Blinn Veterinary Technology Program recognizes 15 graduates with virtual pinning ceremony

Graduates' first-time national board examination pass rate remains No. 1 in Texas

July 2, 2021

The Blinn College District recently recognized 15 Veterinary Technology Program graduates with a virtual pinning ceremony.

One of just 10 accredited programs in Texas, Blinn’s two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology prepares students to become fully credentialed licensed veterinary technicians (LVTs).

Blinn’s graduating class includes: Jourdan Anderson (Blooming Grove), Mi’Kendria Banks (Cedar Hill), Korrin Benson (Houston), Bailey Bull (Conroe), Jason Burdick (Richmond), Cassie Godfrey (Bryan), Nicole Gregston (Lubbock), Briana Haas (Hallettsville), Haley Hernandez (Mesquite), Samantha Lowe (Iola), Brian Okosun (Spring), Sabryna Scott (Sour Lake), Kellye Stillwell (Sour Lake), Alice Yount (Waco), and Olivia Zdeb (Brenham).

“These graduates are highly sought after and many completed the program with multiple job opportunities in hand,” said Dr. Catherine Pfent, Veterinary Technology Program Director. “Under the guidance of our dedicated faculty, these students tackled our comprehensive curriculum to graduate with the tools and training necessary to excel in the animal healthcare field.”

Blinn ranked No. 1 for the second straight year among Texas community colleges in preparing its students to pass the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE), one of two tests required to become an LVT. Over the past three years, Blinn graduates averaged an 88.5% first-time pass rate on the VTNE.

“The abundance of knowledge my classmates and I received during our two years in the program prepared us to expand into any specialty in veterinary medicine,” said Kellye Stillwell, who served as president of the 2021 Blinn Veterinary Technology Student Organization. “All of my instructors brought vast experience and wisdom into the classroom, which helped prepare me for my current position as a diagnostic clinical pathology technician for the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. I am extremely proud to say I was taught at one of the nation’s best veterinary technician programs and I will carry this mastery on for the rest of my career.”

Coupled with small class sizes and dedicated faculty, Blinn Veterinary Technology students benefit from the College’s partnership with Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. This relationship provides students hands-on training in every aspect of the wide-ranging field. Blinn is the only community college that has an agreement to complete laboratories and clinicals at Texas A&M University’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital.

Upon completion of the program, graduates are prepared for careers in animal shelters, educational institutions, government agencies, laboratory facilities, research, veterinary clinics, and zoological facilities, to name a few. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterinary technicians earn a median salary of $36,260 per year. Employment opportunities have expanded as veterinarians increasingly rely on technicians and technologists to perform general care and laboratory work. Between 2019 and 2029, the demand for veterinary technicians is expected to grow 16%, creating an additional 18,300 jobs nationwide.

Due to Blinn’s reputation for excellence and a statewide shortage of veterinary technicians, program graduates often accept jobs prior to graduation and many have multiple opportunities to choose from.

For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/veterinary-technology.