“Branding Excellence” is a series highlighting students and faculty who perform at a high level of professionalism, are forward-thinking individuals, and always have the willingness to learn more. The series name is derived from the saying “Pursuing Excellence” which means setting ambitious goals and working tirelessly to achieve them, consistently performing at your best, bettering yourself and those around you, and staying resilient in the face of challenges. The Department of Animal & Food Sciences is dedicated to excellence in every aspect of its faculty, staff and students. The department wants to wear the “brand” of success as they address today’s challenges and create a better future for our world.”
She is a mom, wife, veterinarian, professor and mentor to many students within the Department of Animal &Food Sciences; a woman of many passions and one who is not afraid to embrace the chaos.
Jessica Thomas, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Assistant Professor of Practice at Texas Tech University Department of Animal & Food Sciences, was raised in the agriculture industry and knew she wanted to pursue a career that would allow her to stay involved. Being raised on a cotton and peanut farm, and raising and showing sheep, Thomas said her deep appreciation for the industry allowed her to identify her goals at a very young age.
“I was in the third grade when I decided I was going to be a vet,” Thomas said. “My dad was an influence on that. He told me I would be a good vet so from then on everything I did involved agriculture and being a vet.”
Thomas decided to pursue her undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University which turned into a life changing decision. Being a part of the wool and livestock judging teams allowed her to expand her relationships with industry professionals.
“Those connections that we made not only within our group of livestock judgers, but also with industry leaders are the same connections that I still utilize today,” she said. “I also met my husband while being on the team.”
After Thomas graduated from Texas Tech, she went on to Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences where she obtained a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine. After many years working in the field for rural and mobile practices, Thomas decided to come back to Texas Tech to teach her expertise and give back to the department that shaped her.
“Because I’m a product of this department, I know how important it is to continue that and to maintain that, and I’m going to do my part to give back in the same way my professors gave to me,” Thomas said.
Thomas said she hopes her impact on students helps guide them in a direct path in life through studies, priorities, morals and values. Her outlook on impact includes having an open door policy for students if they need help or someone to have open ended conversations with.
“Anyone can come in and we can talk about where they're headed and what we can do to get them there,” she said.
In fact, Thomas said she clearly remembers sitting amongst a group of students in meat lab 100 on her first day of class back in 2001. Sam Jackson, PhD, asked the class, “how many of you want to go to vet school?”
“90% of the class raised their hand and he said that’s nice but only two of you are going to make it,” Thomas said. “That was an incredibly defining moment for me, because I remember distinctly getting offended and mad, and my first thought was, how dare you tell me I'm not going to do this? I remember the exact seat I was sitting in and I decided, sorry about the rest of you, but one of those spots is mine and you can fight over the other one,” she said.
Thomas now asks her students the same question on the first day of class, in hopes of setting a mindset like she did herself in 2001.
What does Branding Excellence mean to you?: “Branding is a visual representation of ownership. As a department, we want to brand excellence, meaning that we want others in our industry or within this university to look inside this department and visually see that we are striving for excellence in all aspects.”