourself. We want to hear about the veterinary professionals in your world who deserve a spotlight and tell us who they are and why they belong on this list.
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Vet Candy Rising Stars is published annually every May. The 2026 class is featured now at myvetcandy.com/rising-stars.
Nominations for the next class open later this year, follow Vet Candy on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know.
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Vet Candy is the leading media and education platform for the next generation of veterinary professionals, founded by Dr. Jill López, DVM, MBA.
With over 50,000 members, the number one veterinary podcast on Apple, and programs like NAVLE Warriors, Career Match for Dream Jobs, and Scrub Squad for first year vet students, Vet Candy is where the profession's future is already showing up.