“I have had the honor of being a white coat mentor for four students who are now veterinarians, and I always hoped that one day I would be at the White Coat Ceremony with my son Connor,” said Dr. Khristian Becker (’97), the owner and solo practitioner at Becker Veterinary Clinic in Maquoketa, Iowa.
That dream came true recently during the annual White Coat Ceremony, held annually by Iowa State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. The event symbolizes the beginning of a veterinary student’s academic journey to become a veterinarian.
Connor Becker was one of 130 new first-year Iowa State veterinary students who were “coated” by a DVM. And he wasn’t the only student presented their white coat by a parent veterinarian.
Another such student was Zach Schoelerman, whose father Dr. Jim Schoelerman is a 1998 Iowa State DVM graduate. The profession runs in the family. Zach’s brother Ty is a third-year student at Iowa State.
“Presenting Zach with his white coat holds multiple meanings to me as both a parent and mentor to Zach,” Jim Schoelerman said. “It brings a huge sense of pride and accomplishment being involved in helping Zach meet his goals he has set for himself and knowing how hard he has worked to obtain them.”
Another first-year student, Lily Brandes, also asked one of her veterinarian parents to participate in the White Coat Ceremony. Dr. Alexis Newman (’98) said the ceremony was an opportunity for her to share the pride she has for her daughter’s pursuing a DVM.
“I am honored I was chosen to be her coater, and I think this is something we will always remember fondly,” Newman said. It was natural for Lily to gravitate to the veterinary profession. Her father, Timothy Brandes is also a 1998 graduate. “Since my husband and I are both veterinarians, Lily grew up immersed in the small animal veterinary field,” Newman said. “She worked alongside us for many years, so she knows the greatness and also the difficulty of the profession.
“She ‘lived’ the profession long enough to make her own educated decision to become a veterinarian.”
That sentiment is a common thread among the other white coaters.
“Over the years Zach has spent many hours helping me work and seeing the interaction with our clients and the different challenges that can come up,” Jim Schoelerman said. “The one constant with Zach has always been his desire to be a veterinarian knowing that it could provide him diverse opportunities upon graduation.”
For Khristian Becker, the White Coat Ceremony was just a first step in his son following him in the “family business.”
“I’m a solo practitioner so the thought of having my son join me has always been my dream,” Becker said. “Thankfully Connor shares my dream and has wanted to become a veterinarian for as long as I can remember.
“It is extremely rewarding to know that after working with me for all of these years, Connor plans to follow in my footsteps as a mixed animal veterinarian in our rural veterinary practice.”
August 2024