11 students pinned at Blinn Veterinary Technology Program ceremony

Blinn is the only community college in the state to offer labs and clinicals at Texas A&M’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital

May 9, 2024

Eleven students were honored Wednesday, May 8, with a pinning ceremony marking graduation from the Blinn College District Veterinary Technology Program.

Members of the 2024 graduating class were Haley Burgess, Franklin; Emalie Campbell, Fulshear; Georgia Erwin, Shiner; Micaela Garza, Caldwell; Emma Hawkins, Hallettsville; Katlyn Janicki, College Station; Amber Knapp, Spring; Melanie Munoz, Hearne; Michelle Scheid, Porter; Sara Schey, Lubbock; and Emma Tatsch, China Spring.

“I’ve always loved animals,” Campbell said. “I’ve wanted to be a veterinary technician since my junior year in high school. There is definitely a lot of hands-on learning and the classes helped a lot, learning about behavior and what to look for when you’re treating animals.”

Campbell plans to work in a small animal hospital.

“I am incredibly proud and excited to see these amazing girls begin their journey into the veterinary field,” said Program Director Jessica Garza. “This class was a joy to teach, and they have grown and prospered throughout the program. I have no doubt each of them will do great things in the profession.”

Blinn’s Associate of Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology is one of only 11 accredited programs in Texas. It prepares students to become fully credentialed licensed veterinary technicians.

With small classes and dedicated faculty, Blinn veterinary technology students benefit from the College’s partnership with the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Science & Biomedical Sciences. That relationship gives 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’s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital .

The program prepares Blinn graduates for several animal-related fields, including veterinary clinics, animal shelters, educational institutions, government agencies, laboratories, and research facilities.

Blinn offers two pathways toward an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Veterinary Technology – a traditional two-year program in which courses and labs are completed on the Bryan Campus and its blended, three-year program in which courses are completed online and labs are completed on campus.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for veterinary technicians was $43,740 in 2023. Between 2022 and 2032, the demand for veterinary technicians is expected to grow 21%, creating an additional 25,200 jobs nationwide.

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