Aniya Brown, an Honors pre-veterinary medicine major and Spanish for healthcare minor, has extensive extracurricular involvement, a clear
passion for the veterinary profession and dedication to making a
difference at UD, in her community and beyond.
Even in high school, Brown had worked closely with animals through
volunteering at local shelters such as the SPCA and Delaware Humane
Association, but her path of working with animals as a career was
solidified through her experiences at UD. A pivotal moment for Brown
happened while she was participating in the honors add-on section of the
course Animals, Science and Society, in which she worked hands-on with
piglets for a senior swine capstone. One night, she helped in the birth
of 14 piglets.
“It was one of the most exhilarating things I have ever been a part
of,” she said. “Since then, I have been able to delve even deeper into
my field and I’ve fallen more in love with it through classes such as
lactational physiology, animal disease, the dairy production capstone
and more.”
Brown has conducted research with chickens in the College of
Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) Summer Scholars/UD Envision
program and deepened her appreciation for education and public service
through her work as a teaching assistant and chemistry workshop leader.
Along her journey, she networked with professors who have become mentors
on her path “toward actualizing my purpose and achieving my dream of
becoming a veterinarian,” Brown said.
With the help of her mentors, Brown took on her first experience in a
veterinary hospital through an externship at Windcrest Animal Hospital
where she now works as a pharmacy and technician assistant.
“The encouragement my mentors gave me and the knowledge my classes
provided me fortified my spirit to take on the challenge in full force,
and I felt I deserved to be there,” Brown said. “These hands-on
experiences were key components of my vet school applications.”
For Brown, becoming a veterinarian is just one facet of her larger
dream and the meaningful impact she aspires to have on the world. She
advocates for equality and equity as well, especially through her role
as a founding member of People of All Colors and Communities Together
(PACCT). PACCT is an Honors student action committee dedicated to
achieving equality and equity at UD and beyond by facilitating the
admission and retention of minority Honors students and providing
anti-racist education.
Additionally, she serves as an Honors student ambassador and an
inaugural member of President Assanis’ Student Advisory Council. Outside
of UD, she is a mentor for Delaware Goes to College Academy and talks
to underrepresented students about the different pathways to attend
college. She also spends at least two hours each week teaching English
to native Spanish speakers from local Latin-related organizations. Brown
has received the Global Seal of Biliteracy for being functionally
fluent in Spanish, and she was selected as a Fulbright English Teaching
Assistant award recipient to teach in Colombia, but she declined the
offer — for now — to pursue her studies in veterinary medicine.
Through her volunteerism, Brown has sought to improve the lives of
others and foster inclusive experiences. She has no plans to stop in
these efforts after graduation — Brown is committed to diversifying the
veterinary field as Black women comprise only 1.7% of the profession.
Brown’s other passions, her faith and dance, shine through in her
extracurricular activities. She is a Bible study leader for Intervarsity
Christian Ministry and president of two dance teams on campus, the
Solace Gospel Dance Team and the Isodynamic Hip Hop Dance Crew. She also
led the entertainment committee for CANR’s annual Ag Day, coordinating
performances, booking performers and organizing the stage and seating.
“Aniya has distinguished herself as an outstanding academic and as an
actively engaged member of our campus and local community, a student
that cares about her peers and unselfishly gives her time as a
volunteer,” said Lesa Griffiths, professor of animal nutrition at UD.
“She is an amazing role model for young women in STEM and I have no
doubt that she will have an inspirational and impactful career.”
After graduation, Brown will attend the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.