Alumna Follows Her Passion for Animals

Brittany Rodriguez decided to attend Delaware Tech for its veterinary technology program, but as a student paying her own way another motivating factor was the affordable tuition that allowed her to make her dreams possible.

"I knew from the time I was 6 years old that I wanted to grow up to work with and treat animals," said Rodriguez, who graduated in 2020. "I have always related to animals much more than people. They're kind and loving and are often more than we as humans deserve."

Rodriguez's most valuable experience at Delaware Tech was working closely with the Brandywine shelter. "This experience really showed me that being a veterinary technician was the right fit and it gave me a newfound respect for shelters and the veterinary staff within them," Rodriguez said. She was even able to adopt one of the animals she worked with in the program.

"The veterinary technology program at Delaware Tech is rigorous and takes a lot of work and dedication, but that is without a doubt what prepared me for my field," Rodriguez said. "The difficulties certainly weren't hidden from us, but we were given the tools to successfully navigate the hardships."

A favorite memory from Rodriguez's time at Delaware Tech was after a surgical shift at the shelter where the class was able to exchange advice and encouragement with their instructors.

"We were able to discuss our fears and accomplishments, as well as them sharing with us memories and experiences they had when they began the pathway into the veterinary field," she said. "Knowing they had the same anxieties and difficulties and ended up as strong women in their field really made me believe I was capable."

Now, Rodriguez is a licensed veterinary technician in Georgia at an incredible clinic where she gets to see anything from "cattle to cats and even bearded dragons on any given day!"

Rodriguez's future goals include obtaining her specialty veterinary technician license in exotic animal care and surgical practice and joining her local veterinary medical association to advocate for veterinary technicians in Georgia.

"I love what I do," she said. "I wouldn't change a thing."