Makayla Roberts

Food animal medicine has been an influential part of my life from the time I could walk. Some of my oldest and fondest memories are of time spent working on our family farm in Western North Carolina. Growing up on a cattle farm introduced me to so many of the core values that I carry with me still today. Herd management taught me hard work, unpredictable weather and sudden illness in the herd taught me adaptability, and husbandry and the incorporation of medicine within it gave me an appreciation for medicine’s role in maintaining animal agriculture. These memories inspire me to this day, and serve as a reminder of the value I place on animal agriculture in my own life.
Having grown up in rural North Carolina, I deeply understand the dire need for large animal veterinarians in these areas. Furthermore, I understand how the lack of veterinary services directly affects cattle farmers, leaving herds more at risk for disease and farms less profitable. My county has been one of the many in our state that have been affected by this deprivation, negatively affecting our own herd. It is one of the reasons we, along with many other smaller family farms in our area, have decided to downsize over the last ten years. Observing this has been extremely influential in my pursuit of veterinary medicine. As family farms continue to decline, I want to be a change in the right direction for cattle farmers in my community, working with farmers to better herd health, increase profit margins, and preserve agriculture for generations to come.
Upon completing my DVM, I plan to bring my large animal services back to my community in Western North Carolina. Large animal medicine is my passion, and I want to especially be able to work closely with cattle producers to help them become more sustainable, profitable, and develop more efficient farming programs. Influential mentors and experiences have enlightened me on the importance of production consultation for farm-to-table operations, and I want to be able to continue serving and supporting these farms along with larger production outfits. Most importantly, I truly want to leave my community better than I found it. I plan to do so not only through more accessible veterinary care but also through herd management education for farmers in our underserved area.
NC State has been a stupendous resource for equipping me with knowledge and experiences that have both educated and inspired my intrigue in veterinary medicine. I feel well prepared to take the next steps in my career moving forward. The Targeting Excellence scholarship would be a phenomenal asset in my continued pursuit of food animal medicine. Being able to make strides within the veterinary community to positively impact North Carolina cattle production in rural areas is my ultimate goal. Production medicine, cattle farming, and animal agriculture are lifelong passions of mine, and I am committed to pursuing a career in large animal medicine that will allow me to better all three.