Before she ever set foot in a college classroom, Paige Caron already knew where she wanted to end up: working with animals. What she didn\u2019t know was how that goal would evolve and deepen through new experiences at the University of Rhode Island that helped shape a more focused path toward veterinary medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At URI, Caron studied animal science on the pre-veterinary track<\/a>, refining that early ambition to work with animals through coursework, farm work, leadership roles across campus, and hands-on learning experiences that ultimately helped inform the future in veterinary medicine she’ll pursue after graduation this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Growing up in Westerly, Rhode Island, from a young age Caron was drawn to animals and the people who care for them. Early visits to Mystic Aquarium played a formative role in shaping her interests and goals. \u201cI was always fascinated by the trainers and staff at Mystic Aquarium,\u201d she says, \u201cand I decided at a very young age that pursuing a career in veterinary medicine was something I was going to do. It was a non-negotiable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That certainty, however, evolved during her time at URI, particularly through hands-on academic experiences. A pivotal moment came when Caron enrolled in the Winter Dairy Travel Course<\/em> led by Professors Justine Deming<\/a> and Dave Townson<\/a>. Traveling to more than a dozen dairy farms across New England, she was introduced to the realities of food animal production in a way that challenged her assumptions and broadened her perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBefore this course, I was not going to apply to vet school, and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my degree,\u201d Caron says. \u201cI fell in love with dairy cattle, and I felt really strongly about helping the producers who owned these operations.\u201d The experience also shifted how she viewed the agricultural industry itself. \u201cI had a lot of wrong ideas about food animal operations before,\u201d she says, \u201cand it made me realize that it\u2019s a field that is really lacking in support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n