2025 News
Class of 2025 - Student Spotlights
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Brandon Duncan , articleGiving back to his community has this Hokie feeling proud! Brandon Duncan has spent time helping new and prospective students as an ambassador for both SAS and CALS, as a content producer for VT Admissions, and as a residential well-being student leader. In the fall, Brandon will be attending the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
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Abby Greenwood , articleAs a participant in the Dairy Science 3+1 program, Abby Greenwood is excited to attend the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine next semester. She has been an active member of the Dairy Club and will fondly remember her time at Virginia Tech and the friends she has made here.
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Cassie Borino , articleCassie Borino has long dreamed of going to vet school and she believes her time at Virginia Tech has prepared her well. With research opportunities, studying abroad, and friends that can last a lifetime, Cassie has had four great years at Virginia Tech and is now looking forward to another four at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine!
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Sophia Cheng , articleWith a minor in Biodiversity Conservation, Sophia Cheng has big hopes to combine her knowledge about wildlife and companion animals in the future to help many animals. Sophia plans to attend veterinary school to refine that knowledge before going into veterinary pathology or internal medicine.
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Daniela Garcia Llanos , articleBetween volunteering at the Virginia Tech horse barns and a trip to Germany to learn more about the European horse industry, Daniela Garcia Llanos has realized her love of all things equine! Daniela is thrilled to pursue a career working with thoroughbred horses, and with a double concentration, her passion for animals extends to many species.
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Tyler Wood , articleMajoring in Animal and Poultry Sciences, this senior is reaching for the sky! Meet Tyler Wood, a VT Corps of Cadets member who plans to attend the U.S. Army Flight School. Tyler enjoys spending his free time fly fishing, camping, and hiking at various national parks.
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Makaia Haight , articleA double major in Animal and Poultry Sciences and Dairy Science, Makaia Haight is making the most of her time at Virginia Tech. Whether you see her at a women’s basketball game or reaching out to new students as an ambassador, Makaia is always moving!
More School of Animal Sciences news...
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Memorial Day tips for making a better burger from Virginia Tech meat science experts , articleFor most Americans, Memorial Day is a time for remembering fallen service members, sunny summer weather, and family time, including grilling juicy burgers. David Gerrard, director of the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech, and Matt Blankenship, manager of the Virginia Tech Meat Science Center, offer these tips to up your burger game this weekend.
Date: May 22, 2025 - -
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Alpha Gamma Rho celebrates 50 years of brotherhood, service, and agriculture at Virginia Tech , articleMore than 400 alumni and friends of the Beta Eta chapter are expected to attend reunion events May 30-31 in Blacksburg.
Date: May 22, 2025 - -
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Researchers celebrated for innovating science for society , articleVirginia Tech faculty were recognized for their scholarship and ingenuity at Innovation and Partnerships’ fourth annual Celebrating Innovation event.
Date: May 07, 2025 - -
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Class of 2025: Sofia Killar blends animal science with a passion for cancer research , articleAn Outstanding Senior in the School of Animal Sciences, Killar is headed to graduate school at Virginia Tech to study translational medicine and pursue a career in cancer research.
Date: May 05, 2025 - -
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Class of 2025: Salem Sifford leads in the livestock arena and the classroom , articleGraduating senior Salem Sifford's experiences in the School of Animal Sciences inspired her to pursue a career in animal science education and livestock judging at the collegiate level.
Date: May 05, 2025 - -
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Fetching fashion: Students help shelter dogs shine in runway show , articleThe Struttin’ for PAWS adoption fashion show will be held May 8 on the Graduate Life Center lawn.
Date: Apr 30, 2025 - -
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Study highlights how frustration can lead to failure for search and rescue dogs , articleNew research shows that when these dogs experience frustration — such as blocked access to a reward or an unfulfilled expectation — they are slower to complete their searches and more prone to errors.
Date: Mar 31, 2025 - -
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Virginia Tech study finds unique brain changes linked to witnessing trauma , articleResearchers discovered distinct molecular differences in how the brain processes directly experienced versus witnessed trauma — a finding that could lead to more targeted treatments for PTSD.
Date: Mar 17, 2025 - -
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Aspiring double Hokie embarks on a unique veterinary career with the U.S. Army , articleZach Kirkpatrick will receive training after getting his DVM degree to become a commissioned officer in the Army Veterinary Corps.
Date: Mar 04, 2025 - -
Video ItemEarly mornings at Virginia Tech's Equitation Barn , video
The morning routine at Virginia Tech's Equitation Barn involves students from all majors, staff, and volunteers who feed horses and clean stalls 365 days of the year. Students gain experience in breeding and foaling, ground work training, marketing, nutrition, exercise physiology, as well as stable management fundamentals.
Date: Feb 17, 2025 - -
Video ItemMorning routine at Virginia Tech's sheep center , video
Caring for the hundreds of sheep at Virginia Tech's Copenhaver Sheep Center involves many students and staff and happens 365 days a year, rain or shine. Students in both the School of Animal Sciences and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine are extensive users of the facilities, gaining valuable hands-on livestock experience as well as production management training through a wide range of courses.
Date: Feb 17, 2025 - -
Video ItemCaring for Virginia Tech's beef cattle , video
The Beef Cattle Center serves as a teaching, research, and outreach hub for School of Animal Sciences and Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine classes. Chad Joines '93 manages the Beef Cattle Center along with hired staff and students, who care for the cattle 365 days a year—rain or shine, to provide valuable experiential learning and research to help the beef cattle industry.
Date: Feb 17, 2025 - -
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Experts available: avian flu and egg prices, Trump inauguration, California wildfires, TikTok ban, more , articleThe Virginia Tech media relations office has experts available for interviews this week surrounding issues in the news including, egg prices and avian flu, President-elect Trump's inauguration, Southern California wildfires, utility companies and fires, Meta ending fact-checking, Supreme Court TikTok ban ruling, and winter salt environmental damage.
Date: Jan 13, 2025 - -
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Virginia Tech’s Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture enrolls 1,300-plus farms in first year of landmark pilot program , articleThe $80 million USDA-funded project — the largest grant in Virginia Tech’s history — provides financial support for farmers in selected counties in four states to implement agricultural practices that protect water, soil, and air.
Date: Jan 07, 2025 - -
Video ItemStudents develop program to help shelter dogs , video
A group students in the College of Agriculture and Life Science's School of Animal Sciences are working on an independent study to improve the lives of shelter dogs through enrichment and training programs.
Date: Dec 18, 2024 - -
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American university students visit island to learn about Guernsey cow , redirectThis week the Dairy Club at Virginia Tech is traveling to Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland for their Spring Break International Trip. Part of the group traveled last week to the Channel Islands to visit Guernsey and Jersey where they were able to learn more about the management and genetics of dairy herds on each island. What a special experience to see where the breeds originated! Thank you to the Guernsey Press for the story highlighting their visit!
Date: Mar 13, 2025 - -
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SAS student named an Agri-Food Finance Fellow , redirectThe Kohl Centre is thrilled to announce the appointment of six exceptional students to join the inaugural Class of Agri-Food Finance (AFF) Fellows at Virginia Tech. This highly anticipated program is designed for students eager to explore the intersection of finance, the agri-food sector, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools for financial applications.
Date: Dec 10, 2025 - -
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Virginia Cooperative Extension offers guidance to poultry owners following highly contagious avian flu outbreak in Virginia , articleThe first report of infection in Virginia since 2022, at a commercial poultry facility in Accomack County, highlights the need for increased biosecurity among poultry owners large and small, Virginia Tech poultry expert Michael Persia says.
Date: Jan 24, 2025 - -
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Update on the current status of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in VirginiaThis outbreak dates back to 2022 and continues to return each fall winter with migratory birds. In later 2024, HPAI returned to the USA, but most of these outbreaks were located in the Pacific and Mississippi flyways (Western and Midwest United States). In January, it became evident that HPAI (circulating virus from migratory birds) has returned to the Atlantic flyway including Virginia. We have numerous states around us (NC, WV, PA and DE) that have identified current outbreaks and within VA we have had several wild birds that have tested positive. This virus continues to infect commercial and backyard poultry across the USA. More...
Date: Jan 16, 2025 -