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If you are looking at the words professional and personal, you cannot spell professional without every single letter in personal. So, show up, >> be yourself, and if you're not fitting in somewhere, then go make your own space. 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 part of my day. My hope is that this podcast will encourage, inform, and inspire you, making you feel like at

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Manor College you belong here always. Before we get to today's guest, it is time for a Blue J Spotlight. Today, we are introducing to you Emma Sykes, a second year veterinary technology student at Manor College from Northeast Philadelphia. >> Hi, my name is Emma Sykes. I'm a Manor Vet tech student. I am from Northeast Philly and I went to Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush High School. So, I found Manor by researching some schools in the area that worked with animals in my studies and then at my career fair,

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Manor was there. I wanted to go into Vet tech because I wanted to teach and educate people on how to love and respect animals and their empathy. I chose Manor because of the small community feel and how hands-on it is. I feel like I belong here because of how patient and understanding the professors are when I'm learning. Manor College, you belong here. 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

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incredibly rewarding? Then discover the veterinary technology program at Manor College. Our program is AVMA accredited, ensuring that you will receive high quality education. You'll get hands-on experience from day one working with small, large, and laboratory animals in 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

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to work in a private practice, emergency care, or research, start your journey here at Manor College. Learn more and start your future in animal care today at manor.edu/vettech. That's manor.edu/vettech. Hello everyone. Today we are thrilled to host and a wonderful alumna who journey started really at Manor College. Um she may not have a single hometown having moved around a lot but she planted roots long enough to graduate from Pennsbury High School in 1999. It was here at Manor where she launched her incredible career, diving

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into the world of veterinary technology. Even while juggling full-time work, a toddler, she excelled, serving as a peer instructor for ER and surgery labs during her second year. We are proud to say that she earned her degree in veterinary technology and graduated from Manor College in 2012. Her journey did not stop there. She went on to earn her bachelor of science from the University of Rhode Island. Today, our guest Alyssa Mages is like a true force in the veterinary world. She is co-founder and

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chief visionary officer. I love that title of empowering veterinary teams, the co-founder and director of veterinary team strategy of nurture, a co-founder and advisory board member of project sticker and the director of Mentor Vet tech. She is a very busy person making waves in the veterinary technology field and we are so honored to consider her a Manor alum. Please join me in welcoming Alyssa Mages. Hi Alyssa. >> Hi Kelly. Thanks so much for having me today. I appreciate you. >> Well, thank you for being with us. I'm

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really excited to talk to you and to hear your your story. Can you start us off by sharing how did you first hear about Manor College and what made you decide to enroll? >> Absolutely. Well, it's funny. I I actually did my bachelor's first. So, I graduated from URI in 2003. Yeah, I'm I've reached level four. So, those of you that haven't made it to level four yet in your 40s, you're in for a treat. So, um the original plan was veterinary school like a lot of my

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colleagues and I did get into TUS in 2007. Um but life happened and uh ended up having a a baby at the time. She's now a you know, a high school senior. So, we've come full circle there. Uh we were in Canada at the time when she was born up in Vancouver and um so the vet school thing didn't work out so I had to figure out something else to do and then we moved back to the states in 2008 and that was one of the those of you that are old enough to remember that recession that was a good time. Uh so

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lived with my parents for a little bit until we could get back on our feet and was working with a friend as an assistant at her practice and was like no I need to do more. I need to know more. I want to get back into ER and specialty. I was in GP at the time, which is a fantastic place for a lot of people. It was not a good spot for me. Um, so I got um talking with a bunch of my colleagues and co-workers and they're like, "Hey, have you heard about Manor?" I said, "No, but I know where Jenkintown

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is." So, uh, looked more into it and uh realized that the textbooks I had been, you know, feeding on were written by the the program director at the time, Dr. Joanna Bassert. So, I was like, "Well, this has got to be a good place to go." Um, and so I enrolled in 2010, I think, or 2009, and yeah, progressed through it from there. >> Oh, wow. That is so cool that you saw that the the textbooks that you're already using >> were written by Dr. Bassert, who was the program director, and like obviously

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that's going to that's going to fit. >> Absolutely. >> Um, oh, that's great. Looks like we have a furry visitor. Who is that? Just a minute. Uh, we have five-month-old kittens. So, oh my gosh, the SBC had to get one and there was two of them in the in the kennel. So, now we have twin girls. >> This one is >> hi. >> What are their names? >> She's around here somewhere. So, we have Butter is our 17-year-old tabby cat. And so, we kept with the theme of of

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spreads. >> Spreads. Oh my gosh. I can only imagine that you've had so many animals over the years as most of our Vet tech students. I often ask them, "How many pets do you have at home?" And it's usually over under like seven or eight. So, I can only imagine. >> We've gotten down. Well, for a while, we had a Kane Corso and she was blind. She was born blind. So, that she was 100 pounds. So, that was enough for I think three pets in one. Um >> Oh my gosh. >> But we've I've always had a cat pretty

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much my whole life and through and through a cat person. I love dogs, but I'm a cat person. So, we have three cats right now and a whole tank of fish. So, yeah, I guess we could go with about that number. >> Yeah, you're probably right on par. Oh, that's great. Um, so Alyssa, take us back. What was your Manor College experience like? And for you, you know, you were someone who already had a bit of college experience, a bit of life experience. You, you know, were a young mom. Um, so I imagine it was a different

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college experience for you at Manor than probably the traditional student. Yes. kind of what was that like for you? >> It was a lot, honestly. Um to be, you know, working full-time and doing the part-time gig and then my little one being like, "Mom, where are you?" Um and then >> gosh, I think my into my second year I had knee surgery and so I was crutching around like taking had to get a ride from one of my my um classmates from because I was living in South Philly at

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the time. So I commute with people and >> it was it really showed me though what you can do when you put your mind to it. And because I was very fortunate that my parents helped me with my undergrad degree, I was paying for this one, though. So, I was I was in the front row, >> right, >> early, you know, and um really making the most of it. So, I I really I had a great time. I really wasn't there to have fun, per se. I I wanted to get my degree and get done and get out and get

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going. Um and so I really nose to the grindstone for sure, but I I established some good friends and I'm I know them to this day in the field. But med's very small, so it's like two years of separation and I still have a lot of connections from my time while I was there. But it was challenging. Um, but it was very rewarding and it's definitely something that I at the time did not take full advantage of or appreciate as much as I should have, but hindsight is always 2020. So,

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>> absolutely. Yeah. And it hits different when you're um I think older, have more experience, and also you're paying for it. So you're like, "Okay, every dollar that I'm spending on this, like it's up to me to make the most of it, to pay attention, to put in the hours to, you know, really get out of it all that I can because this is like your investment and your value." So that's >> that's really good. And I I think a lot of students, a lot of our students

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actually now are are quite older and more mature. I would say 30% of our student population today are >> primary caretakers. So whether their parents themselves or taking care of maybe their older generations or parents or grandparents. So I think a lot of them understand that you know which is kind of unique. >> Absolutely. And I think that was what got us through right is that we were all in a unique situation so to speak. We were not traditional and >> that made it even more impactful because

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we could rely on one another and learn from each other beyond the technical and medical knowhow. Mhm. For sure. Were there any professors or staff or just colleagues at the college during your time that really like made an impact on you and that you kind of can think to this day like yeah they really um were there for me or I can't you know imagine my life without that person now. >> Oh 100%. Um Dr. Bassert was a huge uh influence um even beyond my time there. So, she was my adviser and then when I

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graduated, we stayed in touch and I um I had to take some time off for another knee surgery years later. Hi, sweetheart. Sorry, this kitten is very snuggly right now. Um and she, you know, I reached out to her to see if there if she had any recommendations and she really took on the role of a mentor beyond that and then brought me back. I was an adjunct professor for almost three years. So >> that was a real full full circle moment for me and just really that she had that confidence and belief

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>> and I wasn't the only one. I felt like she did that for a majority of her students. She was just incredible. Um and then when Stephanie Marks came on board, >> she's, you know, she's from she lived in New York. She's a New York gal and my dad from New York and then she spent time in Rhode Island and that's where I did my undergrad degree and we had mutual friends and we're both sarcastic and >> we've maintained a really good collegial friendship as well and she's a

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phenomenal instructor now she's the director and I think the program's in incredibly capable really progressive hands and it it gives me a lot of hope for the the next generations of students. >> Yeah, that's great. I'm so glad that you got to kind of have like both eras. Like you got the Dr. Bassert era and you got to be a student and kind of like be mentored by her, but now you get to work with Dr. Marks. Um they're both incredible women and the program >> has been really successful under both.

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So it's really cool that you kind of get to kind of get to experience that. >> Old school and new school, right? >> Yep. Definitely. That's awesome. Um so so tell us what are you currently doing in your career? what is something that like you're really excited about in the future in your career and kind of explain to us what empowering veterinary teams is all about. >> Absolutely. So I was in clinical practice um for eight years before I got my degree as an assistant and then I got

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my credentials in 2012 and so I worked in emergency specialty medicine predominantly throughout my career. Um and then when I came and worked at Manor, I was trying to find a spot to combine you know education that academia p perspective as well as the clinical skills and learning and development. I didn't I knew it was a thing but I didn't know what that was. And so the practice I was at it was a 50 doctor practice and I had a team of 12 trainers and I was the you know coordinator of learning and development for long time.

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Trying to think of how long that is now. Um so for quite a few years and then just with progressive health conditions I have Ehlers Danlos and a lot of co-morbidities with that. So it's a connective tissue disorder. So things are not always holding up uh physically for me. So >> the demanding job of a veterinary technician especially one in you know leadership I couldn't physically do it anymore. So I I left clinical practice in 2020. Um but my business partner and I have we've been friends

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for over 20 years now and had this idea of like well vet med is good but it has a way it could be better. So EVT empowering veterinary teams is essentially a training consultancy where we develop training programs that are customized tailor made for practices and also groups within veterinary medicine industrywide. So it takes a look at the onboarding and orientation principles and takes them beyond 90 days. So looking at growth and development for folks that have been in the profession >> in what have been you know traditionally

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called the support roles. So >> technicians, assistants and receptionists and making sure that they have a pathway forward and that they have the tools and the support and the guidance they need to up-skill not just clinically but in the human realm. And so we've developed content and programs. We are race approved. We have over 40 courses for CE and we also do product development. So, we've um created artificial training veins that feel like the real thing. And I travel internationally now and my team travels

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nationally to speak at conferences on these things. So, we can take these principles of empowerment and growth and development throughout the industry. >> Wow, that is so incredible. Where did where do you think you got this um kind of like bug or or kind of itch to like become um first of all an entrepreneur but also like someone who's going to be speaking and leading and creating? Is that in your family? Is that something that you've always kind of had that itch as a kid? Like always been kind of

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entrepreneurial minded? >> I don't know about the entrepreneur. I' I've learned a lot as a business major. I wasn't. So, I've had to definitely um learn, you know, school of hard knocks for sure. But I remember very clearly I was really young, maybe four or five, and my my grandfather asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, and I was like, I'm going to change the world. >> And that, you know, that's a grandiose thing, and little kids dream big. But I

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I've found over the past few years, losing some very close friends and team and family members, that life is too short to dream small. Mhm. >> And while what I'm doing might not change the whole world, it's changing this part of the world, I hope. >> And as many if I can reach, you know, through my work, through my team's work, if we can reach, you know, two people and make their lives different, then that's good, >> right? >> And so it's always been I've always

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wanted and my that was my mom's mantra too growing up is leave the world better than you found it. And my aunt was a college professor for years um her whole career and she was in um pharmacology and cell biology like brilliant woman. >> So she's like she was a pioneer in that essentially like in the 70s and 80s when women weren't in that. And so always that familial push and then just well there's got to be another way to do that. So it's I guess it's been ingrained in me from a young age and

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it's something that I've expanded and I've surrounded myself with people like that. So there's a whole cohort of us within veterinary medicine that are that have started their own initiatives and you gravitate towards that and you learn from one another. So it's something that is constantly evolving. >> Yeah. Wow. Well, it sounds like it's definitely something that you've seen other really strong women kind of lead the way, but also you're you're carving your own section for this and um I think

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it's what what kind of came to mind was it's really in line with um the mission here at Manor College. Our mission is to obviously educate students, but we want them to go out into the world to be effective and compassionate um community members of the world. And I think like you are doing that. You are like a living embodiment of our mission. So thank you so much for doing that. That's incredible. >> Thank you. >> What what is something I like to ask this question um to alumni because you

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know I I don't I don't know your industry. I don't know the Vet tech world necessarily. I I talked to quite a few vet techs and and alumni of vet techs, but what's like a common myth or misconception about um being a Vet tech that people might think or might assume, but you want to debunk? >> Oh god, how much time do we have? Um well, we definitely don't snuggle uh kittens and puppies all day. I am not part of that equation because I have a kitten on my lap. Sometimes >> um it is not all that. Um, and it's also

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not something that anyone can do. >> I think there is a huge misconception and part of the problem is within the profession itself is that a there's a lack of regulation and title protection. So even in the state of Pennsylvania, anyone that's trained on the job can call themselves a technician, but that's not the same as going to an accredited institution such as Manor and sitting for your national boards and getting those credentials. So, I'm very passionate about title protection,

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educating clients and our profession about why that matters and especially then role clarity within a practice. So, you know what someone is legally allowed to do or what they should be doing. And that's not to take away from folks that have been doing this for, you know, 10, 20 years without those credentials. It doesn't take away from their incredible experience and their obvious skill and knowledge. But if we're going to maintain that level of professionalism and medical expertise and we want to

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have the same respect that our human counterparts do, then we have to establish a precedence and we have to maintain that credibility. So, >> thank you for coming to my TED talk on recognition, title protection and utilization. >> Yes, you you are not the first person that I've heard this from. I've heard this from quite a few and obviously like we want students to come to Manor to come >> to go get you know go get their >> technical um you know that would be great but it's definitely something that

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sounds like the industry is having conversations. Have you seen >> positive movement in that direction where this is becoming um more protected and really state by state or is it still really just kind of the wild west? >> It depends on where you go. Um it's slow but it's coming. You know Illinois just passed legislature. Um Colorado has done so. Several other states have followed the same suit and there's realizing that this is important. Um there's a few other issues that go hand

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in-hand with that, right? So we're there is you know the banter across being called nurses. Well that's a protected term for human medicine. So we have to be very careful there too. Um and a lot of folks don't realize that there are four different distinction for credentials. So, I'm a CVT in Pennsylvania. You go up to New York, you're an LVT. Go out to California, you're an RVT. And Tennessee is the only state that is a LVMT, which is a licensed veterinary medical technician.

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So, it is state by state. It is a slow and uphill climb, but there's a lot of amazing people in this profession that are really fighting for it, and people are in people in places that can make change happen are starting to pay attention. >> Well, that's good. Well, that that sounds >> positive. We're getting there. Um, well, Alyssa, you're such a you're so full of knowledge. I feel like I we could talk all day just because you just are so knowledgeable and encouraging and

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>> um I can see why you and your team are speaking globally because that's exactly what I feel like you should be doing because you're just so good at it. Um, kind of as a final question here, what advice would you give to Manor students who are currently kind of like in the trenches of their program and particularly for our sophomore students who um it gets harder that year and they haven't done externships yet, but they're coming. What advice would you give them to encourage them to keep pushing

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forward? Oh, that's it's such a good question and there's not a straight answer to that. But what I would encourage all of you who hopefully you're all listening and maybe watching me in my very natural habitat is that think very much outside of the box and you don't have to subscribe to what has been done and really think about how you want to show up and do that authentically. You know, my one of my favorite lines that I don't know if I came up with it, but I hadn't seen it

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elsewhere, but if you are looking at the words professional and personal, you cannot spell professional without every single letter in personal. So, show, >> be yourself, and if you're not fitting in somewhere, then go make your own space. >> Well, well said, Alyssa. That's so that's so fitting. I've never heard that either. So, let's give you credit for that quote because that's a really good one. Yeah, I love that. Well, thank you so much for spending time with us today.

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You certainly have been an encouragement to me and I I know our listeners are really going to appreciate your insight. Um, and thank you so much for being a Manor College alumni. I mean, you're exactly what we want our alumni to go out in the world and just be the change. Um, find their own spaces, create new spaces, but really be that effective, compassionate service leadership kind of person out in the world. And thank you for doing that. Well, thank you for having me and go Blue Jays.

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>> Thank you for tuning in today. If you like what you heard, listen and subscribe on Spotify or YouTube. Stay up to date with all new episodes by following Manor College on Instagram, 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.