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Veterinarian Jessi Farris Advances Her Career With a One-Year MBA from SLU

It's not unusual for a student to change their mind about a major. But Jessi Farris knew from the start of her college career that she had a passion for caring for animals. After obtaining a B.S. in zoology/biology from the University of Evansville, Farris received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 and earned an MBA from the Chaifetz School of Business in 2019.

Jessi Farris

Jessi Farris presents findings of her team's real-world practicum to American Eagle Credit Union executives.

"I had grown up surrounded by medicine, and veterinary medicine offered a variety of career paths centered around animal health which was very intriguing to me," Farris said.

Unlike most postgraduate programs, an MBA does not have to correlate directly to one's undergraduate degree. Farris pursued an MBA through the Chaifetz School of Business's one-year MBA Program.

"I have always been interested in business," Farris said. "I was excited for the new curriculum and thematic teaching instead of the traditional silo method [when departments do not share information with one another]."

SLU's one-year MBA emphasizes solving business problems as they occur in the real-world, developing data analysis skills to make sound business decisions and integrating learning across disciplines.

"My biggest takeaway is that it is always worthwhile to invest your time developing a new skillset," Farris said. "Those who are able to demonstrate diverse competencies will have many career options and opportunities going forward."

While Farris was pursuing an MBA to further her career, she worked as an associate veterinarian at the Bentley Animal Hospital in Fenton, Missouri along with being a part of multiple Veterinary Medical Association executive boards to advance the veterinary profession.

Since earning her MBA, Farris accepted a position as a senior recruiter at Heartland Veterinary Partners in Chicago.

"An MBA allows me to be credentialed in a unique way in my field that enables me to offer a perspective through a business lens," Farris said. "I am excited to combine my veterinary and business training as I work with different veterinary practices to enhance their success."

Learn More About SLU's One-Year MBA program