Texas A&M Student LGVMA Article
We are excited to announce that after a few years of inactivity the Texas A&M Student Chapter of the LGVMA is back up and running. This April, we held our first meeting to discuss future plans and elect leadership. Our new officers include Joseph Hicks as president, Ash Mills as vice president, Elise Jemmott as secretary, and Christine Elkins as treasurer. We are proud of the great turnout to this first meeting (over 30 students) and the enthusiasm with which those in attendance carried themselves.
This revitalization of the A&M LGVMA started with the recent AAVMC survey. After the survey results were released, student leadership in the Council for Diversity and Professionalism (CDP), a long-standing group within the college charged to help provide advice to the administration and also actively develop programs that promote a positive, welcoming environment within the college, realized a need to focus on promoting a positive environment for LGBT students. As such, they requested that AVMA Director, Dr. Michael Chaddock, visit our campus with his presentation on LGBT Issues in Veterinary Medicine. With a turnout of over 100 students, Dr. Chaddock brought up the issue that the A&M CVM needed to bring back the LGVMA. In addition, as a pledge to promote diversity within our college, the leadership of the College, Dean Eleanor Green and Associate Dean for Professional Programs Kenita Rogers made significant financial support available to help our organization get up to speed again.
Our sincere gratitude goes to Dr. Chaddock for his amazing inspiration and to our administration for providing such an awe-inspiring gift. Special thanks also go to our faculty advisors, professor Dr. Jörg Steiner and CVM Chief of Staff John Scroggs, whose encouragement has been invaluable as we continue to rebuild our organization.
We look forward to providing a network for LGBT students within the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. This is truly a great time to be an Aggie vet student as we continue to promote a friendly and diverse environment.
