Rudd’s mission to foster a love for science and veterinary medicine
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Media Contact: Taylor Bacon | Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator | 405-744-6728 | taylor.bacon@okstate.edu
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.
“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.”
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