Gracee Roberson is a senior working towards a bachelor of science while majoring in animal science, specializing in pre-veterinary medicine at West Texas A&M University. Roberson is from Sherman and is very passionate about supporting those overlooked.
Roberson plans to pursue a career that will help the unheard.
“I want to go to veterinary school and pursue small, companion animal orthopedic surgery or emergency medicine,” Roberson said.
After coming to WT, Roberson’s future career plans were solidified.
“I have wanted to be a veterinarian since I was little,” Roberson said. “Coming to college, being able to shadow different doctors and see everything that science and medicine is able to advance our future just furthered my passion for this field and made me continue wanting to be a veterinarian.”
Roberson plans to help others by caring for their pets.
“Animal health is really super intertwined with public health, whether that’s zoonotic diseases or public mental health, like emotional support animals and everything regarding that,” Roberson said. “So, my field would just be to help limit that from the animal aspect of it and help people’s companion animals.”
One thing Roberson enjoys about her major is the overall environment.
“I would say my favorite thing about my major is being able to be in the classes that are actually what I want to do in the future,” Roberson said. “I get to learn about different types of production within livestock animals, and all the people in my classes have always been really helpful, and my professors are some of the best professors I’ve ever had.”
Roberson chose WT for many reasons.
“I chose WT because it was a cheaper option, had a tight-knit community, and had more opportunities,” Roberson said. “Additionally, being in The Panhandle, there’s a lot of agriculture out here, and since I wanted to pursue a degree in animal science, I thought it was going to be a really good place where there could be concentrated information and education on those types of classes.”
Since coming to WT, Roberson has been able to obtain several opportunities.
“WT has given me opportunities when I think there’s less competition with people here because there’s a little number of class sizes, so I feel like when you’re trying to get that hands-on experience in those labs, at the farm or at the ranch, you get a lot more experience in that aspect,” Roberson said. “Also, I am just being able to have closer relationships with your professors. A lot of my professors know me by name, and I talk to them all the time. I’ve actually been able to do research under them, and that’s been really exciting. I don’t think I would have been able to do that if I went to a bigger university.”
One thing Roberson enjoys about WT is the overall atmosphere.
“My favorite thing about WT is the people,” Roberson said. “I love all the people that I’ve met, and everything that I’ve been a part of, and all the opportunities that it’s given me. I think WT was the perfect place for me to come from as an undergraduate, and it gave me everything I needed to set me up for success in veterinary school.”
Around campus, Roberson is quite involved.
“I am a part of many things,” Roberson said. “I serve as vice president of F1RSTGEN, the president of Iota Omega, and an associate chief justice on the student judicial board of the Student Government Association. I am also a Community Advisor; I am part of the Attebury Honors Program; I am a McNair Scholar, a member of the American Chemistry Society; I work as a lab assistant and previously was a teaching assistant.”
Aside from academics, Roberson enjoys engaging in many versatile hobbies.
“When I’m not doing school work, I just really like to hang out with my friends, go to different sports events, and make the most of my time here on campus with everything that I’m involved in,” Roberson said. “I also like to read, play pickleball or tennis, watch TV and build Legos.”
Once Roberson graduates from WT in May, she will attend Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science to pursue a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine.
Roberson believes you should listen to those around you for guidance.
“Be sure to listen to people who tell you to get involved in life because it gives you so many more opportunities to network and to build experiences outside of your education,” Roberson said. “Just because it is scary or uncomfortable does not mean it isn’t the place that you’re supposed to be.”
