Minnesota Farm Guide: Leading Farm Newspaper

My daughter, Nicole, graduated from the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine a couple weeks ago.

After eight years of college, the ceremony was something we were all really looking forward to at Northrop Auditorium on the main campus of the University of Minnesota.

There were about 90 graduates, and each graduate had about 10 guests. It was a large crowd.

I looked around and wondered about each family there.

Did they live on a farm? How did their “student” become interested in veterinary medicine?

I knew we all had some things in common Š a child that did well in high school and undergraduate work, a daughter or son who could also work with their hands, who could follow directions and do tasks, and who could take information and observations and make good decisions.

Now young adults, the graduates had outgrown their parents in many ways.

As those attending the ceremony knew, becoming a doctor for people or animals is expensive. Nicole and her husband, Chad, took on significant debt for her training.

They expect this investment will pay for itself many times over. Nicole has received an education that will allow her to develop a lifetime of veterinary skill and knowledge.

While her focus is on small animals, Nicole passed her Boards that allow her to work on every type of animal - from alligators to zebras. It will be fun to see what her future holds.

The most moving part of the evening was Dr. Jeffrey Klausner conferring the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine to the students.

I had so many thoughts at that moment - Nicole's hard work taking care of her sheep while in high school as well as her training with the National Guard that brought her such discipline and acceptance of others - she wasn't activated although many of her fellow soldiers were.

I remembered the day she called and read us the letter saying she was accepted into veterinary school.

Most recently, many of our conversations have focused on diseases and the concerns of animals.

She and I talk about bovine tuberculosis, E. coli and melamine in pet food.

I am sure she has conversations about other diseases with other people - depending on their interests - and everybody tells her every ailment their dog or cat has.

She starts an internship with VCA Animal Hospitals in Chicago in June. We'll be helping them move there for the next year. Chad will commute back to the Twin Cities where he will continue his position as a hydraulic cylinder salesman.

Then she and Chad will hopefully be moving back to the Twin Cities to stay.

Allan and I are grateful for all of our children, for all they are accomplishing, and for the ways they help us put our own lives into perspective.

Our children are also beginning to join the world of gainful employment. That's good. As middle-aged parents interested in paying off our home, we welcome our grown children into the working community.

Yet, with Nicole's graduation from college, Allan and I are ready to take a step back and watch as our children go on to bigger things than we have ever accomplished.

I think that's every parent's dream - that his or her children will go on to accomplish more than they did.

For generations, children have not let their parents down.

Congratulations to every reader who has children that are graduating from high school and college this year!