(Music Playing) Good afternoon everyone, please stand to the.

The national anthe presented by the Lansing concert and directed by doctor Steve Sudduth (Performance of Star-Spangled Banner) In recognition of the land where we teach and learn.

I would like to invite Trustee Rebecca Bahar-Cook, a member of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees to read the MSU land acknowledgment.

Trustee Bahar-Coo thank you for joining us today.

Please be seated.

Michigan State University occupie the ancestral to the traditional and contemporary land of the Anishinaabeg, Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples.

The university resides on land ceded in the 1819 Treaty of Saginaw.

Megwetch.

Thank you.

Good afternoon again and welcome to the 2026 College of Veterinary Medicine commencement ceremony.

On behalf o our faculty, staff and alumni, I am so delighted to invite or to welcome all of you to celebrate with us today.

I think it's safe to say that for many of us on this stage, this is our favorite day of the year.

I'd like to begin by introducing our guests and members of the Platform party, which include members of college leadership and administrative teams.

Please let your recognition until all names have been introduced.

Trustee Rebecca Bahar-Cook, Michigan State University Board of Trustees.

Doctor Case Van Fleet, commencement speaker.

Alumnus of our DVM program and owner and lead veterinarian of Omni vet.

Doctor Elaine Shake, President, Michiga Veterinary Medical Association and an alumnus of our DVM program.

Taylor Ep.

associate Dean.

That very nursing program.

Doctor Daelyn Agnew, chair, Department of of Biolog and Diagnostic Investigations.

Docto Jamie Barnaby, chief of staff.

Doctor Vic Dorita, chair, Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology.

Doctor Colleen Hegg, associate dean for Graduate studies.

Doctor Denise Imai Leonard, executive director, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Doctor James Linedike associate dean for research.

Doctor Kelly Meyers, executive director, Vetinary Medical Center.

Doctor Beau Norby, senior advisor to the Dean.

Doctor Annette O'Connor, senior associate dean for faculty and administrative affairs.

Doctor Julie Strakoda director of clinical education.

Doctor Stephen Carrey, associate dea for student engagement success.

Doctor Sarah Jacob, director of outcomes assessments.

And now I'd like to invite th remaining members of our faculty and house officers on the stage to please stand.

As well as member of the faculty in the audience to be recognized.

I'd like to recognize the very special group led today's procession.

These are members of the class of 1976 and includes 24 of areas and one veterinary nurse, all celebrating their 50th year of union.

Yes.

Yesterday they shared with us their stories of their days as students.

The paths that we have taken.

And the friendships that have stood the test of time.

I've learned that they're known to both the classes above and below them as a really fun class.

Now, some of the stories I heard yesterday I can't share here.

But I am happy to report that apparently the space outside my office has a very special meaning for this class as a prime location for their headquarters.

Like today's graduates, they want to set exactly, exactly where you are, ready to leap into the real world and begin the careers that they' 50 years later.

They remind us not onl the impact of this profession, and that the relationships tha begin here can last a lifetime.

Please join me i recognizing the class of 1976.

Please hold your applause until the end.

( Reading graduate names) It is a joy and a privilege to stand before you today celebrating your amazing accomplishments.

To the DVM and Veterinary Nursing Houses of 2026.

Congratulations!

You have worked so hard to get to this moment, and today you are officially that very professional.

And I'm very proud to call you my colleagues.

But before you rush off to this next chapter, take just a moment.

Look around you.

We are sure that we're surrounded today by people who've been with you every step of the way.

This journey wasn't easy, and you didn't do it alone.

Be sure to thank them.

In fact, let's recognize your friends and family and other supporters who are here today.

Ours is a profession that's built on connection with the people around you today.

The ones who mentored you urged you and challenged you.

Many of them will remain i your life for decades to come.

You'll run into them in conferences, or you call them for advice because your path will be uniquely your own.

This is a profession grounded in community and as besides, jus moments ago, the class of 1976.

And as I was reminded last night, as connections don't fade, they grow stronger over time and they become one of the most meaningful parts of our profession.

For you graduates, today marks an important turning point.

In this moment, you're surrounde still by mentors and classmates.

Tomorrow, you'll find yourself being the one others look to for guidance and advice.

So you're becoming a role model now.

You don't always feel ready, but you've learned your place in this profession and you're more prepared than you know.

And you know, you can lean o the community you've built here.

You same connections, connections that supported you to this point will continue to sustain you in the years ahead.

And that's important because this is a profession that continues to evolve.

It's one where science and empathy meets, and you're entering it at a time of enormous change and extraordinary opportunity.

You have never been needed more.

So class of 2026.

Go out there tomorrow and make the world a better place.

Congratulations and welcome to the team.

Now, I'm absolutely delighted that one of our alums, Doctor Casey Van Fleet, has accepted our invitation to serve as our commencement speaker.

Class of 2017 graduate of the program.

And also completed his bachelor' degree in animal science here.

So, a true Spartan.

After graduation, we worked in a small animal private practice before funds and founding Omni Vet, a specialty and urgent care hospital in Traverse City.

He and his team have grown the hospital into a dedicate and trusted clinic, known to be empathetic and compassionate to those patients and their people.

Please join me in welcoming Doctor Casey Van Fleet.

Good afternoon.

I'm so thrilled to be here today.

And thank you for and the colleg for inviting me back to taste.

It's truly an honor for the lifetime and honestly, a little surreal.

Especially knowing the people who stood on the stage before me.

And congratulations to the class of 2026.

Seriously, this is a really big deal.

Nine years ago, almost to the day, I was going to be exactly where you are right now.

And if you're like me, you're thinking, Holy crap.

Now I'm I, as some of you might have been chasing this moment entire lives like me.

Elementary school, career day.

I'm going to be a vet.

I'm a kid.

No backup plan, no plan B, just fully committed at age eight.

But here's the thing.

Is everything up until today, that was the dream.

Well, what happens next?

That's where you get to figure out who you actually want to be when you grow up.

Now, I'll be honest with you.

I'm not here to give you a perfect speech because I definitely don't get nervous speeches.

I don't perform surgeries, and I certainly don't run a perfect hospital.

And if you're sitting here thinking, maybe I will, I'll be different.

Just give it a minute, because this job has a has a way of humbling you really, really quick.

It's a lo like the HBO hit series The Pet.

I'm sure you guys have.

You're like Whitaker.

Everything falling apart for about ten minutes in alone for scrubs, after you've covered every bodily fluid known to man.

And one minute you're feeling like a genius.

You just nailed that high.

Because mayb because the key to the bad is so in on the second floor and and you're thinking, oh, yeah, I got this.

Hopefully someone film that fo my future Netflix documentary.

And then you'r in the middle of every Tuesday and suddenly questioning every life choice you made u until this point in your life.

Should have been a librarian.

That's books.

There's no cleaning required.

And no offense to any librarians out there, truly, because I'd much rather manage the education and the duty decimal system.

And then somewhere in the middle of that, you're going to start feeling something.

Imposter syndrome.

And I still feel it.

I'm literally feeling every now and actually a while back, I got a phone call.

But on this particular day, I was what we call a doctor death for the friends and family out there.

Basically, every roo I walked into did not end well.

So I finally sat down on my desk for the first time that day and my phone rings and says, unknown number.

But underneath it it says maybe Kimberly, Dot.

And I remember looking at my phon and thinking, there's absolutely no way D Kimberly Bob the D is calling me right now.

Obviously it's a different Kimberly than and I said, well.

Clearly the skin.

But then 20 minutes later, I checked my email and there was an invitation to be here to give a speech.

And when I realized that that moment is something I still wrestle with, sometimes the world sees something in yo that you can't see in yourself.

And now I could be standing up here and tell you not to forget all those really important lesson you were the first four years.

For me, it was just because that lame rodeo bull.

The owners of that bull tell you she's really nice.

Don't worry.

Like that dog.

Doesn't mean she's not going to chase you.

And doctor, you just down the hallway margin in the middle of the night.

And that really happened.

But when I really want to leave you with is something much simpler.

It's a three piece.

A pet parent.

And the people.

So first of happen, that's your patient.

That's the heart.

That's your training.

The last four years.

That's your wife.

That part i when I was for nine years ago.

And I'm part of you and me and all of us.

But that's not the whole story.

Because every that comes with a second.

And that's the pattern here.

And that person brings in more than just an animal.

They're bringing in love sometimes guilt, fear, hope and often financial limitations.

And you're going to sit across from them and walk them through options.

Give your recommendations.

And in those moments, I want you to remember this.

We all make choices.

Every single one of us.

Some of those choices might look like combat in an exam room and immediately charging.

But just in case.

Because the truth is, these aren't perfect choices.

Are always easy choices.

Just human ones.

And here's why that matters.

Choice shouldn't be the end of conversation.

It's not a failure.

It's not a dead end.

And it's definitely not a reason for harshness.

It's a starting point because our job is not to control the choices that the parents make.

Our job is to guide the with honesty, with compassion, and with the kind o vulnerability that builds trust.

And sometimes it's as simple as a small shift in language fro yes to yes and yes to concerns.

Here's why I think it matters for you.

Yes, I can se this is out of reach right now.

And let's figure out what we can do.

Because when you do that, you're not closing the door.

You're opening it to someone.

And sometimes that small shift makes all the difference.

Not just for the pet, but the person sitting across from you who just didn't feel like it.

And that means a third to the people on our team.

I've been there and nurses our assistance from mentors and mentees and especially the other veterinarians.

The ones on the street, the ones across the state, the ones across the world.

We're all fighting the same.

Fighting.

Don't tear each other down.

Never burn.

And always assume at the time.

Because this job, it's hard enough without making it harder on each other.

And that's something I've tried to build in my hospital community in Traverse City, Michigan, a place that doesn't just take care of us, but takes care of the people doing.

And when that really shows up and it will, there will always be no people second guessing people.

People question you.

Just remember they weren't in that exam room.

They didn't feel the weight of that moment.

They weren't sitting across from that family and they didn't have to make that call.

Don't let their voice become louder than your values.

Stay grounded in their mission, because if you do that, the rest will follow.

The medicine will come.

The confidence will come.

The way you connect with people will grow.

Your reputation will take care of itself.

And one day you'll look back and realize you never knew all that noise in the first place.

And by the way, part of that third team of people that includes YouTube, because no one really prepare you for the weight of this job.

And you will feel it.

You'll feel it when you stay away from the three weekends, retiring in unison and saving up for weeks just to walk through your front door.

And in that moment, you'll realize this isn't just about the medicine.

This thing we all do for living in and out of matters, in ways you can't measure but you're feeling your heart.

You'll also feel it when you finally take i after neurological disorders on.

And the GDP comes in at 430 on Friday.

And part of you think I should be there.

People are going to ask you, how do you do it all?

Honest answer.

You don't you can't.

But that's not a failure.

That's life.

Because it's career.

This is the life that we all share.

Like anything meaningful is a series of choices.

Sometimes you choose to stay.

Sometimes you choose to go home.

Sometimes you're goin to choose the pattern a parent.

Sometimes you're going to choose your family.

And none of those choices make you a bad veterinarian or a veterinary nurse.

They make you a human one.

And being human beings is two.

You're going to get things wrong.

You're going to carry cases long after they're gone.

You're going to question yourself.

So when that happens, be honest about it.

Learn from it.

Sit in the discomfort, but don't stay stuck there.

Be unrealistically self-forgiveness and take the lessons and bring as you walk out of here today.

You're going to start building a career and a life.

But more importantly, you're going to start to do more.

And I'm telling you right now, it's not going to be defined by how many cases you solve or how much you produce.

It's going to be defined by the smaller moments.

Those choices, the choices that shape the kind of veterinarian, the veteran nurse you become, but also the kind of person who becomes.

So choose kindness over, yo know, choose to be vulnerable.

Instead of pretending you have all the answers.

Choose courage.

It's especially when it's uncomfortable to choose to show up, even when you're not sure you're ready.

Because that's what everyone in this room is actually doing.

Congratulations, class of 2026.

Now go make the choice to take care of one another.

Thank you, Doctor Van Fleet, for those inspiring words.

I think they been home for a lot of us in a lot of different ways.

We're very proud to have you as an alumni of this class.

All right.

At this time, I would like to introduce Taylor Epp, associate dean o the behavioral Nursing program.

Taylor.

Good afternoon.

I'm Taylor Epp, the associate dean of the veterinary nursing program.

And I'm truly honored to be here with you today as we celebrate our graduates and their remarkable achievements.

Before we even begin conferring awards, I'd like to take a moment to share a brief overview of the veterinary nursing degree at Michigan State University.

Students in the veterinar nursing program may earn either a Bachelors of Science or a certificate.

A Certificate of Completion in Veterinary Nursing.

Both reflect successful completion of a university approved and accredited curriculum.

This afternoon, we have three candidates who will be awarded the Certificate of Completion and 29 candidates who will graduate with a Bachelor of Science.

We are also joined by two students being awarded a Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Medicine.

This unique degree recognize students who entered our Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program prior to finishing their undergraduate studies, by completing foundational DVM coursework.

They have fulfilled the requirements to earn their bachelor's degree concurrently with their professional training.

To the families and friends joining us today.

Thank yo for your encouragement, support, and believe that our graduates have been instrumental.

You stood by them through the long nights of studying, early mornings at clinics and all the challenges in between.

Their success in your success to our faculty staff benefited veterinary nurses and veterinarians.

Thank you for your mentorship, guidance and inspiration.

You provide every single day you are shaping the future of veterinary medicine, one student at a time.

And to our graduates, as you leave the ceremony and take your steps forward, I hope you carry with you the mission we have tried to instill in each of you.

Learn to discover and protect.

Never stop learning.

Be brave enough to explore new paths and discove your unique partner in medicine.

Use your skills every day to heal and protect both your animal patients and the people who love them.

We are incredibly proud o the professionals you've become through your dedication, passion, and perseverance have brought you to this moment and they will carry you far beyond it.

So now take that determination, your knowledge and our belief in you and go make a difference.

Continue to elevate our profession.

On behalf of all of your future patients, their families, and the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Thank you for choosing this path as your life's work.

Congratulations, graduates, you did it!

And at this time, I would like to introduce two instructors in our veterinary nursing program, Gina Kelly and Maggie.

They will presen each of the veterinary nursing candidate for individual recognition.

And.

(Conferral of degrees reading graduate names) It is now time to recognize each of the graduates of our Docto of Veterinary Medicine program.

To help us with this.

It's my pleasure to introduce two of their professors.

Docto Christy Bow, the class of 2022.

Next class advisor and docto Matt Beal, teacher of the year.

Who will present each graduate diplomas will be presented as they cross the stage assisting with the hooding.

Our faculty member is chosen by the DVM, US 2026 doctor Steven Carey, associate Dean for Student Engagement and Success, and Doctor David Emery, assistant professor of community medicine.

(Conferral of degrees, hooding, and reading graduate names) (Conferral of degrees, hooding, and reading graduate names) Are members of the class of 2026.

Please stand.

Trustee of our.

Please join me.

Oh.

All right.

Class of 2026, on behalf of Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz, who has delegated to him the authority of the state of Michigan vested in the Board of Trustees, I confer upon you the baccalaureate degree that Mary nursing and the degree of doctor of Veterinary medicine, for which you have been recommended with all of the right and distinctions to which this entitles you.

Today it's a celebration of all you have accomplished and all the goo you're about to do in the world.

You have joined the profession grounded in knowledge, compassion, and service to animals, people and communities.

We are so prou to share this moment with you, and to celebrate the extraordinary journey that has brought you to this day.

Congratulations!

Be seated now for one of our favorite parts of the program, which is hearing directly from some of our graduates.

It's customary for two candidates to represent their classmates and share their thought on their educational experience.

But the family, friends, and faculty in attendance.

Our first attorney, nursing speaker, is Joe Gallagher.

Joe is the presiden of the student chapter of NAFTA and sits on the College Advisory Committee and Student Advisory Committee as a Veterinary nursing student representative.

He's completed his clinical rotations over the summer, and Joe plans to work at the MSU Veterinary Medical Center upon graduation.

Please welcome Joe Gallagher.

Good afternoon and welcome, faculty, families, friends and the graduates of the College of Veterinary Medicine and particularly those of the in nursing program.

Today we celebrate a group of people who chose a profession rooted in compassion, courage and love so deep it becomes a calling.

Many of us began to dress simply because we adore animals, but we stand here now as professionals who understand something far greater the science that saves lives, the responsibility of speaking for those who cannot speak, and the profound impact our work has on every family who trust us through a beloved companion.

Our time at MSU, has shaped us in ways that we may not fully realize yet mastered anatomy, pharmacology, radiology anesthesia, clinical practice.

We learned how to stay here has sharpened our judgment and trust their instincts.

We discovered how to comfort a trembling patient and sometimes what on earth?

The spiritual matters that meant that healing is rarely simple and that teamwork is essential, and that every creature, no matter how small, deserves a full heart.

We also learned resilience.

We pushed through earl mornings, late nights, difficult exams, and clinical rotations that stretches to our limits.

We celebrated triumphs, key losses, and supported each other when the days felt heavy.

That community, our people, remaine one of our greatest strengths.

Long after we leave this campus as spartan with academics, we are stepping into a road that brings both our tenderness and our talent.

We will be the quiet outsiders who keep patients safe and comfortable.

We'll be the visibl presence moderate ministry here.

It's the calm center.

In moments of fear, the ones who notice time change things, everything will be the bridg between science and compassion, between veterinarians and farmers, between animals and the care they deserve.

There are three days of tests for patients and our hearts will also be the moments that remind us why we chose this path.

The first day, a week after surgery, relieved tears of order to soft gratitude in the eye of the life we helped to heal.

Those moments will stay with us through the lens.

They will become part of who we are.

As we leave, MSU will carry the values that shaped us curiosity, integrity, empathy, and a commitment to a kind of work.

As Spartans will show up, stand tall and leave with purpose.

Congratulations Spartan may nurses.

May your future reflect your dedication, your compassion, and your commitment to meaningful service.

Thank you Joe.

Our next speaker is Grace Trax.

Grace has been appointed by her classmates to represent their class and talk about the journey they shared throughout the program.

This spring, Grace received the Board of Trustee Award for Academic Excellence.

She's from Cannesburg Pennsylvania.

Please welcome me in joining Grace to the stage.

Good afternoon.

My name is Grace and I deeply appreciat the opportunity to speak today.

I want to thank all of you for being here to celebrate this accomplishment.

You will not be standing here to receive their diplomas and stepping into the next chapter of our lives without the unwavering suppor of our family, friends, mentors and colleagues.

Thank you for believing in us and empowering us to reach your full potential.

It is difficult to put into words everything that the veterinar nursing program has taught us.

We have gained lifelong friendships, valuable clinical experience, and a vast knowledge base that lays the foundation for us to thrive in whatever area of veterinary medicine we choose.

Part of what makes this program so special is the incredible faculty who work hard to ensure not only that we are prepared to fulfill the veterinary nursing role, but also that we feel understood and supported as individuals and are equipped to handle stress, achieve longevity in this field, and have confidence in ourselves and our abilities.

Whether I was visiting the program office to chat with Maggie about anything, her father blessed us with plans and accommodations yet again, or just needing a Christ hug to get through a tough day.

I was always there with ope arms and overwhelming support.

I was lucky enough to share this journey with my amazing classmates.

Over the past three years we have encouraged each other, learn from each other, and challenged each other to be the best veterinary professionals we can be.

From early morning lectures in the basement classroom to our first times running in a surgical lab to finally stepping on to the clinic floor, we relied on each other and embodied the sense of cooperation that is the cornerstone of veterinary medicine.

To my fellow graduates, I am so proud to be walking across this stage with you.

You are exceptional peopl who will make a positive impact wherever you go.

As veterinary nurses, we are the glue that helps hold the team together.

We are fierce advocates for our patients, but in order to care for them we must care for ourselves too.

This profession is deeply rewarding, but it comes with a unique set of challenges.

Be intentional about prioritizing your well-being and when imposter syndrome sets in.

Think of all that you have overcome and know that you are changing lives every day.

Be the chang you want to see in this field.

And remember that each of u has the power to combat toxicity by contributing to an environment of learning encouragement, and positivity.

Thank you Chris.

I'd like to introduce Doctor Julie Strakota.

Director of Clinical Education, to introduce our DVM program.

Speaker.

I would like to introduce Doctor Morrel Sircha that the president of the class of 2026 and invite her to the podiu to give her commencement speech.

Doctor Sircha.

I'm practicing as a licensed attorney for 20 years before deciding to follow a lifelong dream of becoming a veterinarian, which brought her here to MS College of Veterinary Medicine.

Please welcome Doctor Sircha.

I am Morrel Sircha, and I've been honored to serve as president of this class.

The duties of this rol could not have been carried out without the help of others.

And with that, I have been so fortunate.

Our leadership council is comprised of 15 members.

This class needs to learn roles which added to an already full claim.

They serve as the eyes, ears and beating heart of this class.

Collectively, they is to ensure every voice was heard and every person was represented.

I thank you no for all of your contributions.

To.

I'd also like to recognize our vice President, Cristina Ortiz, and.

There was no decision made or action taken where she was not consulted.

Her guidance and efforts were invaluable to us serving our best interests.

And to Doctor Christopher Thibeault.

Our class advisor also announced our names.

Your open door policy for sage advice was utilized by many.

And your willingness to help when needed is ever appreciated.

At my last address, we were honored as student doctors, coated in white, celebrating the completion of a didactic and our entry into clinics.

Today, I am instead address doctors who, after spending their fourth and final year on the clinic floor, have fully transformed.

Four years ago, we committed to the practice of veterinary medicine, a commitment which has required giving so much of ourselves and in return yields the greatest of returns.

We prioritize our studies, and our focus became what it had to be.

All things medicine, covering multiple species, the demand we met, the sacrifices we made, and the decisio we gave to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to practice best level medicine are difficult to quantify, but one thing is certain everything gained from this journey we have earned.

Our program has a longstanding history of recognized excellence and religious teachings.

We have established strong foundations from which we will build well our formal learning here and today.

Our knowledge acquired will never cease.

As you go into practice, harness your strengths and improve your weaknesses and separate any falters.

There are valuable lessons which play an important role in your growth and development.

Know that achieving greatness in any form requires exposure, experience, and most importantly, time.

This is the goal which will be attained by us all.

Understand that life is not a race and we are all on our own timelines.

Congratulations doctors!

We will now administer the Veterinary Nurses Oath for the veterinary nursing graduates.

Please stand and we will recite the oath together.

Yours to be found in your commencement.

And I solemnly dedicate myself to eating animals and society by providing excellen care and services for animals.

I am an animal suffering.

And by promoting public health, I accept my obligations to practice my profession conscientiously and with sensitivity, adhering to the profession's code of ethics and furthering my knowledge and competence.

Commitment to lifelong learning.

I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.

Congratulations to our veterinary nurses.

And now we will administer the veterinarians.

For the DVM graduates, please stand.

We will similarly recite the As together.

And in the same year commencement programs ready being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine.

I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the preventio and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources.

That the promotion of public health and the advancement medical knowledge.

I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics.

I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.

Thank you.

Our last speaker today is Doctor Elaine Shake, president of the Michigan Battery Medical Association.

She is a 2018 graduate of the College and is associate veterinarian at Animal Emergency Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Please welcome Doctor Elaine Shake.

Good afternoon veterinary doctors and nurses.

And on behalf of the Michiga Veterinary Medical Association, I'd like to extend a congratulations on your achievement.

Welcome to one of the most, in my unbiased opinion, rewarding professions.

Honor.

One more time before we turn our full attention to the future.

I encourage you to look back on the past few years of your education.

Remember the hours that you spent in lecture.

If you're anything like you, you're not a morning person fighting for your life to stay awake and engaged for the time.

If you were like me and didn't have small animal experience that you had to hide in the kennels for 15 minutes trying to figur out how to assemble an e-collar so your classmates wouldn't call you out.

Remember the first I.V.

catheter you got to place and the first coat you ever got to watch?

That moment when you realize that you were doing compressions not on a replica or a model, but on somebody else, that throughout their education.

There were incredible highs, bu there were also profound lows.

When you learned that veterinary medicine was more than diagnosis and treatment.

It's compassion for your patients and the humans that they bring along.

It's about teamwork.

And most importantly, veterinary medicine is about community.

Throughout your education, whether you realized it or not, you leaned on your built in community.

The community that you ha was absolutely core to surviving the rollercoaster of veterinary and veterinary medicine.

School.

Your community.

Conveniently enough kind of fell into your lap over the years that your program, it was comprised of the friends you made on orientation day.

Your first lab partner with the professors and mentor you, and sometimes I kno when I was having a rough day in what was then the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, now known as the Machine.

I would make the community of the small animal reception team because their job was to greet it with a smile, and they graciously enoug extended that to ask students.

I'd walk away from that desk every time, like just a little bit right there.

As you begin your careers there will be incredible highs and there will still be difficult days.

On those difficult days, remember to lean on your community.

It might not be as convenient as walking down to your favorite department or to your mentor's office, and your support system may no longer be a classmate in the apartment.

Next door, but please remember that you are never alone.

You are now part of a profession and a community that stands beside you.

Your local humane organizations like the Michiga Veterinary Medical Association, and that includes our veterinary nurses too, are here to support you and help you grow.

We want to be your new felting community.

We are excited to welcome new colleagues.

Congratulation and welcome to the profession.

Thank you doctor.

Shake.

At this time I would like to than our captioner, Andrea Kleiber.

I would also like to thank the Lansing House.

Your hands and conductors, Steve Sudduth.

Special thanks go to the staff and faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine, along with the center for performing, our staff for planning this joyous occasion.

We will next sing MSU shadows.

After the conclusion of that.

I ask that the audience please remain seated until our graduates have recessed into the Grand Foyer for an opportunity to take photos with friends, family, faculty and a special guest.

Starting.

Classes of 2026.

You did it!

Congratulations again.

(MSU Alma Mater performance) Glad.

To.

(MSU Fight Song performance) Have.

You.

(MSU Fight Song performance)