VMCVM Staff Spotlight: Sharon Peart
Sharon Peart
Executive Assistant to the Director, Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center
When did you join the veterinary college?
Initially looking for a position focusing on horses (my passion!) I joined the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center soon after emigrating from the United Kingdom to Virginia in 2004.
What is your role at the veterinary college?
Although my primary role is to support the EMC director, my position is unique and multifaceted. I have been given the opportunity to grow and evolve as an employee, allowing me to identify and contribute to areas that align with my unique skill set.
The best part of being at VMCVM...
I am fortunate to see horses every day and have the opportunity to constantly learn from an incredible team of dedicated faculty and staff. My pony-mad younger self would be giddy over the chance to write about and photograph horses and promote equine health.
Best advice I've gotten...
Never assume. Always fact-check and ensure that every word you write is accurate and honest!
How would you capture the essence of your work in a newspaper headline?
Passionate Horse Enthusiast Champions a Bright Future for Equine Veterinary Medicine.
My hidden talent...
In addition to riding horses, I love to travel and enjoy snow skiing—though I can’t claim to have any particular skills! I dabble in art, specifically with chalk pastels, which are incredibly messy but immensely satisfying to work with.
Can you share a memorable experience or story from your time working with animals?
Miracles happen at the EMC every day! The most memorable moments to me are when a horse arrives down in the trailer, and EMC faculty and staff work as a cohesive unit to get the horse off the trailer and into the hospital for emergency treatment.
What do you find most inspiring or fulfilling about working with students and helping them pursue their careers?
EMC is an important stepping stone between college life and working in a private practice setting. I admire the resilience and perseverance of students who tackle sometimes long hours and difficult cases during their clinical rotations here. Students pursuing an equine-focused career have declined over the last few years; I hope clinical blocks at the EMC encourage students to pursue their dream of working with horses.
A cause I'm most passionate about...
The rehoming of Thoroughbred racehorses and research into racetrack safety. In recent years there has been a significant shift in how off-the-track Thoroughbreds are perceived by people who compete in other equine disciplines. Research is making inroads into making racetracks safer for racehorses and the jockeys that ride them!
Favorite way to end the day...
I love strolling out to the barn to feed my horses and spending quality time with them.
My favorite quote...
“The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.” – Winston Churchill.
If you could communicate with animals for a day, what would you ask them?
I would ask them how humans affect their lives and what we can do to change that for the better.
How many pets/animals live at home? Can you tell us about them?
I have a wonderful relationship with a big black Percheron horse named Wellington. He was born on a P.M.U. farm in Canada and came to me as a weanling. My second horse, Cherokee Chief (barn name Domino), was given to me — perhaps not surprisingly, given his wicked bucking habit! I also have a dog named Flint, who hails from Alabama and was adopted by my husband and me from the Humane Rescue Alliance in Washington, DC.
Anything else to add?
As an individual with a lifelong passion for horses, I enjoy fostering community engagement, education, and fundraising! EMC open houses, client education, hospital tours, and specialized veterinary CE seminars educate horse owners and professionals, and the veterinarians who care for them. I am proud to play a small role in these efforts!