Class of 2018 Story: The Foundation of an Extraordinary Future

Name: Amanda Szucsik
Hometown: All over the United States, most recently Salt Lake City
Focus: Laboratory animal medicine
Post-graduation plan: Residency in laboratory animal medicine at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

Persistence is the name of the game when achieving a goal. It often takes repeated rejection or failure for the ship specifically destined for your port to sail into view.

This pursuit is not without heartbreak or struggle. The support of key individuals makes all the difference in the world between giving up, and carrying the torch to victory.

Many tight relationships with various faculty mentors stick out as the most memorable aspect of my time at the CVM. These individuals, diverse in their personalities, experiences and clinical specialties, helped build my skill set from the ground up. They shaped my view of the profession and myself.

There are many memorable faculty members, but a few rise to the top: Adam Birkenheuer, small animal internal medicine and infectious disease; Kathy Lunn, small internal medicine, and endocrinology; Greg Lewbart, exotic animal medicine and aquatics; and Mark Papich, pharmacology.

The CVM has provided me with a modern, broad-based clinical education to pursue the specialty of my dreams. Thanks to NC State, I have the theoretical framework and practical skills necessary to approach both familiar and novel clinical problems with confidence and grace under fire.

I owe the faculty, staff and administration of the CVM a great deal. They illuminated my path and showed me the way.

I will be forever grateful for the education and mentorship I received and endeavor to one day make each of these individuals very proud. I owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude — one I fully intend to pay forward in the next phase of my career.

For all you’ve given me, NC State’s CVM, I offer my sincerest gratitude.