Blendvetfoundation

09/16/2026

“I had never seen anyone like her before.”

That’s how Laura Flores Barrios described the impact of seeing Dr. Niccole Bruno lead as an Afro-Latina veterinarian.

Laura is an animal science student at UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine preparing to apply to veterinary school. She is also latina. But this story isn’t only about who she is and where she’s going.

It’s about what happened when she saw someone like her help her believe she belonged there. That moment moved Laura to become a Pathway Builder volunteer at our Believe & Belong in Veterinary Medicine® Youth Pathways program — so she could help younger students experience that same sense of belonging.

👉🏾For her, representation became confidence.
👉🏾Confidence can become leadership.
👉🏾And leadership inspired her to create a pathway for the person following in her footsteps.

That’s the ripple effect we’re working to build through our Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine Youth Pathways.

🩺🐱🐶You belong in veterinary medicine.

09/15/2026

When Dr. Niccole Bruno talks about Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine® Youth Pathways, she’s talking about more than career exposure.

She’s talking about access, representation, hands-on learning and helping young people see a future for themselves in veterinary medicine.

In Chula Vista, more than 60 students learned directly from veterinary professionals through immersive VETlab stations in Emergency Medicine, General Practice, Shelter Medicine, Surgery and Zoological Medicine.

These experiences give students a chance to step into the profession, try the work, ask questions and begin imagining where veterinary medicine could take them. 🐾

Thank you to our Pathway Builder volunteers, educators and sponsor NAVC with funding provided in part by the Zoetis Foundation, for helping make this experience possible.

🎥 Watch NBC 7 San Diego share more about the program and the Chula Vista experience.

A free program hopes to expose Chula Vista's underrepresented stude...

09/15/2026

More than 60 students stepped into the world of veterinary medicine in Chula Vista this past Friday— learning directly from real veterinary professionals through immersive, hands-on VETlab experiences. 🐾

Students explored what it’s like to work across multiple areas of veterinary medicine, including:

• Emergency Medicine — CPR, wound bandaging, phlebotomy and IV catheter placement
• General Practice — physical exams, animal restraint, heart and ear health, dental care and 4DX testing
• Shelter Medicine — vaccinations, spay/neuter, microchipping and canine parvovirus
• Surgery — surgical gowning, suturing and fracture repair
• Zoological Medicine — exotic species, animal husbandry and ZooMed care

This is what Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine® Youth Pathways is all about: giving students the opportunity to experience veterinary careers up close, ask questions, build skills and learn from professionals who are already doing the work.

A special thank-you to our Pathway Builder volunteers and educators for showing up, sharing their expertise and helping students see what’s possible.

We’re also grateful to our sponsor NAVC, with funding provided in part by the Zoetis Foundation, for helping make this experience possible.

For some students, this may have been their first time seeing just how many possibilities exist within veterinary medicine.

And sometimes, that first experience is all it takes to open a door. 💛

NBC 7 San Diego

09/10/2026

Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine Youth Pathways is coming to Chula Vista Sept 11! Welcome students, parents, educators and volunteers. Let's do this!

09/10/2026

Our Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine Youth Pathways is coming to Chula Vista for 60+ middle and high school students on September 11. Thanks to NAVC funded in part from a grant from Zowtis Foundation. We couldn't help youth discover careers in veterinary science without parents, educators, pathway builder volunteers and partner sponsors. It takes a village. NAVC Zoetis High Tech Middle Chula Vista

09/10/2026

Tomorrow, we're welcoming middle and high school students to our Believe and Belong in Veterinary Medicine Youth Pathways at High Tech Middle Chula Vista School. They'll discover and explore career paths in veterinary medicine with our immersive VETlabs, education from veterinary professionals, and more. But it couldn't happen without you!

We’re incredibly thankful to the teachers, school counselors, veterinary volunteers and educators, sponsors and partners whose support helps turn that access into hands-on experiences, meaningful connections and new possibilities.

Sponsored by NAVC and funded in part by a grant from Zoetis Foundation.

🐱🐶🩺Chula Vista, we’re ready!

09/08/2026

It takes more than veterinarians to build the future of the veterinary profession.

Veterinary technicians, academic students and faculty, practice managers all across the field all have something valuable to share with the next generation.

Become a Pathway Builder and help students see the many people, roles and possibilities within veterinary medicine.

Volunteer today. Help build what’s next.
📍 Camden, NJ — Oct. 23
📍 Houston, TX — Nov. 14

Know veterinary academic students or professionals who would make a great Pathway Builder? Tag them below or share this post with them.

Southern New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association Texas Veterinary Medical Association UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine

09/02/2026

Sometimes, a young person already knows what lights them up. The challenge is helping them find the experiences that show them what’s possible.

Matt brought his daughter to our Believe & Belong in Veterinary Medicine Youth Pathways program because her love for animals has been clear from an early age. From caring for pets at home to volunteering at a farm animal sanctuary, she’s continued to lean in — and her family has continued to help her explore.

But as Matt shared, finding the right connections and opportunities to experience the realities of veterinary medicine isn’t always easy.

That’s where Believe & Belong comes in.

Our Youth Pathways program gives middle and high school students hands-on exposure to veterinary medicine, professionals who can answer their questions, and a closer look at the many paths available within the profession.

For Matt, the goal was simple: give his daughter another opportunity to discover whether this is the journey she wants to keep pursuing.

“If she’s got a big smile at the end of the day, then I know we did our job.”

We couldn’t agree more. ❤️

Because sometimes belonging starts with one experience, one connection, and one person saying, “Keep going.”

Want to help a young person explore what’s possible in veterinary medicine? Discover more educational resoures with VETtalks. Enroll today, it's free!

08/31/2026

It’s the final day to make your Give 8/28 gift go even further— and your donation to the blendVET® Foundation can help us access additional matching funds, up to 5%!

Your support helps us introduce more young people to careers in veterinary medicine and animal science through hands-on learning, mentorship and experiences that help them see what’s possible.

Make your Give 8/28 gift today. (See comments for link!)

Missed the campaign? Don’t worry — supporting the next generation doesn’t have an expiration date. You can donate to the blendVET Foundation year-round too. (See comments for link!)

08/28/2026

Comment: Give8/28 for DM link.