Robin Graves is pictured with a CVM Animal Health Center patient, Lulu.
听
When concerned pet owners bring their beloved animals to Mississippi State鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine, oftentimes there are difficult health issues that have led to the visit. In the midst of hard times, CVM clients are comforted by an understanding staff member.
Robin Graves considers it an honor to be there to help in any way she can. For two and a half years, she鈥檚 been working in the new role of client advocate. She serves as a liaison between clients and staff by assessing client needs and conveying pertinent patient information.
鈥淚 build relationships with our clients. When they鈥檙e worried, I try to make them feel less anxious,鈥 Graves said. 鈥淎 lot of times, I鈥檓 a listening ear.鈥
She said CVM clients come from all over the Southeast for a broad range of diagnoses and treatments. It鈥檚 not unusual for someone to drive a great distance to bring their small or large animal to the university鈥檚 comprehensive veterinary hospital, where she said many of the faculty are board certified specialists in their fields.
After spending much of her career in student admissions and enrollment marketing, Graves quickly puts on her 鈥渞ecruiter hat鈥 when she talks with someone who may have a family member interested in enrolling at MSU. She also likes to give CVM tours and tout the great education vet students receive.
鈥淚 do think our students get the best preparation possible for becoming a veterinarian because they get the two full years of hands-on, clinical experience. When our students graduate, they are practice ready,鈥 Graves said.
Her work includes a variety of additional responsibilities, including planning and executing the CVM Career Expo for veterinary practitioners, employers, managers and other animal-health professionals who wish to recruit DVM and veterinary medical technology students and graduates for employment.
Graves also leads monthly orientation sessions with third- and fourth-year students as they rotate through various clinical service areas. In addition, she is planning the annual orientation for new residents and interns this summer.
A native of Winona, Graves is a lifelong Bulldog who earned both an MSU bachelor鈥檚 degree in elementary education and master鈥檚 in counseling/student development in higher education. After gaining some elementary classroom teaching experience and some student affairs leadership involvement at a few different institutions, Graves got the chance to fulfil her dream of working at her alma mater beginning in 2010.
Living in Starkville made it convenient for her two sons to attend MSU for college, and now she鈥檚 entering a new phase in life with eldest son Wesley (sports administration, 2023) and youngest Tanner (finance, 2024) both becoming new MSU alumni who are launching their careers.
鈥淥ur whole family are Bulldogs through and through, so it has been meaningful to come back and work where I graduated,鈥 Graves said.
In addition to working in the environment she loves, Graves said it鈥檚 important to serve her university by taking care of what matters. As the veterinary medical faculty, students and staff attend to their animal patients鈥 healthcare needs, she gets to take care of the 鈥減et parents鈥 who brought and care deeply for their 鈥渇our-legged children.鈥