Vet Med Open House Appeals to Young and Old Alike

Two local boys display the headbands, facepaint, and tatoos they got at the Kids' Tent.
Two local boys, Carson and Cameron, proudly wear Vet Med Open House paraphernalia, including face paint, tatoos, and headbands from the kids' tent.

October 9, 2013

It appears that McDonald's no longer has a monopoly on the marketing strategy that has made the fast-food chain practically a household word. The Vet Med Open House seems to have stumbled upon their secret: "Get 'em when they're young." Like most campus open houses, it's designed to acquaint the public with what their unit does and to recruit students to Illinois…with one notable exception. Instead of targeting mostly high school students and adults, the outreach also appeals to youngsters...of all ages.

The fall 2013 Veterinary Medicine Open House on Sunday, October 6th offered a variety of events that appealed to kids, from getting a tattoo or their face painted; to petting a variety of animals, from dogs, to horses, to 3-week-old pigs; to donning a helmet and becoming an honorary member a large-animal-rescue crew.

Neal Benjamin and 3-week-old pig.
Vet Med student Neal Benjamin holds a 3-week-old pig that was just weaned the week before the Open House.

And the veterinary medicine students who staffed the outreach event seemed to be having as much fun as the kids.

For example, Amy Sneed, a first year Vet Med student in production and food animal medicine, was stationed at the kids' tent making headbands, on which she attached whatever animal ears the child chose.

Does she think the open house had an impact on the youngsters who participated? Sneed says yes.

"I didn't live close enough to the vet school to go to this when I was younger," she says, "but I know that I would have really enjoyed it if I would have had the opportunity to."

Local youngster and Amy Sneed, first-year Vet Med student.
Local youngster wears the elephant-ear headband made by first-year Vet Med student, Amy Sneed.

Sneed, who grew up on a small farm, is enjoying her experience at Illinois so far and has appreciated the exposure to all the different areas of veterinary medicine:

"We have kind of a unique program at U of I. Our first eight weeks were in rotations, so each week we go to a different department. I've been in small animal emergency and ICU; I've been in primary care. I'll be in ophthalmology next week, and then surgery. So it just gives us a really neat chance to get hands-on experience and also see how all the different departments work in the hospital."

Sneed admits that although students are required to participate in the Open House, she enjoyed it. "And it's required, but we get to pick what booth that we're at. So that's the good part about it, because we can pick things that we like to do."

Vet Med student Josh Good and pit bull Kevin have a moment with a young visitor to the Open House.
Grinning from ear to ear, pit bull Kevin, supervised by Vet Med student Josh Good, enjoys a moment with a young visitor to the Open House.

Third year veterinary medicine student, Josh Good, on a crusade to change the reputation of pit bulls, introduced the youngsters to Kevin in attempt to "give them an idea of how pit bulls can be, and how they're just really sweet, loving, great dogs."

Another popular stop for petting was Snowbird, a mare with a flowing white mane. When a child commented about how soft Snowbird was, her handler, first year Vet Med student Emily Wechter indicated that the day before, the mare had been given a bath to get spruced up for the big event.

Wechter was particularly struck by visitors' curiosity: "I loved working at the Open House...it was fun sharing not just our knowledge but, most importantly, showing the community what exactly we do here. It's extremely rewarding to be able to talk about things I am so passionate about to people who are interested in what I have to say. I thought most people would be coming through Open House just to pet some animals and look around. I was surprised to find that the majority of those who passed through my booth, both adults and children alike, were reading the signs and diagrams we hung up. They were examining parasites and skulls we had on display. Many were eager to ask questions and find out more. I loved that!

Emily Wechter and Snowbird
Vet Med student Emily Wechter and Snowbird.

According to Wechter, the purpose of Open House is to show the public what truly goes on inside an animal hospital: "Vet med isn't just about petting kittens and puppies (although we do love to do that); it's investigating, memorizing, examining, diagnosing, treating. We are doctors, and our patients cannot communicate with us to tell us what is wrong. I think a lot of people don't grasp that, nor do they grasp the variety of species we must be familiar with. We are radiologists, surgeons, oncologists, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, and I think Open House does a great job of demonstrating this. Open House gives the public a taste of what it takes to be a veterinarian."

Does she think any of the kids who visited the Open House will end up being veterinarians? "Sure," replies Wechter. "I think that some of the kids that come will end up being vets. I was once one of those kids!

Wechter also adds a caveat: becoming a vet is also a lot of hard work: "But I know that most don't quite understand that there is much more to the profession than petting animals and maybe giving a shot or two. You must have a certain passion to become a vet—to put in all the time and effort it takes to get here—and I think there are a select few that have it."

First year Vet Med student Lindsay Andsager, who helped with the large animal rescue exhibit, reports: "I absolutely loved working the open house. It was incredibly rewarding, and spending the day educating and interacting with the groups of children and families on ambulance medicine was a blast."

For those who want to be sure not to miss the Vet Med Open House next year, the date has already been set: October 5, 2014. Mark your calendars!

Story and photographs by Elizabeth Innes, Communications Specialist, I-STEM Education Initiative.
More: K-12 Outreach, Vet Med, Vet Med Open House, 2013

Vet Med student interacts with young visitor to the Large Animal Emergency Rescue station at the Vet Med Open House.
Vet Med student Lindsay Andsager interacts with a young visitor to the Large Animal Emergency Rescue station during the fall 2013 Open House.




SOLIDarity EXperiences (SOLIDEX) through the Eyes of Children

What do children aged 11-13 in two countries think about solidarity?
Full Story

Students launch ASL STEM Vocabulary App Company

Students launch ASL STEM Vocabulary App Company
Full Story

Innovation, Inspiration on display at the Undergraduate Research Symposium

Undergraduate Research Week took place April 23-29, 2023, and culminated Thursday, April 27, 2023
Full Story

What would you like to see – 3D printers? Magnets? Solar-powered racing cars? Robobrawl?

March 28, 2023
EOH occurs Friday, March 31, and Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Full Story

Tour of Illinois’ Materials Research Lab through I-MRSEC sparks Franklin students’ interest in Materials Science

March 1, 2023
Students from the Champaign middle school had a tour of the Material Research Laboratory (MRL) in early February.
Full Story

Nobel Project’s End-of-Year Zoom Bash Recaps Learning

February 1, 2022
The STEM Illinois Nobel Project held a special, end-of-the-year Zoom event celebrating its participating students’ achievements.
Full Story

It’s not magic, it’s physics

January 26, 2022
In Franklin STEAM Academy, Musical Magnetism program makes STEM fun, approachable.
Full Story

Program prepares STEM educators to teach all students

November 30, 2021
This summer, a group of educators gathered to learn about engaging STEM activities they can do with their students.
Full Story

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program

November 11, 2021
Undergrads get a taste of research through I-MRSEC’s REU program.
Full Story

Goldstein’s Renaissance Engineering Summer Camp

November 1, 2021
Goldstein’s Renaissance Engineering Summer Camp Incorporates Art, Design, Mechatronics, and Mentoring
Full Story

TechTogether Chicago to Redefine the Hacker Stereotype

July 10, 2021
New workshops that can help inspire students to pursue careers in technology..
Full Story

Aerospace Engineering Launches Virtual Summer Camps to Pique Students’ Interest in Aero.

July 2, 2021
Design an aircraft then watch it soar after launching it with a huge rubber band. Build a Mars lander to safely transport a real egg, then test the contraption by dropping it from a second story window.
Full Story

Undergrads Experience Materials Science Research Courtesy of the I-MRSEC REU

June 16, 2021
Ten undergraduate students are spending the summer of 2021 discovering what research is like.
Full Story

MatSE Afterschool Academy

MatSE Afterschool Academy

June 14, 2021
MatSE Afterschool Academy to Introduce Students to Materials Science and Beyond.
Full Story

Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest

Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest

June 14, 2021
Taylor Tucker Embraces Multidisciplinary Interest While Researching Task Collaboration.
Full Story

Exposes Franklin Middle Schoolers to Science, CS

What Studying Engineering at Illinois is Like?

May 25, 2021
NSBE’s Michaela Horn Exposes Franklin Middle Schoolers to Science, CS, and What Studying Engineering at Illinois is Like.
Full Story

Jenny Saves a Convertible.

Children’s-Book-Writing Duo/

May 19, 2021
Convertibles and Thunderstorms—Children’s-Book-Writing Duo on Their Way Thanks to Illinois Training and Encouragement from Mentors.
Full Story

Improve Learning in Engineering

Improve Learning in Engineering

May 17, 2021
Liebenberg Espouses Mini-Projects to Engage Students Emotionally, Improve Learning in Engineering.
Full Story

Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

BIOE435 Capstone Projects

May 12, 2021
BIOE435 Capstone Projects - BIOE Seniors Use Knowledge/Skills to Problem Solve.
Full Story

Elani and Gonzalo shine a UV light on a rose that has absorbed a solution that has made it fluorescent.

Illinois Scientists Shine a (UV) Light on Fluorescence

May 7, 2021
What is fluorescence? What causes it?
Full Story

Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

HackIllinois 2021 “Rekindled Connections” With The Tech Community

May 5, 2021
Annual student hackathon HackIllinois with the aim of developing projects on current problems facing society.
Full Story

A Shane Mayer-Gawlik image of the Bridger Aurora, part of his Night Skies photography collection exhibited at the Art-Science Festival.

The Art-Science Festival

April 26, 2021
Illinois Art-Science Festival: Illuminating the Universe...from the Quantum World to the Cosmos.
Full Story

Joshua Whitely makes an adjustment to the 3D Bioprinter during the demo.

Illinois Engineering Seniors Prepared to Change the World

April 22, 2021
Ready. Set. Go! Illinois Engineering Seniors Prepared to Change the World.
Full Story

HML 2021 Virtual Health

HML 2021 Virtual Health

April 19, 2021
Make-a-Thon Gives Citizen Scientists a Shot at Making Their Health-Related Innovations a Reality.
Full Story

I-MRSEC’s Music Video

I-MRSEC’s Music Video

April 7, 2021
I-MRSEC’s Music Video for EOH ’21 Plugs Graphene, 2D Materials
Full Story

Health Make-a-Thon Orientation

HML 2021 Health Orientation

March 30, 2021
HML 2021 Health Make-a-Thon Orientation Prepares Finalists for Competition.
Full Story

Andrea Perry shows Franklin students how to take apart the magnetic drawing board they received in their kit

Musical Magnetism

March 25, 2021
Musical Magnetism: Encouraging Franklin Middle Schoolers to Express Science Via the Arts.
Full Story

Carmen Paquette street performing.

Love of Science

March 9, 2021
Paquette Conveys Her Love of Science, Dance to Franklin STEAM Students Via Musical Magnetism.
Full Stroy

An Engineering Exploration participant exhibits the tower they built as part of the engineering challenge related to Civil Engineering

Engineering Exploration

March 2, 2021
SWE’s Engineering Exploration Outreach Lives Up to Its Name.

ChiS&E’s Family STEM Day

ChiS&E’s Family STEM Day

February 23, 2021
Helps Chicago Youngsters Progress Along the STEM Pipeline Toward Engineering.

Kathny Walsh

Kathy Walsh

February 17, 2021
On Her First Foray into STEAM, Kathy Walsh Acquaints Franklin Students with Microscopy, Haiku.

ChiS&E student

ChiS&E CPS Students

January 19, 2021
Illinois Undergrads Encourage ChiS&E CPS Students Toward Possible Careers in Engineering.

I-MRSEC’s Music Video

CISTEME365 Provides Year-Round PD/Community

January 4, 2021
to Illinois Teachers in Support of Informal STEM Education Efforts to Underserved Students.