Class of 2028: Driven by a Passion to Pursue the Missing Piece 

Jeff Meier has always known that he wanted to work with animals. That interest drew him to NC State to study animal science and then fueled a career that included running facilities on commercial swine farms in North Carolina and managing a veterinary clinic.

But something was missing. 

“I went and worked, and I did some things, and I was happy, but it wasn’t as fulfilling as chasing what your life’s passion really is,” Meier said. “It’s really easy to be comfortable. It’s OK to push yourself into a place of discomfort so you can do something that’s going to make you even happier.”

For Meier, that means returning to the classroom after a decade of managing facilities with animals to being the veterinarian directly caring for them. He’ll begin this new chapter as a member of the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine’s Class of 2028.

Finding His Way

Like many students studying animal science, Meier thought about becoming a veterinarian during his undergraduate studies, but the timing wasn’t right when he graduated in 2013. 

“It’s something I considered when I came in, but, really, after four years of undergrad, I wanted to just go out and find my way,” he said. 

Meier took his animal science degree and headed to a commercial swine farm in North Carolina’s Bladen County, working as a management trainee for a year before becoming an assistant farm manager for another farm in Wilson County. 

“It was a sow farm, a breeding farm,” he said. “We could take sows from conception to birth to wean. That was the cycle that we lived within.”

His stint in commercial swine farming was followed by a six-year stretch with the Bartlett Milling Company, where he served as the general manager of a distribution warehouse for the company’s pet and livestock feed. When he and his wife, Kelcey, relocated from Western North Carolina to the Raleigh area for Kelcey’s career as a physician’s assistant, Meier continued to work with Bartlett Milling Company but was eager for something new.

“I wound up doing logistics and just general management support for their big commercial flour milling operation here,” Meier said. “It was 2021 that I walked away from that, and I ended up as a practice manager at a veterinary hospital in Raleigh.”

The new position at the Raleigh Community Animal Hospital was a turning point for the young professional and reignited Meier’s lifelong passion for working with animals.

“I owe them and the doctors a lot for where I find myself now,” he said.

Back to School

Working alongside practicing veterinarians at the clinic was the encouragement and motivation — and push — he needed. Meier wasn’t just sitting in a backroom working on the books. He was invited to be hands-on and part of the care team, including opening a drain valve during a procedure on his first day. 

“The doctors really allowed me as much leeway as I wanted for asking questions, watching what they’re doing, all those kinds of things,” he recalled. “They were never so busy that they couldn’t help me find this path for myself. Their support was really critical.”

Six months after starting at the Raleigh Community Animal Hospital, Meier was back in school while working full-time to finish the prerequisites required to apply to vet school.

“I was shocked at how much easier I found school the second time around because I was dedicated to why I was there and the effort that it takes to do well. It didn’t feel like effort because I felt strongly about what I was doing and why,” Meier said. “When you realize what your life’s passion is, it makes any process to get there easier.”

When it came to choosing a veterinary program, NC State was the best fit and where he felt most comfortable. Meier hasn’t decided whichspecialty he’ll pursue, but the college’s approach to encouraging students to explore different aspects of the field, combined with a strong sense of community, sealed his decision.

Now just a few days away from starting classes and officially kicking off this new chapter, Meier is eager to dive right in. He plans on sharing his experiences from the business side of veterinary medicine with his classmates, but he’s mostly just excited to learn himself.

“I want to take full advantage of it and get as much exposure and experience as I can,” he said. “I’m excited to work and to learn. NC State has world-class faculty and facilities, and to be able to work and learn in that environment is very exciting.”