00:00:00
As long as you're working hard towards your goals, towards your passions, and even if you're not sure yet what you want to do, you'll figure it out. And these connections that you make, you're they're going to carry throughout your career and your lifetime. And you never know like when things from your past are going to come back around. Hello, Blue Jays, and welcome to the nest, stories about life after Manor College. I am your host, Kelly Peiffer, vice president of marketing communications, and this is the best

00:00:34
part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you, making you feel like at Manor College, you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a segment of the show I like to call, did you know? Where we will share some fun fact about Manor College that you may or may not know. Did you know that Manor College uses out of home advertising? Think billboards, bus wraps, bus shelters, things that are around town as a cornerstone of its marketing strategy. The college

00:01:07
maintains a consistent presence in the local areas where students and their families live, work, eat, and play. So, this strategic approach has paid off in a big way. And I have a story to share about that. a new liberal arts student named Elijah who just started his college career this past fall. He says that he first discovered Manor College by seeing a billboard on I 95. He says that he saw the college's slogan, you belong here, on septa buses near his home and then when he saw the billboard

00:01:40
in 95, the message really stuck with him. As someone who oversees the marketing team, this is music to my ears. So Elijah's experience highlights the power of consistent messaging and how a simple phrase can really build genuine connections. Elijah said in a story that was recently published on manner.edu in our news section. He said that the you belong here just really stuck with me. I like how the school represented itself. Manor says they are community oriented and they've backed that up. Elijah is entering the liberal

00:02:15
arts program with an open mind. viewing it as a blank slate to discover his future career path. He's driven by the example of his parents who made sacrifices to provide him with opportunities. His father immigrated from the Ivory Coast and both parents have taught him the importance of fortitude and perseverance. Elijah hopes to make the most of his college experience, viewing it as a chance to find his calling and to make his parents proud. We wish Elijah nothing but the best as his Manor College journey continues and we love

00:02:48
that he start started his journey by seeing that billboard on 95. Today's episode is sponsored by the veterinary technology program at Manor College. Do you love animals? Are you looking for a career that's both challenging and yet incredibly rewarding? Then discover the vet tech program at Manor College. Our program is AVMA accredited, ensuring that you will receive a high quality education. You'll get hands-on experience from day one working with small, large, and laboratory animals in

00:03:20
our state-of-the-art facilities. Our small class sizes mean that you get personalized attention from experienced professionals. Graduates are prepared to pass the national exam and launch a fulfilling career as a veterinary technician. Whether you want to work in a private practice, emergency care, or research, your journey to help animals can start here. Learn more and start your future in animal care today at manor.edu/vettech. That's manor.edu/vettech. Joining us today is a proud alumni of Manor College, hailing from Philadelphia

00:03:57
and a graduate of Central High School. Our guest's journey is a testament to perseverance as she transferred to Manor from Penn State and then went on to earn not one but two degrees, an associates in veterinary technology and a bachelor's in science in interdisciplinary studies where she was among the first to graduate from that new program. She graduated in 2005 and despite facing challenges of being a full-time student and a new mother, she pressed on. Her resilience was supported by impactful

00:04:29
conversations she had with Manor College faculty. Today she is the director of nursing at the Animal Hospital at Thorndale, a position that she has held for two decades. Her story is not only one of academic and professional success, but also a family legacy. She is the only one of her four siblings to attend college, and her son, who was born while she was a student at Manor, is now a college student himself. Please join me in welcoming Maryanne Evans. Hi Maryanne. >> Hi Kelly. It's great to be here.

00:05:03
>> Thank you so much for joining us today. It is a pleasure to talk to you. Can you start us off by sharing how did you hear about Manor College and why did you decide to ultimately attend Manor? >> Uh that's a great question. Uh because the journey was um a bit of surprise. Uh so I always wanted to be involved in veterinary medicine. Um and for me I always wanted to do the patient care side. So I knew I didn't want to go to vet school. I knew I didn't want to be a doctor. Um I

00:05:37
wanted to be a technician, you know, or was equivalent to like the nurse of um veterinary medicine. Um back then, so this is I graduated high school in 2000. So, in the 90s, uh, there wasn't much information on vet tech and what you need to do. It was all pushing to go to vet school. Um, and so I thought that I would be able to attend college and get a bachelor degree in some sort of um, animal science and, you know, take the exam to become certified. I didn't understand the process. So, that's why I was at Penn

00:06:18
State for two years. I was an animal bioscience um major and I attended the Abington campus and I was getting ready to transfer to main campus. Um in doing that I started researching myself a little harder. So now you know the internet and Google is much more prevalent now. So, I was able to do research >> um >> and found that to become a certified veterinary technician, I needed to attend an AVMA accredited school. Uh living in Philadelphia, I'm from Northeast Philadelphia. Um there was two

00:06:56
colleges near me. One was Harcum College and one was Manor College. and in um you know reviewing their curriculum uh Manor was a little closer to me in Jenkintown uh I decided to go to Manor um and that's how I ended up I transferred to Manor and luckily a lot of my credits transferred um and I was able to start the veterinary uh tech technology program there. >> Oh, that's so great. I love that. um you know, you you realized you had a couple options and you realized like weighing those options for proximity program

00:07:32
looking for the AVMA accreditation sounds like that was like the the key factor like it's got to have that. Um but it sounds like how would you say the availability of Vet Tech education has come along? Um I mean you graduated 20 years ago. How has it come along in those 20 years? Are there more programs available? Um and is the industry changing for that? >> Uh yes, it is there is actually um quite a bit more available. Um I actually worked uh for quite some time at um Hope Veterinary Specialist which is

00:08:15
now Blue Pearl Malvern and I was the education coordinator there. So I was taking in the externs um and doing that program there and we were taking in a lot of Manor students and during my time there about like two or three other uh veterinary technician programs opened up. Um and now uh with the um expansion of virtual learning there uh Pen Foster is a big program >> and then there's uh a bunch of other online options that have been opening up. M that's great. How have you found Manor's program to be distinct from

00:08:55
other programs that you've seen? You've worked with so many people, I'm sure, who've been in different programs. Kind of what's the factors that makes Manor program different? the big factor that I've seen from being a student there and I actually taught there for a semester um and working with students from other programs and now having a bunch of colleagues that went to the other programs. >> The big factor for me and which I think is great is that the hands on that you

00:09:23
get at Manor. Manor has animals on site that you work with. Um they have large animals, they have horses. Um they are close to um I think it's Delaware Valley Farm where they have a at my time at least there was a farm animal. >> Fox Chase Farms. >> Fox Chase Farms um that has um farm animals that you work with. They have a lab animal program where you work with mice, rats, and rabbits, and I think guinea pigs, and then they adopt them out at the end of the semester. Um, so a lot of that hands-on stuff. So again,

00:10:02
the difference uh between Manor and Harcum, which I was choosing between, is Harcum does not have a lot of hands-on labs. Um, but they do they do their externship with uh University of Penn where their students get their hands-on training there. But the difference with the Manor students is they have it all on campus and then when they go to their externships and then again being on the other side as the extern um coordinator and working with the students from Manor they do come in with a little bit more confidence and a

00:10:35
little bit more preparation for the career. So I think that that is a huge distinction. >> Yeah, that's great. Thanks for spelling that out cuz I feel like sometimes it's hard to convey the difference between and just like how Manor's program is distinct. But it's so cool to hear that you have a good perspective cuz like you went here, you've taught here, you've hired people from here, like kind of a very 360 viewpoint you have. Um, so Maryanne, what was your Manor

00:11:04
experience like when you were a student? kind of maybe describe for us like what student life was like for you um because you had some challenges come up when you were a student and I think that that's something that a lot of our students can resonate with um today as well. So just maybe take us back what was it like being a student and kind of how did you overcome those challenges? Uh yeah. So um for me, so another good thing about Manor's, they are smaller, but they do have um on campus living. They

00:11:36
do have dorm life. Uh but for me, I was um close by. I was about like I'm think like 20 minutes or so away. Um and I was already living on my own. So I moved out of my home right after graduation. I did uh do a semester at Cabrini College where I lived on campus. And it w it was tough for me. And again, it wasn't exactly the classes that I wanted um at the time. So, I actually moved into an apartment and uh was going to Penn State Abington. And then when I transferred, I was continuing to

00:12:08
commute. Um so, I had to work. So, I had to work full-time. Uh but the classes were pretty um easy to schedule around. Um and they were pretty flexible. And then again, I got pregnant in my first year there. And then it was a question of whether I was going to take time off or if I was going to return. But I was very determined to graduate and um my son was born before the next semester started for the next school year started. And me thinking, I'm just going to go in two weeks after having a baby. I'm going to go back to

00:12:47
school full-time. I'm working. It's going to be great. Uh it was tough. I did have a lot of family support at home even though I wasn't living at my parents' home. They I did have supportive parents um that helped me uh with child care and things like that. Um but it was difficult and so I you know um enrolled full-time but then had to drop some classes and go down to part-time. Um and again that's I brought up about Dr. Bastard. She was pretty encouraging because I was feeling down

00:13:18
about it. I a little bit of a now looking back I didn't think I was at the time but a little bit of an overachiever. I'm like no I'm going to get this done. I'm going to be a mom and I'm going to work and I'm going to do all these things. And she was like you well maybe we could think about this and it's okay if you don't graduate and it's a two-year program in the exact time of your classmates. Like you just had a child, >> right? They didn't. You did,

00:13:44
>> right? And the school's not going anywhere. It's going to be there. So that was encouraging and I always tell people yeah things are going to be really hard >> you know for any program you're in any school like school can be hard especially everyone has outside challenges um you know even if you're living at home uh you know a lot of people have to work a lot of people don't have a stable home life a lot of people finances are a big concern um you know there is financial aid there's

00:14:11
options like that I always say like just think of the time frame it's not going to be hard forever like you can work through it. >> Yeah. Wow. Well, you just you hit on so many things just there, Maryanne. So, you worked full-time. When you were What kind of job did you have when you were a student? >> So, when I was a student, I worked as a dog groomer and I was starting to get into veterinary medicine. So, I worked um it was actually like a in our neighborhood it was a pet store that had

00:14:38
like >> doggy daycare, grooming, boarding, and then had a small uh vet clinic where a vet came in like two nights a week. So, I was working for the grooming department. I I started working at the at the pet store when I was a teenager and then I went to the grooming department and I was working um for the vet when he was there like as a receptionist assistant. >> Right. So, something that's like was related to your field but still having to put in the hours. um over 85% of our current Manor students, they are working

00:15:11
while studying at Manor and a good majority of them are working full-time. So that I mean I'm always really impressed of how students manage and balance school life work, you know, just trying to keep all those plates spinning. It's really impressive. And then you had a you had a baby. I mean that's huge. Um, and I mean, you definitely sounded like you were an overly ambitious person, which I I totally appreciate. And I think that's really awesome. And, um, I'm really glad

00:15:41
that Dr. Basser was able to kind of try to encourage you to like slow it down. You know, don't stress yourself out too much because obviously being a first time mom is a huge transition and um that time is so precious with your baby. So, I'm glad that you were able to kind of slow that down. But I will say also 30% of our Manor students today are caretakers. So either they have children of their own or they're caretaking their own parents um or even grandparents. I've met a lot

00:16:14
of students who um are caretakers for grandparents and parents um who maybe even in that sandwich generation where they're taking care of parents but then they also have children of their own. So, I mean, it's really I feel like that's a growing percentage of students who are trying to get some college going while doing all those other things in life that um also happen. So, I think it's really just really inspiring that you were able to kind of pull it all together and do that. I mean, what what

00:16:44
resilience you have. That's really really amazing and major kudos to you. Um so can you talk to us a little bit about um working in animal care and just like how did you know like I am going to have a career in animals? Were you always passionate about animals and kind of when did that start for you? >> Always. I always loved animals. Uh we've always had pets growing up, dogs and cats. Um, and like I said, we were in close proximity to a rather large pet store in my neighborhood, which I

00:17:17
started working at as a teenager. Um, I went in thinking that I wanted to do like exotic animals, like zoo animals or at the pet store. I worked a lot with the reptiles. I was really uh and the birds. I was really interested in them. Um, and then when I went to Manor, I learned like, oh yeah, I really like caring for these animals, but not in a medical sense. Because we got to remember a lot of people go into veterinary medicine because they love animals, >> but you also need to love medicine.

00:17:48
There's blood. There's you're poking things with needles. You're putting in catheters. You're get, you know, administering medication and fluids and, you know, assisting with surgery. you're going to see, you know, blood and body fluids and some things you may not be comfortable with. So, you have to also love medicine and science. It can't just be a love of animals if you're truly going to be in veterinary medicine. Uh, so I learned that at Manor, like, all right, I really do like these animals,

00:18:16
but they're very difficult, you know, to take care of and a, you know, a medical side. And I started gearing more towards dogs and cats. So that's small animal and then there's large animal where people care for, you know, horses and pigs and cows and all those things. Um, so I knew I didn't want to do large animal. I'm, you know, I'm from Philly. I'm a city girl. I didn't have much contact with horses, uh, and, you know, those types of animals, but I did really enjoy my large animal class

00:18:43
because then I got the exposure and you get to see what you like to do. But for me, always loved animals. I always had pets. Um, and I always knew that like that's where my passion was. >> That's great. That's so cool. It's so cool to me when people share like how clear it was for them that like their career or their passions are going to align. I think a lot of students have a hard time with that, like what am I going to do? And um I often hear from Vet Tech because I I talk a lot to a lot

00:19:13
of alumni vet techs and the animals for them is usually pretty clear. Like they just loved animals. They knew they wanted to work with animals. But I I've actually never heard someone describe it like how you did where you love animals but like you also need to love medicine and it needs to have this combination of the two things to align. I think you said that really well. Um so share with us Maryanne what are you doing today in your career? Um and how do you feel that your Manor education kind of

00:19:42
prepared you for what you're doing in your career? >> Oh wow. So again my my career is now like 20 25 years long uh but out of Manor um and I you know I went on to become a certified veterinary technician took my exam um and at by that time I was working full-time at a different uh general practice hospital in Philadelphia. So when I got my license, I uh to me, so back then the hospital work was the University of Pennsylvania. Like when I was a kid growing up, that was the only big hospital. We have since

00:20:18
expanded. We have so many emergency and specialty clinics uh in the area in the area in the country in the world. Uh but back then I wanted to work at University of Pennsylvania and I did. I got a job there and being a technician at the University of Pennsylvania, part of your job is educating uh fourth year vet students clinically. Um at that time I met uh a resident uh named uh Dr. Hava, Dr. Melissa Hava, and not knowing at the time that she would become a staple in my career. So we worked there. I worked

00:20:56
there for about four years and then I moved on and worked at a couple of the other um veterinary special hospitals in the area over the year over the years. Um one of so after leaving Penn I um wound up working at a hospital where she also worked >> and her and I worked together for several years. Now she is a board-certified critical care specialist. Um and she then pushed me uh you know saw potential in me to become a um veterinary technician specialist. So I actually hold a second license a

00:21:34
specialty license and e I'm a specialist in emergency and critical care as well. >> Her and I um parted ways I wound up leaving that hospital and I worked at uh hope veterinary specialists that I spoke about um for a while. Uh in that time her and I kept in touch. we would see each other at conferences and in 2021 she bought her own practice. Um she is the owner of the animal hospital Thorndale and I had since went back to Manor got my bachelor's degree because now at this time I had my specialty

00:22:08
license. I had you know I've had my associates but you know remember I went to Penn State as well. So I had about five years of college experience and only an associates degree to show for it. So I was so I wanted to you know grow more. Um and I went back and got my bachelor's degree. Um I was thinking of like maybe getting into education. I I taught at Manor for a semester. Um I wasn't you know sure what I wanted to do but I knew I wanted to grow. And then I went into uh leadership. I went into

00:22:41
management and leadership. um as you know with some of the courses and training I got with with my bachelor's degree there and um uh Dr. Hava uh brought me on as the director of nursing at her practice. Um our practice uh is unique. Uh it's a general practice that also provides specialty care. So we have specialty surgery. She's a specialty um a board-certified criticalist. We have a board certified radiologist. So, I like to refer to it as a hybrid practice. So, it's not quite as large as the emergency

00:23:18
and specialty hospitals. Uh, and it has the general practice, but we have the emergency and critical care and specialty surgery care, and we're looking on expanding more uh for our clients at a bit of a more affordable price. It is privately owned where a lot of practices are going corporate now. Um, so that's where I'm at now. I really enjoy my position. Uh we're working on um like growth paths for our technicians and really work on supporting our technicians and growing the hospital. So

00:23:48
it really has come again full circle for me. >> Yeah, definitely full circle. I love that. Someone that you met, you know, as they were a resident at UPEN is now, you know, you've made such a strong impression and connection for all those years. And she was like, I'm bringing you on, Maryanne. Let's go. That's awesome. Congratulations, Maryanne. What a great um career you've had and it's kind of just kind of the beginning and the legacy that you're building. That is that is really

00:24:18
wonderful to hear. And I love that you were able to come back to Manor and get that bachelor's and like you said, you had five years of college, but now you have an associate and a bachelor's to kind of kind of prove it. So that's really important. Um, something as we kind of finish up here, I I want to share that, you know, part of the the mission of Mayor College and something that we we firmly believe in is that, you know, we want to provide our students um with an education so that

00:24:46
when they graduate, they're going to serve others. They're going to serve society. They're going to serve um others with compassion and effectiveness. And those are the words that we use in our mission. And I just hearing your story just want to encourage you that continue to do what you're doing. You are certainly serving society well and compassionately and it's perfectly aligned with our mission. So, thank you so much for just being such a great example of um what we want

00:25:14
our graduates and our alumni to be out in the world. Um, as we finish up, Marian, any advice that you have for current Manor students or current Vet Tech students who are kind of doing their studies and stressed out? Um, what advice would you have as someone who's kind of been through it and is now, you know, 20 years into a career? What would you tell them? >> Yeah, I would, you know, kind of like I said earlier, like it's not always going to be as hard as it is right now, and in the end is it's going to be worth it.

00:25:46
like no one can take your hard work away from you. Like again, that's why it was important for me to get that bachelor's degree because I knew I put a lot of hard work in and I wanted my credentials to show it. Um you are m maybe may be in it, maybe you're confused, stressed out, maybe not feeling like things are worth it, but it's going to be in the end. I promise you. As long as you're working hard towards your goals, towards your passions, and even if you're not sure

00:26:12
yet what you want to do, you'll figure it out. And these connections that you make, you're they're going to carry throughout your career and your lifetime. And you never know like when things from your past are going to come back around. But the that hard work that you put in school, um that degree, that license, no one can take that away from you. That is a testament to your hard work. And then 20 years later, like for me, it's like such a blip in the past, but you know, I know it's hard

00:26:43
when you're in it, but it's going to get better and it's going to get worth it. >> Yeah, that's great. Thank you. So, keep persevering. It's going to be worth it. Um, taken from someone who's certainly been there. Maryanne, thank you so much for joining us today. It has been an absolute pleasure talking to you and we wish you nothing but the best. >> Thank you, Kelly. This was great. Thank you for tuning in with us today. If you like what you heard, listen and

00:27:09
subscribe on Spotify or YouTube and stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram at Manor College. And that's a wrap on another episode of the nest, stories about life after Manor College. Remember, Blue Jays, you belong here always. [Music]