To our newest colleagues from the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Technology/ Veterinary Nursing Classes of 2025: this message is particularly meant for you. To the rest of the amazing people in the veterinary profession- I am grateful every day to work amongst you- the kindest, most compassionate, and most inspiring people on this planet.
Class of 2025: As you prepare to step off the stage and into the next chapter of your careers, I am sure that anticipation, excitement, and perhaps a touch of anxiety are all present. Years of study, hands-on practice, and personal growth have brought you here- to the threshold of becoming graduate veterinary professionals. This moment of profound transformation deserves mindful reflection and connection.
At the Veterinary Leadership Experience (VLE), we often reflect on Viktor Frankl’s powerful words:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
That space- brief, and often fleeting- offers us the opportunity to choose how we engage with the intensity of veterinary education and practice and the unknowns of what comes next. Amid patient care, communicating with colleagues, and graduation celebrations, mindfulness can be the grounding force that allows us to not just react, but to respond with intention.
Mindfulness as a Reflective Practice
Mindfulness isn’t about ignoring life’s challenges; it’s about engaging with them fully and intentionally. When we pause, even for a moment, we can connect with the why behind our journey:
- Why did I choose this path?
- How do I want to show up for my patients, my colleagues, and myself?
- What kind of veterinary professional do I hope to become? Regardless of what I do for my job or career, what kind of person do I want to be?
These questions are invitations to step into the space Frankl describes—to pause before responding and choose a path rooted in purpose.
The Power of Small Moments
One of the most impactful moments of my career happened on the very first day of veterinary school. I remember stepping nervously into the building, scanning faces I didn’t yet know. As I reached the entrance, the CVM Associate Dean was standing there, greeting each of us by name.
Not just a generic “hello,” but my name—my name.
In that moment, I knew I belonged. I mattered. It wasn’t grand or flashy, but it was very impactful, and it stayed with me. That moment of recognition set the tone for my journey in veterinary medicine. It’s a reminder that sometimes the moments that matter most are the smallest ones- the unexpected gestures, the kind words, the genuine acknowledgment of another’s presence.
We all have the agency to create those moments every day. In fact, the choice to be mindful, to pause and respond with intention, is what allows these moments to happen.
Sitting Still Among the Trees
Wendell Berry’s poem, I Go Among Trees and Sit Still, beautifully captures this mindful presence:
I go among trees and sit still.
All my stirring becomes quiet
around me like circles on water.
Amid everything we carry—our hopes, our doubts, the endless to-do lists—there is stillness waiting to be discovered. Berry’s words remind us that when we slow down, we begin to see our fears more clearly. We sit with them. We listen. And in that stillness, what we are afraid of begins to soften. It sings, and we hear its song.
Berry reminds us that stillness is not the absence of movement—it’s the presence of awareness. It’s noticing the small things: a name remembered, a door held open, a smile shared. These are the spaces where connection grows.
Connection as the Heart of Wellbeing
At VLE, we embrace the concept from emotional intelligence that relationships matter. In Positive Psychology’s PERMA model, the “R” stands for Relationships—the heart of both collective and individual wellbeing. The connections you’ve made with classmates, mentors, educators, and clients will sustain you during challenging times and celebrate with you in moments of triumph.
As you step into this new chapter, remember:
- Lean on your community. Veterinary medicine is not a path meant to be walked alone.
- Foster high-quality connections. Engaging in genuine moments of listening, sharing, and presence strengthens your relationships, your wellbeing, and the wellbeing of the people around you.
- Celebrate the journey together. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.
Mindfulness creates the space to pause. Connection fills that space with purpose and belonging. Together, they are the foundation of a thriving veterinary career and a flourishing life.
Stay Connected with VLE
Your journey with VLE doesn’t end at graduation. The community that supported you during those formative experiences remains steadfast. We encourage you to:
- Stay in touch with your VLE cohort. Reach out, share your wins and your struggles, and keep those high-quality connections alive.
- Join the VLE alumni network. Keep building those relationships and supporting each other as you move forward.
- Return as a VLE facilitator. There is no greater gift than illuminating the path for the next generation of veterinary professionals and leaders.
Be the Moment That Matters
As you turn your tassel and step forward into your career, remember that you have the power to create moments of belonging for others, just like the Associate Dean did for me on that first day. It only takes a name remembered, a smile shared, or a pause to listen- to make someone feel like they matter.
In your clinics, your classrooms, and your communities, you have the agency to be that moment for someone else. These small acts ripple outward, building connection, trust, and a shared sense of purpose.
Because in the space between, there is power. In your community and your relationships, there is strength. And in your journey ahead, there is endless possibility.
