Vet school was a no-brainer career decision for Allison Harikkala ’26. “I am grateful for my parents supporting this passion of mine by allowing me to have cats, a dog, degus, horses, frogs and fish as pets while growing up,” she says. She visited countless zoos, farms and animal shelters. Allison found her path in animal science at Berry, with pivotal learning at home and overseas.
Today, she attends the University of Georgia’s Veterinary Medical Scientist in Training program. She’s pursuing doctorates in veterinary medicine plus ruminant nutrition and microbiology.
At Berry, Allison found guidance and community in the lab of Aridany Suarez Trujillo, assistant professor of animal science. “Dr. Suarez maintained an incredible lab atmosphere that allowed me to learn numerous critical laboratory procedures,” she says. “As an added bonus, one of the doctoral students in my lab at UGA, Hunter Perez ’23, was one of my mentors in the lab at Berry during sample collections!”
Allison took advantage of opportunities abroad. She interned at one of the top equine breeding facilities for Standardbred Trotter Racehorses in Finland. Then Berry’s Office of International Experiences facilitated a semester in Thailand. Working alongside local vets marked a turning point.
“Thailand opened my eyes to the needs of communities across the world, particularly after we completed our low-cost spay-neuter clinics,” she reflects. “Clients drove for hours through windy mountain roads with the pets precariously balanced on a motorcycle, just so they could be sterilized.”
Traveling to South Africa to meet with young farmers offered perspective on farm management. It also revealed the challenges farmers face accessing veterinary counsel on livestock.
Allison’s trajectory crystallized: “I needed to utilize my love for traveling as a way to bring quality vet care to those communities across the globe that need it the most.”
Hands-on experience is critical for students applying to graduate school. Allison racked up thousands of hours working with animals abroad and at Berry. In addition to research, she logged significant time at the Gunby Equine Center. She also spent three years assisting a veterinarian with blood draws and paperwork, palpating for pregnancy and helping with client cases.
Throughout her academic journey and professional development, Allison received vital support. She says, “Berry’s animal science faculty genuinely care so much about their students, academically and personally, which is evident in all that they do.”
