A man squints into the distance, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck to wipe away the sweat. The smell of horses pervades his nose, which does not help the slight stick he feels on his boots when he walks through cow manure. The brisk wind carries the persistent sound of a clinking chain hitting a metal gate. He thinks about leaving the agriculture industry, but as his bovine patient lumbers toward him, he remembers the community behind him and reason for his calling.  

Kullen Sorrels, a Texas Tech University Department of Animal and Food Sciences alum and third-year veterinary medicine student at the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine from Dalhart, Texas, was raised around cattle and horses his whole life. Though he thought he wanted to become a game warden growing up, he said he let the opportunity of trying something new and surrounding himself with like-minded people influence his decision of pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. 

“From an early age, my family was pretty focused on agriculture,” Sorrels said. “Growing up in Dalhart, we were really encouraged to stick with it and that followed me to Tech; my passion for agriculture and the decision of going to vet school.” 

Sorrels said he made the most of his time at Texas Tech while competing for the livestock and wool judging teams, participating in the MILE Program (Matador Institute of Leadership Engagement), recruiting for agriculture ambassadors, as well as studying pre-veterinary medicine. 

“Some of the biggest things that I’ve taken away from the college is just being able to manage my time efficiently,” Sorrels said. “Being responsible for multiple things at once and having an open mind to think that things like the livestock and wool judging teams have really influenced my time management.” 

Although maintaining good grades to get into veterinary school is important, Sorrels said his willingness to be open-minded has benefited him throughout his journey, and he attributes that to the programs within the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. 

“Coming into vet school with the characteristic of being a little more open-minded allowed me to really broaden my perspective in terms of how vets do things,” Sorrels said. “Being open-minded and learning how to do that through the MILE Program and judging has really been beneficial in my ability to study, my ability to take on different tasks, my learning, and my personal growth as well.” 

As Sorrels nears the end of his third year in veterinary school, he reflected on how both his involvement in the AFS department and the people around him have shaped his journey. 

“There’s so many traits that not only the student involvement of being in the judging program, MILE Program and Agri-Techsans has taught me, but just being around people in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences opened my eyes to a lot of different things,” Sorrels said. 

Sorrels said those experiences have been invaluable in shaping both his personal and professional growth. Reflecting on these experiences, he credits Davis College for its lasting impact. 

“I’m grateful for Davis College,” Sorrels said. “Being around those people everyday has definitely prepared me not only for vet school, but life beyond it. I’m excited for the traits and everything I’ve learned through undergrad and vet school to be able to apply those in real life.” 

The sense of belonging and growth Sorrels experienced during his undergraduate journey has allowed him to reflect on the deep appreciation he has, inspiring him to carry those values into his veterinary medicine journey. 

         “There’s nowhere else on the planet that I would rather have gone to school than Texas Tech,” Sorrels said. “For those that are questioning themselves, like I was, whether it be for undergrad or for vet school, I would encourage them to meet the people and surround themselves with those kinds of people for an hour, and it’ll make you change your mind.”