Alex Jones always knew she wanted to work with animals but wasn’t sure about her exact career path. Today, she is on track to become a veterinarian specializing in food animal medicine.

“I grew up around cattle. I’m a third-generation cattle farmer from Columbus,” said the fourth-year veterinary student at MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “Cows just make me happy.”

She believes her passion for large animal medicine can make a way to have a tangible impact, promoting food security, preventing disease, and supporting both local farmers and large-scale operations.

“Vet school is hard,” she said. “But the people here—everyone from the custodial staff and the technicians to the support staff and my classmates—they’ve kept me grounded and helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Alongside her clinical rotations, Jones manages her own cattle business. She bought her first 40 cows even before starting vet school, learning firsthand the challenges and rewards of herd management.

When an outbreak of bovine respiratory disease, or BRD, devastated part of her early herd, she didn’t give up. With guidance from MSU CVM’s own BRD expert, Dr. Amelia Woolums, Jones gained knowledge and confidence to rebuild and became an even stronger advocate for herd health.

“They were all perfectly healthy when I bought them, and they developed BRD,” Jones said. “It’s been tough, but I’ve learned so much, and I miss meeting with my cows every day. After vet school, I’m looking forward to just sitting in the pasture with them again.”

Although the demands of vet school rarely allow for long, quiet hours in the pasture, Jones makes the most of every visit home to check on her herd. “I’d love to sit in the field with them every single day, but right now, school has to come first,” she said. She knows that after graduation, those slower, more peaceful moments will return.

As she nears graduation, Jones plans to pursue an internship in food animal medicine. Long term, she wants to deepen her clinical skills in cattle medicine and continue to give back to the agricultural communities that shaped her. Her vision goes beyond her own career, and she hopes to be a source of representation and support for others entering the field.

“I want to be that person for someone else. I want people to know that they belong here, too,” she said.

For those entering the veterinary medicine profession, she offered some down-to-earth advice.

“Yes, vet school is hard. Yes, you’ll be tired. But Mississippi State chose you for a reason,” she said. “You have everything it takes to be here. Find your people. Lean on them and trust yourself.”