(Music Playing) Good afternoon, and welcome to the best day of the year.

Please stand for the national anthem presented by the Lansing Concert Band.

Directed by William Blythe.

(National Anthem Playing) Please be seated.

In recognition of the land where we teach and learn, I will read the MSU land acknowledgment.

We collectively acknowledg that Michigan State University occupies the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary land of the nishinaabeg Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples.

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

We recognize, support, and advocate for the sovereignty of Michigan's 12 federally recognized Indian nations for historic indigenous communities in Michigan, for indigenous individuals an communities who live here now, and for those who are forcibly removed from their homelands.

By offering this land acknowledgment.

We affirm indigenous sovereignty and will work to hold Michigan State University accountabl to the needs of American Indian and Indigenous people.

Hi everyone.

On behalf of Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine the faculty, staff, and alumni, I am delighted to extend warm congratulations to all of the graduates, their families and friends.

Welcome to the 2025 Commencement Ceremony.

My name is Kim Dodd and I'm Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, and I'm very excited to share this day with you.

I'd like to start by introducin members of the Platform party.

Please hold your recognitio until all have been introduced.

Doctor Ian Moore commencement speaker and alumnus of the MSU Anatomic Pathology Residency.

Doctor Matthew Hines, president, Michiga Veterinary Medical Association.

Taylor Epp assistant dean, Veterinary Nursing Program.

Doctor Victor DiRita chair, Department of Microbiology, Genetics and Immunology.

Doctor Ann Dorrance.

Chair, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

Doctor Sarah Jacob, director of outcomes assessment.

Doctor Kelly Meyers, executive director, Veterinary Medical Center.

Doctor Bo Norby, senior advisor to the Dean.

Doctor Brian Petroff, interim executive director, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

Doctor Julie Strachota director of clinical education.

Doctor Victoria Watson, director of preclinical education.

Doctor Steve Kerry, professor, Department of small animal clinical sciences.

He was selected by the class of 2025 to hood them.

Doctor Matt Beal, professor, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences.

He was also selected b the class of 2025 for hooding.

Doctor Rob Fowkes, a chair, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and interim associat dean for Professional Education.

And Doctor Annette O'Connor, interim associate dean for student engagement and success.

I would like to invite all of the faculty members in attendance as platform party members and in the audience to stand for recognition.

Please be seated.

All right.

Good afternoon and welcome again to the Michigan State Universit College of Veterinary Medicine.

Classes of 2025 commencement ceremony.

It is a joy and a privilege to stand before you today celebrating your incredible accomplishments.

At my first commencement as Dean to the DVM and Veterinary Nursing Classes of 2025.

Congratulations!

You have worked so hard to get to this moment, and today you are officially veterinary professionals and I am so proud to call you colleagues befor you rush into the next chapter.

Take a beat.

Look around you.

We are surrounded here by people who have been with you every step of the way.

The journey wasn't easy.

You didn't do it alone.

Be sure to thank them an hold on to those relationships.

They'll continue to shap your professional lives in ways that you can't yet imagine.

You see, ours is a profession that's built on connection.

The people around you today, those who mentored you, encouraged you, challenged you.

Many will remain in your life for decades to come.

You will run into them in conferences and you will call them for advice.

So support each other, because while your path is uniquely your own, this is a field where we thrive together.

Speaking of paths.

Yours might not look like the one you envisioned on the first day of vet school or vet nursing school, and it may continue to evolve in the years ahead.

That's the beauty and th versatility of our profession.

When I sat where you are now, I never thought I'd be here.

I've been a small animal clinician, a bench scientist, a public health responder, and now a dean.

I've worked in vet clinics and international labs in tents and Africa running diagnostics for Ebola.

I did research in high security labs, CDC in Palm Island, and led the greatest veterinary diagnostic laborator in the world, right here at MSU.

Before stepping into this role, every chapter was valuable.

Every one of them taught me something new about the profession and about myself.

And what I've learned is best veterinar medicine is not a single career.

It's a foundation for a thousand different adventures.

You may find yourself in private practice, academia, industry, government, research, advocacy.

You might work in a clinical specialty in food safety, space medicine, wildlif conservation, or global health, and you might not yet know what your contribution will be.

And that's okay because I know it will matter.

As I look out and all of you today, I see endless opportunity, not just in where you'll go, but now you'll shape the world around you.

For some of you, that impact may be felt far from home.

For others, it'll be deeply personal.

One animal one family, one farm at a time.

Each of those are woven into the fabric of our profession, and each reflects its versatility.

So stay open.

Say yes to opportunities that scare you.

Some of the most meaningful work in this profession happens when we step outsid our comfort, our comfort zones, and realize this as newly minted veterinary professionals.

People will look to you now for guidance, for care, for leadership.

Your role models now, you won't always feel ready.

I can promise you that.

But the truth is, you are.

You've earned your place in this profession, and you're more prepared than you know.

Lead with compassion, with curiosity, and with humility, and never lose sight of why you chose this path in the first place.

To make a difference in the lives of the animals, peoples, and communities we all share.

And this is a profession that will continue to evolve.

It's one where science and empathy uniquely meet.

You're entering our profession at a time of enormous change and extraordinary opportunity.

You've never been needed more.

So, class of 2025.

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

Congratulations and welcome to the team.

Thank you.

Now, I am most delighted to introduce Doctor Ian Moore as our class of 2025 commencement speaker.

Docto Moore is a graduate of Tuskegee Universit College of Veterinary Medicine, and he completed his residency in anatomic pathology and his PhD at Michigan State University in partnership with the National Institutes of Health.

After completing his graduate studies, he became chief of the Infectious Disease Pathogenesis Section within the National Institute of Health, where his collaborative research efforts spanned several infectious disease processes.

One of Doctor Moore's most notable research accomplishments was his role in directin and performing the pre-clinical pathology, safety, and efficacy studies for the NIH.

Moderna covered Covid 19 vaccine, ushering the vaccine candidate into human clinical trials and then FDA approval.

He's currently director of the division of pathology at the Emory National Primate Research Center.

He's received several awards and recognitions for his contributions to science and education.

And it is my pleasure to introduce Doctor Moore.

So I'm going to pause for a second, say good afternoon.

And I want to response back.

Good afternoon.

All right.

There we go.

There we go.

So I want to say good afternoo to the graduates to, Dean Dodd, the faculty, all the distinguished guests that are up on the stage with me today.

Michigan State to me, has a special place.

I have been here for the last three, maybe three and a half days driving around the campus, kind of reminiscing.

so.

And one thing that I actually forgot to mention to Dean Dodd is that 18 years coming in July, I will have been married to my wife.

And we got married on th in the alumni chapel on campus.

So I'm, I mean, so education love everything.

Everything at Michigan State means a lot to me.

So first, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who felt it important for me to speak to you today.

I have your attention for the next few minutes, and I'm going to do my best to make sure that you leave with something important.

So my words, my advice, my stories will b some of the last things you hear as students before you step out into the real world and hereafter.

Those words will guide most of the decisions you'll make in your life.

No pressure.

Pressure.

So I graduated from undergrad, from visionary school, from PhD programs.

And honestly, I'll be honest, I struggle to remember some of the speeches I struggled to remember.

Now, was it because they weren't good?

Was i because they weren't impactful?

No.

It reflects the things that were racing through my mind.

The things that I was thinking about, how important that day was to me, how important the day was to the people who came from near and far to celebrate.

So I would like to take a moment to pause here.

And I want to and I'm gonna let the parents and the graduates who appreciate this.

I want to take a secon for everybody to applaud first the graduates for their very, very hard work.

They've accomplished so much, and you have nothin but the world in front of you.

And also, for those loved ones that are here to celebrate with you.

I want you to applaud them as well.

So right now, go ahead and get it out and applaud and appreciate it.

Thank you.

So with these past commencement experiences in mind, I will keep my words light to the point and hopefully 1 or 2 things that I say will, in fact, help you along the way.

You are our future DBMs and visionary nursing professionals.

You will mean so much more than you will ever know.

To people you have yet to meet.

You have chosen a career path that is both narrow and challenging, but it can be gratifyin and you will be admired by many.

Your intellect, compassion, and candor will bring peac and comfort to some of the most the people in some of the mos difficult times in their life.

And I know that you have been trained because you have been trained at the Michigan Stat University College of Medicine.

And so I'll take a second to say go Green.

Okay.

All right.

That worked so much better.

And that worked so much better than I thought it was going to work.

So I appreciate that.

So from this day, you will often be some of the most educated, interesting and broadly trained people.

Wherever you go, in whatever spaces you find yourself in.

But be sure to meld this accomplished educational repertoire with spirit of service and humility.

With this tool set, you will be certain to go even further and higher than you have ever imagined.

As you ascend to new height in life, find your North Star.

Stay fixed and focused on it.

It is important to move through life slowly, intentionally and methodically and leave in your wake.

Kindness, encouragement, respect, reliability and honesty.

Wherever you go.

Our chosen path in life creates waves that break off our bow.

They go out far beyond what we can see, and often we probably think they go out and they just dissipate.

But in fact, they contact people, things, situations, and based on how you send them out.

In other words, the spirit in which you or your intention that they were generated with, whether they be malevolent and erratic or whether they be benevolent and calm, they will often return to you in that very same way.

Well let me share a quick and recent example of how one of these waves came back to me.

But before I do, I want to set the stage by my small excerpt from a poem, one of my favorite poems.

If by Rudyard Kipling.

In the poem, there's a part that says, if you can walk with kings, walk with you.

You can talk with crowds.

Win or lose the los that if you can walk with, talk with crowds and keep your virtue or walk with kings.

Nor lose the common touch.

And it goes on to say, yours is the earth and everything that is in it, and which is more.

You'll be a man, my son.

So remember communication.

I want to focus on that.

So one of the most valuable assets, as veterinarians and vendor and nursing professionals you will have is your ability to communicate with everybody clearly.

Honestly, effectively and with compassion.

You never know who is in your audience and how your message will affect them.

It may be explaining a procedure, helping someone through the impending loss of a pet, or simply listening.

And when you get your degrees, look at the fine print because it says that you will automatically be required to perform the duties of a psychologist and a social worker.

This this is this is real.

So as I begin to close, I want to leave you with one story.

During the pandemic, I worked feverishly on the Moderna NIH vaccine.

I was trying to do these pathology assessments and get this information back ahead of submission to FDA for approval.

And after the initial approva process, emergency use approval, I was asked to speak to communities that may have failed.

Felt a little bi reluctant to to get vaccinated.

In that course I spoke to thousands of people.

One call.

In fact, I had probably 30,000 people on the call.

It's really hard to do, very personal conversation with 30,000 people.

But we did it.

But an effort to educate people on how vaccines work.

I wanted to make sure they had they were informed and could protect themselves from severe disease.

Now, during that time, I had many conversations with some of the smartest people on the planet about vaccines about viruses, about immunology.

But then in making myself open to communicating to groups, I spoke and I spoke.

I spoke to large groups.

I spoke to small groups.

But fast forward five years later, literally earlier this year, I was at a visionary meeting and an older gentlema was standing next to students, and he was talking to them abou careers in visionary medicine.

And and I didn't think anything of it.

So one of the students noticed me and said, Doctor Moore.

And he heard the students say my name, and he almost reflexively came over to me and said, you're your doctor anymore, right?

I said, yes.

He said, I want to thank you.

And I pause for a second.

I was like, thank me for what?

And he said, well, during the pandemic, you took time to spea to my small church congregation.

He said because of that conversation, he said, a vast majority of my elderly congregation got vaccinated.

He said this to me and he thanked me again.

I walked away, I found a quiet place.

I sat down, I had to digest what it just happened and I became overwhelmed with this surreal feeling of having hel someone that I may never meet.

Whether it's two people or 2 million people, I help someone feel more comfortable about making a decisio that may have saved their life.

So as you sit here today, your waves are just beginning to break off the bow of your ships, where those waves go, who you help and the way they return is up to you.

You have all the tools that you need to go and do great things, and great things you will surely do.

I am proud to have the opportunity to share with you advice and stories.

Although you may forget, you may forget me as completely fine.

But don't forget the message.

You always understan that you have the ability to go well beyond what you see righ now, and I want you to take that with you and do the best you can.

Represen Michigan State in the fullest.

And with that, I want to wish the best in every aspect of your personal and professional lives.

And I want to sa congratulations again to the DVM and Veterinary nursing students.

Class of 2025.

May the waves you create b broad, soothing, and impactful.

And may they return in that very same way.

Thank you.

Thank you, Doctor Moore.

At this time, I would like to introduce Taylor Epp, assistant dean of the Veterinary Nursing Program.

Taylor.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

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

And I'm truly honored to be here with you today.

As we celebrate our graduates and their remarkable achievements.

Before we begin conferring awards, I'd like to take a moment to share a brief overview of the veterinary nursing degrees being awarded this afternoon at Michigan State University.

Students in the veterinary nursing program may earn either a Bachelor of Science or a Certificate of Completion in Veterinary Nursing.

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

This afternoon, two candidates will be awarded the Certificate of Completion and 25 graduates will graduate with a Bachelor of Science.

To the families and friends joining us today.

Thank yo for your encouragement, support and belief in your graduates have been instrumental.

You've stood by the through long nights of studying, early mornings at clinics and all the changes in between.

Their success is your success to to our faculty, staff, clinical 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 this ceremony and take your steps forward, I hope you carry with you the mission we have tried to instill in each of you to learn, discover, heal, and protect.

Never stop learning.

Be brave enough to explore new paths and discover your unique place in veterinary medicine.

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

We're incredibly prou of the professionals you become.

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 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!

At this time, I would like to introduce to each of you the veterinary nursing candidates for individual recognition.

(Conferral of Degrees, Reading Graduate Names) Okay.

Members of the classes of 2025, please stand.

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 yo the degree in veterinary nursing and the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, for which you have been recommended, with all rights and distinctions to which this entitles you.

Today is a celebration of all you have accomplished, and all of the good you're about to do in this world.

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

We are so proud to share this moment with you, and to celebrate the extraordinary journeys that have brought you to this day.

Congratulations!

You may be seated.

And with that, I invite Taylor up back to the podium.

It's customary for two veterinary nursing candidates to represent their classmates and share their thought of their educational experience with the family and friends and faculty in attendance.

Our first speaker is Megan Duncey.

Megan has been appointed by her classmates to represent her class and talk about the journey.

They've all shared throughout the program.

Megan has finished her clerkships and will be working at Isle Veterinary Hospital in Birmingham, Michigan after graduation.

Please join me in welcoming Megan to the stage.

Hello everyone and good afternoon.

Thank you to all the family, friends, classmates, staff and faculty for being here on the day we've been counting down to for years.

My name is Megan Duncey, and I just want to say thanks for sticking with me while I try to put into words everything our amazing veterinary class has been through.

This journey has been rewarding, challenging, and humbling.

But when I think most of u would do all over again to get to where we are now after persona struggles, emotional challenges and more for covered scrubs and we can count.

We've made it.

I'm genuinely proud of each of you for the hard work and dedication it took to be here today, ready to finally get those hard earned diplomas.

When I was applying to colleges, I put all my marbles into one basket.

I grew up as a Spartan and knew this is where I belonged.

I was determined to find a career where I could advocate for animals alongside people with the same goals.

When I stumbled upo the veterinary nursing program, it just felt right.

I'd be able to spend meaningful time with patients and be strong for them when they couldn't be, an expert on the Nursing Explore website states.

Inside the surgery room, the patient is powerless, so the circulating nurse acts as a patient advocate, observing the team from a wide perspective.

I found this role applies t so many of our responsibilities keeping patient's best interests at heart and holding the veterinary team together.

I remember my first I.V.

catheter attempt.

It was basically a train wreck.

I had no experience an my patient was a moving target.

I felt totally defeated but my classmates and professors believed in me muc more than I believed in myself.

I play psych out there in many more sense because of the support and encouragement of my peers and my professors.

That kind of teamwork is at the heart of veterinary medicine.

There's always someone read to guide, reassure and remind us that we're in this together.

One of th first and last pieces of advice we receive from Professo Sarah Thomas has stuck with me.

She said, never look at something that has to be done and say, that's not my job.

Veterinar medicine is not a solo endeavor.

It's all about teamwork.

True success in this field comes from showing up, pitching in and embracing collaboration.

As graduating veterinary nurses, we're stepping into a field where our compassion expertise will truly make a difference.

Beyond medical skills, it' our empathy that changes lives.

We'll see the relief in owner's eyes when they know their pet is in good hands, or witness a powerful bond between humans and animals every day.

What an incredible privilege.

And this is only the beginning.

I believe in each of you.

Your intelligence your kindness and your strength.

There are so many ways to practice veterinary medicin with the skill set we've built.

The beauty of this field is no matter where we go, we can still make an impact.

Our path might shift but our purpose stays the same.

To improve the lives of animals in every way we can.

This achievement isn't just ours.

It belongs to those who supported us, encouraged us, and stood by us.

Our community includes the professors who guided us, the veterinary professionals who modeled compassion, and the friends and family who believed in us.

Fellow graduates thank you for the friendships, the shared struggles, and the unwavering support.

I can't wait for us to get out there and make an impactful difference.

Forever and always.

Go green.

Go White!

Thank you.

Megan.

Our next speaker is Hope Goosen.

Hope is the presiden of the student chapter of NAFTA.

She sits on the college advisory committee and the student advisory committee.

As the veterinar nursing student representative, she is completing her clinical rotations over the summer, and she plans to move back to Grand Rapids and work in a clinic in that area.

Please welcome Hope Goosen.

Good afternoon everyone.

If you were to tell me in high school that I would be speaking in front of an auditorium full of people, I would have laughed.

Public speaking was never my forte.

But if there's one thing that I miss you that nursing program has accomplished is pushing me out of my comfort zone and showing me I can succeed in my weakest areas.

My younger self would not be able to fathom where life has taken me.

My path was anything but typical, with unexpected turns and detours.

But I wouldn't change the end destination for anything.

Your journey may not have been easy or gone how you thought it would go, but yet today we have all found ourselves in the same place.

Everyone should be extremel proud of what they have achieved when the imposter syndrome creeps in.

Remember your why and remember that you have earned your place in this profession.

This past year, I've had the honor of representing the veterinary nursing student as their skin after president, skin after stance for the student chapter of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America.

Try saying that ten times fast.

This club is only available to nursing students and allows them to expand their knowledge on different career paths for veterinary nurses.

Besides general practice.

This year, I have been able to provide multiple opportunitie such as a reptile handling lab, a tour of Potter Park Zoos hospital, a student led a CPR training and learning about local animal blood donation programs.

As president, I sat on multiple committees committees for the College of Veterinary Medicine as a voice for all nursing students.

Being an advocate for my classmates has helped me grow both as a person and in leadership.

It has given me an opportunity to continue building a bridge between the DVM and nursing students, aka the Basement Dwellers.

Today we are celebrating a remarkable achievement, one that has required dedication, passion, and perseverance.

Each of you have spent countless hours studying, practicing, and perfecting the art and science of veterinary.

Listen to my classmates.

Never sa you are just a veterinary nurse.

You were anything but just a veterinary nurse.

You are a phlebotomist, educator, nutritionist, pet advocate, anesthetist and so much more.

Never forget the impact you make and you know that your impact will extend beyond veterinary medicine.

I cannot thank our teacher enough for the valuable lessons that were taught.

You not only taught us everything we need to know about the animal, but also prepared us for life outside the classroom.

Your guidance, patience, and unwavering support have played an invaluable role in shaping who we are as professionals.

We are today.

You taught us how to advocate for ourselves and strive for more.

How to embrace the unknown and conquer our fears, and how to find joy on our toughest days.

Your passion for veterinary medicine has inspired us all, and we will carry your lesson with us throughout our careers.

These experiences will become the stories we will forever remember, and we are unbelievabl lucky to have teachers like you.

Veterinary medicine is more than just a career.

It is a calling.

Is the art and science of healing the ability to diagnose when words cannot be spoken, and the dedication to improving the lives of both animals and the people who love them.

All of us have learned to listen beyond words, see beyond symptoms, and treat not just illnesses, but entire lives.

Congratulations!

2020 class of 2025.

We did it.

As we turn the page to a new chapter.

Let us step forward with confidence, purpose and the knowledge that we are ready.

Ready to heal.

Ready to continue learnin and ready to change the world.

One paw hoof wing or scale at a time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hope.

Thank you, Megan and Hope for those beautiful and inspiring words to introduce the DVM Class President.

Please welcome Doctor Julie Strachota Director of Clinical Programs.

Thank you.

Dean Dodd.

I would like to introduce Doctor Vasya Murphy, president of the DVM, class of 2025, and invite her to the podiu to give her commencement speech.

Doctor Vasya Murphy has been the class of 2025 DVM president for the last four years.

Upon graduation, she will return to her previous place of employment in Dallas in Boston, Massachusetts, to complete a small animal rotating internship in the hopes of pursuing he first dream of becoming a double boarded veterinary specialist in anesthesia and emergency critical care.

Please welcome Doctor Vasya Murphy.

Thank you.

Doctor.Strachota.

Good afternoo and welcome to the commencement ceremony of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

My name is Vasya Murphy.

And actually, indulge me on this first time to say that my name is Doctor Vasya Murphy.

And this will be my final time addressing you all as the Class President for the DVM, class of 2025.

First and foremost, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge everyone who made this day possible.

To the faculty and administration, thank you for your guidance, mentorship, and unwavering support over these challenging and formative years.

To our families and friends.

Thank you for your love and encouragement.

Your faith and pride helped us realize our dreams of becoming veterinarians.

And finally, to my fellow classmates.

Congratulations, everyone!

We did it just.

Our hard work, dedication, and passion have brought us to this day and to this moment.

I would like to you all t reflect on this moment with me, all that we had to accomplish in order to make it here, in the symbolism of the hoods that we now wear about our necks.

The hooding ceremony we just took part in helps us mark the transition from pupil to professional medical practitioner, from novice to initiate, from vet student to veterinarian.

And donning these hoods today, we literally take upon our shoulders the responsibility of our profession and the proof of the strength of our training emblazoned on our backs as we walk will be the shape of the letter V, and the world will know tha the person who wears these hoods and these gowns today are veterinarians.

Growing up as a Greek-American, I have always been taught about the power of mythology and the hidden truths.

Different stories and symbols are meant to teach us.

The letter V, which we proudly wear about our necks today, also appears on the symbo for the veterinary profession, which looks like a staff with a snake around it.

This is the staff of Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of medicine and healing, and the original medical oath swore by his authority to first do no harm beyond the very apt application of this universal symbol of all medicine to the veterinary profession.

We should never forget that Asclepius, according to legend, was himself taught by the centaurs.

And it is the senators who I believe are the best allegory of our profession, straddling both the animal and human worlds Masters of healing and medicine.

The veterinarian must lead by example and take up the staff of Asclepius and fulfill our veterinary oath to heal the world.

At our white coat ceremony.

I emphasize that our white coats are far from one size fits all.

Today, I want to emphasiz how our hoods represent a moment in time that we were united in shared experiences.

Despite coming from diverse backgrounds and experiences.

These past four years hav been a journey filled with late nights, rigorous studies, and countless hours spent mastering the intricacies of veterinary medicine.

Remember the moments of doubt, the struggles to learn complex concepts, and the challenges of balancing academics while also studying for the naveli and trying to maintain a social life.

But also remember the triumphs, the breakthroughs, the friendships forged in th crucible of shared experiences, and the unwavering support of your peers and faculty.

Think and remember about the first time you held a newborn animal, the first successful surgery, or the first tim you truly understood the power of the bond between animals and humans.

As we embark on our careers as veterinarians, remember that we are not just healers of medicine or excuse me, healers of animals, but also advocate for animal welfare, protectors of public health, and leaders in the veterinary profession.

The world needs our compassion, our knowledge and our dedication.

Now more than ever.

Embrace these challenges that lie ahead.

Raise your staff of Asclepius.

Never stop learning.

And always strive to make a positive impact on the lives of animals and the people who love them.

Let our diverse backgrounds inspire us.

Our education and training guide us i the symbols of our profession.

Empower us as we go forward into this next phase with courage and conviction.

Congratulations, class of 2025 doctors.

I am so incredibly proud of all of us, and I want to thank you for entrusting me as your president for the last four years, and wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Never forget we did this together, and I personally look forward to being your colleague and working with you in the future.

Thank you.

Thank you, Doctor Murphy.

We will now administer the Veterinary Nurses oath.

Will the veterinar nursing graduates please stand?

We will recite the oath together, loud and proud.

The oath can be found in the bac of your commencement programs.

I solemnly dedicate myself to aiding animals and society by providing excellent care and services for animals, by alleviating 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 through the commitment to lifelong learning, I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.

You may be seated.

And now we will administer the veterinarians oath.

Will the DVM graduates please stand?

We will also recite the oath loud and proud together.

The oath can be found in your commencement programs.

You ready?

Okay.

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 animals suffering, the conservation of animal resources the promotion of public health, and the advancement of 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.

Well done.

Please be seated.

Now, it is my great pleasur to welcome Doctor Matthew Hines, who's the current president of the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association.

He's a 2009 graduate of th College of Veterinary Medicine and has a private emergenc critical care hospital in McComb for over 11 years.

Please welcome Doctor Hines.

Hi, everybody.

greetings and truly thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today.

I will keep it short, as I don't want to delay the diploma you have been waiting for.

I am Doctor Matthew Hines.

as they said, current president of the Michigan Veterinar Medical Association and a 2009 graduate of the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine.

on behalf of the MVM.

First, I want to congratulate all of the 2025 veterinary nursing and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students for all of your hard work, determination, and the sacrifices you've made to get to this point.

Completing these programs is a huge accomplishment and one that you should be very, very proud of.

I'm primarily primarily here to sing your praises.

you're amazing people, and we honor you here today for your truly remarkable accomplishments.

think about it.

How many species will this actual body of people help?

How many individual animals?

I ask you how many cures and surgeries and new medicines will come from the folks sitting right there?

The numbers are staggering.

If you keep statistics over the years.

That said, I encourage you all to take a momen and reflect on why you did this.

What made you want to be a veterinarian or a veterinary nurse?

Now hold that thought and make sure to keep it close to yo as you head into your careers.

To whatever part of our oh so diverse field you may be joining.

Keep it as your guiding star.

Make it the conscience on which you make your decisions.

I've been a veterinarian for close to 16 years, owned my own air for ten plus, which was quite an adventure during a pandemic.

Let me assure you that deep breath and, well, I can promise you, I never imagined that's where my path would lead.

I'm happy I find continued meeting and fulfillment in what I do, because I did it with a simple wish in my heart to help make the world a better place for animals, their people, my colleagues and our field.

So I conclude with this.

The job you're about to start is not a job.

It's a career lifestyle.

And it won't always be easy.

The exact solution to ever problem won't always be clear.

So find your star, make your wish and let it guide you on your journey.

Also, remember to take some time to have some fun along the way.

Be very open to learning and I assure you your veterinary dreams will come true.

Thank you again and congratulations!

Class of 2025.

Thank you, Doctor Hines.

And with that, that brings us to the conclusion of the 2025, commencement ceremony.

I'd like to thank our captioner, Rhonda Taylor.

I'd also like to thank The, the Lansing Concert Band, and conductor William Blythe.

And a hug thanks to the staff and faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine who helped organize this event in coordination with the Wharton Center.

and for all of you, for joining us for this very joyous occasion.

I hope to see many of you upstairs afterwards for our reception.

But first, please stand and join us in singing MSU shadows.

MSU we love thy shadows When twilight silence falls Flushing deep and softly paling Oer ivy covered halls Beneath the pines well gather To give our faith so true Sing our love for Alma Mater And thy praises MSU.

(MSU Fight Song)