Sixth cohort of SDSU students celebrated in Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine Blue Coat Ceremony

South Dakota State University's Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine honored 20 students at its annual Blue Coat Ceremony on Oct. 3, presenting each with a personalized blue Carhartt work coat sponsored by a regional veterinarian.

With this year being the sixth annual celebration, the presentation has become a cherished tradition, uniting SDSU veterinary students throughout the years. Dr. Russ Daly, SDSU professor and SDSU Extension veterinarian, explained that not only are the blue coats a useful garment to be worn throughout their journey and career, but they also serve as a symbol of hard work and community in the veterinary profession.

“These are work coats. They symbolize the hard work that you’ve done to get to this point in your educational journey,” Daly said. “We hope that you’ll use these coats for the rest of your career as a veterinarian. As work coats, we expect that they will get a little dirty at times. That symbolizes that not everything during veterinary school and beyond is going to be easy. You're going to need a community to help you through those hard times. Please know that the sponsors of these jackets are part of the community of veterinarians who have your back.”

Students honored during the ceremony began their veterinary school journey at SDSU through the 2+2 program this fall. The program began in 2021 through a partnership with the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. Students gain hands-on, practical experience working with food and companion animals in a cohort of 20 during their first two years at SDSU and then finish their schooling and clinical training at the University of Minnesota.

With an emphasis on growing the number of rural-practicing veterinarians across the state, the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine is well supported by regional veterinarians and celebrated through their sponsorship of the blue coats. Along with the presentation, students were given words of advice and encouragement from their sponsors, many of whom were in attendance.

SDSU President Barry Dunn, South Dakota Corn Endowed Dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences Joe Cassady and Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine Director Lisa Lunn also provided comments to the group.

Erin Simpkins is the president of the program’s Class of 2030 and spoke on behalf of the cohort ,thanking the friends, families and sponsors who were in attendance and have supported them throughout their journey. She also shared words of encouragement to her fellow classmates.

“We stand here together, united by a common purpose, caring for the unspoken, advancing One Health and making a lasting difference in the lives of the animals, people and communities we serve,” Simpkins said. “I hope we remember the significance of this garment. It’s not about the color or the title it represents, but the responsibility we accept when we wear it. It is a reminder to approach your profession with humility, to lead with compassion, to uphold the trust placed in us and never lose sight to why we started. When we look back on this day, I hope we remember not only how far we have come, but also the people who stood beside us and the community we built along the way.”

Veterinary students celebrated and presented with a blue coat at the ceremony include:

• Cole Bauer of Brownton, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. Jaclyn Carlon Van Lith and Dr. Carissa Odland
• Ava Bouwman of Sioux Falls – sponsored by Dr. Chris Chase and Mary Chase
• Paige Bruno of Plano, Texas – sponsored by Dr. Greg Adolf
• Caitlyn Carter of Kennewick, Washington – sponsored by Dr. Jane Christopher-Hennings
• Cash Clendenen of Spearfish – sponsored by Dr. George Twitero
• Lauren Corbin of Plainview, Minnesota – sponsored by Clear Lake Vet Clinic
• Emma Eko of Adna, Washington – sponsored by Dr. Corale Dorn
• Kiauna Hargens of Parkston – sponsored by Dr. Shawn Bietz
• Hannah Highum of Peterson, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. Peter Moisan
• Rhea Laib of Mercer, North Dakota – sponsored by Dr. Jennifer Fischer
• Natalya Lapshina of Rosemount, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. Elise Maresh Reinalda
• Chloe Louwagie of Cottonwood, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. William Howard
• Emily McDunn of Hawley, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. Aziz Siddiqui
• Maiya Morris of Crestview, Florida – sponsored by Dr. Dave Knudsen
• Holly Mowery of Weatherford, Texas – sponsored by Dr. Kara Robbins, East River Equine LLC
• Jada Schimke of Maple Grove, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. Alice Harty
• Alexis Schmidt of Rush City, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. Dave Knudsen
• Erin Simpkins of Green Bay, Wisconsin – sponsored by Dr. Kay Miller
• Brianna Spoelstra of Woodstock, Minnesota – sponsored by Dr. Roxanne Nielsen
• Laura Wellbrock of Northfield, Minnesota – sponsored by Prairie View Vet Clinic

In addition to the coat sponsors, the ceremony was sponsored by the South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association and Medgene. More information about the SDSU Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine can be found on the program’s website.