SU College of Ag holds the 2nd annual Vet Explore 2025
Baton Rouge, La. – Nearly 200 high school and college students participated in the Southern University College of Agricultural, Human and Environmental Sciences' (CAHES) 2nd Annual Vet Explore 2025.
The event was held on April 26, 2025 at the Maurice A. Edmond Livestock Arena and Multi-purpose Building for 9th - 12th graders and undergraduate college students are interested in becoming veterinarians.
Vet Explore is the first program of its kind in Louisiana. It provided students with a rare opportunity to gain hands-on experience, engage with professionals, and immerse themselves in the realities of animal care.
J’Kaira Claiborne, a senior from Central High School and Vet Explore second-year participant, said she attended this year event to see the new aspects of the program, and she liked the program’s structure.
“The hands-on part was the most enjoyable aspect of the program,” said Claiborne. “You’re not just sitting in the room being lectured to. We drew blood from goats, we looked at parasites, we did blood spreads, we learned how to do bandages, and were able to do the bandages ourselves,” she expressed.
Claiborne said she plans to use the information she learned from Vet Explore and apply it next year when she enters college.
Karrington Hall, a senior CAHES Agricultural Sciences Pre-Veterinary Medicine major from Baton Rouge, also commented on the benefits of participating in the program. Hall was a participant in 2024. This year, she served as a volunteer for the program.
“Last year we had a lot of really good hands-on experiences with the animals and livestock, pretty much large animals,” said Hall. I think that’s a really good basis for vet school. Being familiar with everything and that will definitely help with vet school,” said Hall, who was recently accepted into the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine.
“This year, I have taken on a new role. This is more of an outreach for more kids to not only learn about the College of Ag, but to also give them the experience, and maybe they would want to come to Southern, go to vet school, or whatever else they would want to do in the College of Ag. This event and the CAHES has shaped me into the person I am today,” explained Hall.
Family drove from as far away as Monroe and Texas to participate in the Vet Explore program.
“This year we didn’t have the funding that we had last year, so we had to fundraise and to see it all come together. It was great,” expressed Dr. Tyra Davis as she reflected on the event. “For me, knowing that even though this is something really small in the bigger scheme of things, knowing that this little thing can plant the seed in a student and it can grow into something beautiful in their career in veterinary medicine. It’s been rewarding to see our hard work pay off. I’m ready for next year! We’re already talking about it,” added Davis.
For additional information on Vet Explore 2025 or for sponsorship information email, vetexplore_info@suagcenter.com.