Posted on Friday, May 17, 2024
Lilly DeGennaro ’21, a doctoral veterinary medicine student at the University of Minnesota, lives to serve in her community by rendering aid to pets whose owners are unable to afford veterinary care for their four-legged friends.
“Through an organization called Student Initiative for Reservation Veterinary Services, we travel to different Native American reservations in Minnesota and provide spay and neuter resources as well as wellness and physical exams free of cost for the people there,” she said. “It is rewarding to be able to provide those services to the residents and getting to witness the bond they have with their pets and how much they love and care for them.”
DeGennaro’s dedication to service started at LaGrange College, where she helped with Arthritis Foundation fundraisers for her sorority Alpha Omicron Pi.
“I learned the importance of caring for something bigger than myself,” she said.
Passionate about animals since a young age, DeGennaro became adamant about pursuing a veterinary career after her dog suffered a medical emergency when she was in high school.
“The veterinarian who worked with my pet was very helpful throughout the whole experience and that made me want to be there for people the way that he was for me and my family,” she said.
Coming to LC was a no-brainer for DeGennaro, who knew the institution had a reputable Biology program.
“I felt very supported by my professors,” she said. “Their courses, but especially their investment in students and their passion for what they do really helped me a lot in my journey to get into grad school.”
DeGennaro’s advisor, Biology Professor Dr. Melinda Pomeroy-Black, described her as intrinsically curious and motivated to learn.
“Lilly came here with a goal of becoming a veterinarian but was not so goal-oriented that she lost sight of the ‘why’ she was in college,” she said. “She realized that college wasn’t simply a means to an end but was a way to become more informed as a global citizen. Lily never turned down an opportunity to learn more and that was ultimately realized through her work ethic during her undergraduate research project.”
While at LaGrange, DeGennaro was a Presidential Ambassador, a member of Alpha Omicron Pi and a member of TriBeta, the Biology Honors Society.
“The main thing I learned from my undergrad experience was to take risks and to get to know new people,” she said. “It is a smaller campus, which makes it easy to branch out and try new things. I felt I was able to become friends with many different groups of people, especially outside my major.”
Upon graduation from LaGrange, she moved to the Twin Cities to pursue her doctorate in veterinary medicine at the University of Minnesota. The first three years of her program focused on the study of anatomy, physiology, pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of disease.
In the upcoming fourth and final year, DeGennaro will complete 13 months of clinical rotations at the university’s teaching specialty hospital and private practices anywhere in the country. After the completion of her degree and passing of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination, DeGennaro aspires to return to Georgia to launch her career.
What is her advice to prospective college students?
“Find somewhere you feel like it’s your home.”
Baseball
In the CCS Postseason Tournament, the Panthers lost 11-2 to Belhaven in round two on May 10 and then defeated Huntingdon 12-2 the same day to advance to the semifinals. On Saturday, LaGrange eliminated Belhaven with an 11-4 win in the semifinal round. On Sunday, the Panthers won 10-8 against Maryville in game one of the CCS Championship but then lost to the Scots 9-3 in game two, ultimately finishing in second place.
Football
LC recently announced the 2024 Football schedule. The team opens the season at East Texas Baptist University on September 6.
Flag Football
The Panthers announced the hiring of Breana Sumpter as the Head Coach of the new Panther Flag Football program. Prior to joining LaGrange College, Sumpter coached flag football and was an educator at Benjamin E. Mays High School in Atlanta.
LaGrange College is a Best Value
LaGrange College has been ranked 12th among 99 Regional Colleges in the South by U.S. News & World Report. To develop the 2024 rankings, U.S. News evaluated 1,500 bachelor's degree-granting institutions on 19 measures reflecting academic quality and graduate outcomes. For more information, visit l0jb.kongtiao11.com.
Category: Service, Academics
Keywords: Biology, Animals
