Charlottesville-Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) Veterinary Science alum Alex Osborne is jumping into the equine studies world. In his senior year at Monticello High School, Osborne enrolled in the first-ever Veterinary Science class at CATEC with Dr. Kimberly Smyth. He decided to take Veterinary Science because he was interested in animal health. Osborne says, “I loved getting involved with hands-on experiences in the class and absolutely loved it when I got to shadow an equine veterinarian.” Dr. Smyth says, “Alex was a dedicated student. He always worked hard on assignments and projects. He was a good friend to everybody in class and he brightened my day each time he walked through the door.”
He is now a student at Emory and Henry College, majoring in Equine Assisted Therapy and in Equine Studies. Osborne says everything equine-related he learned at CATEC has been valuable to his studies at Emory and Henry, like his stable management class. He explains, “In my Freshman year in college, we had to know the heart & respiratory rate for the horse. We also had to know all the drug names for my equine classes, which I was familiar with already because of my Vet Science class at CATEC.” He adds, “Another example of CATEC helping me prepare for the real world would be me learning communication skills for dealing with people's concerns in an appropriate manner and how to overall use my communication skills critically.” All of this plays a part in his equine assisted therapy courses He says he is grateful to “all the teachers at CATEC who prepared me for the real world, including those who taught me how to make a resume and how to act for a job interview.”
Although he isn’t completely committed to a specific career path yet, he says he is leaning towards focusing on using horses as a therapy method. He shows his gratitude for CATEC shaping his future when he says, “I thank all the staff for all they do at CATEC.” Osborne emphasizes, “Whoever is considering taking at class at CATEC, do it! It is a lot more than just taking a class for credit!”