Excerpted from the article "From Classroom to Career: MSU Graduates Propel into Successful Jobs in Mississippi" by Mary Kathryn Kight
Veronica List was one of more than 100 students who walked across the stage today to receive her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, but her journey to becoming a veterinarian was anything but conventional—beginning with a nearly two-decade career in law enforcement and public health.
Veronica’s dream of becoming a vet began at age three when her cat survived a rattlesnake bite.
She was told she would never get into vet school because she didn't have a perfect GPA, so she chose another path.
Veronica earned a degree in biology from Temple University, followed by a master’s in forensics from the University of Florida. Her career took her to roles with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office in Florida and later with a tech company. Even with a demanding career, she found time to foster animals, volunteer at animal shelters and work as a technician at clinics.
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought an unexpected job loss, Veronica's husband encouraged her to take the time to think about her next move. A Google search introduced her to MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
“I told my husband, let’s give it one cycle, and if I don’t get in, we’ll move on.”
One try was all she needed. On the day she was accepted into the DVM program at MSU, the Florida native and her husband closed on 44 acres in Stateline, MS. Now, she’s transforming a building into the rural community’s only veterinary clinic within 40 miles.
“My husband and I want to give back to Mississippi and our community because they have given us so much happiness and joy.”
As she prepares to open her clinic, Veronica will work part-time at Singing River Animal Clinic with MSU CVM alumni Drs. Katy and Craig Harrell, two mentors she met through the college’s Enhanced Clinical Practicum program.
“One of the things we love about Mississippi is the people. People here are kind and supportive. It’s not just a Southern thing—it’s a Mississippi thing. Out of all the places I’ve been, Mississippi State genuinely cared the most about its students, and because of that, I feel like I got a better education.”
