Thursday, October 24, 2024
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A passion for science, veterinary medicine and youth within the community has led Dr.
Jennifer Rudd, Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine assistant
professor in pathobiology, to make an impact in her community.
As a veterinary student, Rudd and her classmates got involved in STEM outreach as
they were passionate about enhancing education in public schools.
“As veterinary students, it was important we learn how to communicate science to the
public,” Rudd said. “We saw this as a two-way opportunity to help enhance the education
of students, while in turn giving ourselves practice.”
After working in the veterinary field for several years, Rudd returned to OSU as a
graduate student. During her time as a graduate and teaching assistant, Rudd’s mentor,
Dr. Jill Akkerman, convinced Rudd that she could be a great leader and teacher.
vet science short course.
“I was at the point in my life where a lot of my friends were public school teachers,
so next thing I knew, I was a resource for them,” Rudd said.
After learning about the lack of science resources within the surrounding communities,
Rudd quickly volunteered to help in any way she could. Rudd started impacting students
when she taught microscopy and dissected eyeballs with second-graders.
After volunteering when needed, Rudd established a relationship with Perkins Elementary,
Perkins Middle School, Yale Public Schools and Stillwater Public Schools. Rudd would
collect animal tissue from a local slaughterhouse and spend the mornings dissecting
and teaching students about them.
After creating a relationship with local schools, her involvement with youth in the
county snowballed from there.
Now that community outreach is officially part of Rudd’s job description, it has allowed
her to get more involved in youth activities. While expanding her involvement in the
public school system, Rudd has also joined together with Oklahoma 4-H and FFA to put
on science-based activities and contests for their members.
This year, Rudd had the opportunity to spend three days with over 600 Stillwater sixth-graders,
teaching them all things science. Rudd, OSU CVM vet students and other volunteers
spent the time introducing them to their biology section with an interactive lesson.
They taught what it means to be alive, covering cells, tissues and organs, and how
they work together to make up an animal. After learning each part, students physically
examined a real dog. This allowed students to take what they learned about the cells,
tissues and organs, and see how they work together to create a healthy dog.
During these events, Rudd wants to give the students as many hands-on experiences
as she can. Susan Grammer, a Pete’s Pet Posse dog owner, brings her kid-friendly dog
to participate as the “living organism.”
“I am essentially the dog handler of my very kid-friendly dogs, which Dr. Rudd incorporates
into her programs in various ways,” Grammer said.
Rudd has had an influential part in the annual 4-H vet science day. During this event,
4-H members take a tour of the veterinary teaching hospital, participate in a disease
outbreak simulation, conduct small animal exams, learn equine limb bandaging and much
more.
To ensure students have the best learning experience, Grammer brings her dogs, Jackson
and Finnley, and they act as a normal client coming to get a physical exam at a veterinary
office.
“The 4-H vet science day is a highly sought-after program,” Rudd said. “We try to
make it as interactive and hands-on as we can.”
during the 4-H vet science short course.
As a newly elected superintendent of the FFA vet science career development experience
state contest, Rudd worked hand-in-hand with FFA advisors to ensure students had the
best experience possible. The vet science CDE contest had over 50 teams, with four
kids on each participating. During this event, FFA members take an exam, a math application
quiz, and an identification quiz, and complete a clinical skills practicum in front
of a judge.
“The contest was highly competitive, and I was impressed with how the teams did,”
Rudd said.
Teaching science and math to kids at a young age is very important, and Rudd is doing
just that.
“Getting kids out of their comfort zones and helping them find something they are
very passionate about is my goal,” Rudd said.
The One Health mission plays a prominent role in the CVM. Rudd’s mission, and a part
of the land-grant mission, is to research and serve the community. Teaching kids within
the community that veterinary medicine is so much more than someone helping a sick
animal is part of it. Animal health and human health go together, and Rudd understands
that teaching students that at a young age is vital.
Photos By: Kinsey Reed and Taylor Bacon
Story By: Kinsey Reed | Vet Voices Magazine
This post was originally published on here
