VMCVM Staff Spotlight: Alexandra Fox
Alexandra Fox
Microbiology Section Head, ViTALS
When did you join the veterinary college?
June 2017
What is your role at the veterinary college?
ViTALS Microbiology Section Head.
The best part of being at VMCVM...
The support system. VMCVM is full of amazing leaders and mentors who want to see everyone succeed, whether it is a student pursuing their calling in veterinary medicine or a staff member who wants to advance their career and knowledge.
Best advice I've gotten...
My parents are the source of most of the great advice that has guided my life. My mom’s best advice is to always be humble and kind. My dad taught me that the work you put in today builds the future you want tomorrow.
How would you capture the essence of your work in a newspaper headline?
“Fighting Invisible Threats: Inside the Clinical Microbiology Lab” – I picture an article about how big of a problem tiny microbes can be, and how there is a whole career path dedicated to identifying infectious organisms, determining treatment options, and preventing antimicrobial resistance.
My hidden talent...
Not sure if this is a true talent, but I have a really good sense of direction. It comes in handy when hiking and traveling in new places.
A person who has inspired me...
My husband, Kemper. He inspires me to be kinder, to work harder, and to find joy in every situation. Whenever I doubt myself, he is there to reassure and support me, and that gives me the courage to keep going. Every single day, I am grateful to walk through this life with someone who not only loves me but inspires me to be the best version of myself.
What do you find most inspiring or fulfilling about working with students and helping them pursue their careers?
I love interacting with the students and seeing them turn into amazing young veterinarians. We hire first-year students to work in the laboratory and I find it so fulfilling to watch how their confidence builds throughout their time with us. It is very rewarding to be reinforcing concepts that they are learning in class with real life examples. Since I am not a veterinarian myself, I truly enjoy working with students because they often teach me things I do not know about veterinary medicine.
One misconception that all students seem to have is?
A common misconception is that their clinical case will have a perfect answer and a perfect resolution. I had a microbiology professor that always said “The organism doesn’t read the textbook." It was the perfect way of teaching me that the real-life presentation of a disease doesn’t always look exactly like you expect it. Try not to get hung up on all of the details, and make as many of the puzzle pieces fit as you can.
If I had a superpower, it would be...
Time travel, so that I could go back and relive the beautiful moments of my life (and fix the ones that I’ve messed up!).
If you could magically grant an animal the ability to talk, which one would you choose and what do you think it would say?
I would grant my dog Quinn the ability to talk, so that he could answer all of the questions that I ask him daily. "Did you have a good day?" "Who are you barking at?"
A cause I'm most passionate about...
A cause I am passionate about (outside of my career) is food safety and hygiene -- ensuring food is free from contaminants, properly handled, and safe to consume.
Favorite way to end the day...
An after-dinner sunset walk with my husband and dog.
Top of my bucket list...
Visiting all 50 states!
My favorite quote...
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
How many pets/animals live at home? Can you tell us about them?
I have one standard poodle named Quinn and two cats named Norman and Archie. They bring so much joy and laughter into my life. Quinn is the best dog and is always down for an adventure. When I adopted my first cat, I named him “Nora” until the vet told me that Nora was a Norman. Norman loves to cuddle on my lap in the mornings and will meow along with you if you whistle a song. Archie is the youngest, mischievous one and runs around the house at 3 a.m. like he is being chased by a monster.
