Class of 2026: Sarah Diehl's path to vet school started on the family farm
An outstanding senior in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Diehl graduated in three years and paid her own way, thanks to the generosity of scholarships and hard work on the family’s dairy farm.
Name: Sarah Diehl
College: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Major: Dairy science (pre-vet)
Hometown: McVeytown, Pennsylvania
Plans after graduation: University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine
Favorite Hokie memory: “My all-time favorite Hokie experience has been the opportunity to be a part of Virginia Tech’s Dairy Cattle Judging Team. As part of the judging team, I have made lifelong friends, traveled across the country to various dairy cattle shows, and as a team, placed second at the National Contest in Madison, Wisconsin. Dairy cattle judging has taught me invaluable skills I will use in my future career and been an unforgettable experience.”
No other career would do
Diehl was about 7 years old the first time she saw a veterinarian save an animal's life.
A pregnant cow on her family’s dairy farm was in distress and needed an emergency caesarian section. Diehl watched, transfixed, as the vet made an incision, reached inside, and pulled out the calf. The cow survived and stayed in the herd for years.
"It really amazed me what the veterinarian was able to do," Diehl said. "Seeing the relief it gave my parents — that showed me the impact a vet can have."
After that, no other career would do.
This month, Diehl graduates from the School of Animal Sciences, bound for the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and a career as a large animal veterinarian.
“I hope to serve farmers and producers in the central Pennsylvania area, giving back to the community that inspired my passion for the dairy industry,” she said.
A fast-track to veterinary school
Diehl grew up on her parents' 220-cow dairy farm in central Pennsylvania, milking cows, feeding calves, and showing dairy cattle and market animals though 4-H. When it came time to choose a college, she said Virginia Tech offered the best opportunity to pursue her interests in dairy science while earning her requirements for veterinary school.
She enrolled in the 3+1 Veterinary Scholars Program, available exclusively to dairy science students. The program allows students to complete pre-veterinary requirements in three years.
"The 3+1 program allowed me to shave off a full year of college," she said. “It also connected me with other students on the vet school path who offered helpful advice.”
A full college experience
Diehl immersed herself in the animal science community through research, volunteering, and extracurriculars. In the lab, she participated in three faculty-led research projects, examining topics ranging from ovum pickup in dairy cattle to how genes respond to milk production at different stages of lactation.
"These projects allowed me to gain more hands-on experience and discover different opportunities within the dairy industry," she said.
Outside the lab, she was active in the Dairy Club, Block and Bridle, HEIFERS, and the American Dairy Science Association quiz bowl team, and served as a student ambassador for the School of Animal Sciences. She volunteered at 4-H events and mentored younger students in calf care and livestock management.
Not surprisingly, two of her favorite experiences were the Dairy Club and the Dairy Judging Team.
"Not only have I made lifelong friends, but I also had the opportunity to travel abroad to Ireland, Scotland, and the Isles of Jersey and Guernsey," she said of the Dairy Club’s biannual international trip.
With the Dairy Judging Team, Diehl competed in competitions up and down the East Coast before heading to Madison, Wisconsin, for the national contest at 2025 World Dairy Expo, where the team placed second in the country. Many travel and competition expenses were generously funded through department and donor support.
"Dairy cattle judging has taught me invaluable skills I will use in my future career and has been an unforgettable experience, she said. “It’s one of the greatest experiences I had at Virginia Tech — and it was completely paid for.”
Support that opened doors
Diehl and her siblings were responsible for funding their own education — something she said she's grateful for because “it put some skin in the game.”
She had saved up years of wages from working on the family farm and selling animals at 4-H. Scholarships enabled her to not only attend an out-of-state university but also to graduate in three years.
In all, she received over $80,000 in scholarships, including the Paul M. Reaves Scholarship, the Horace E. and Elizabeth F. Alphin Scholarship, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Organization Scholarship, the John Lee Pratt Animal Nutrition Scholarship, the Bradley S. Johnson Memorial Scholarship, and a Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement award.
"Without the support from Virginia Tech and other external organizations, I would not have been able to participate in the extracurriculars and hands-on opportunities that have shaped my college experience,” she said. "I'm so grateful for their support and honored they chose to put their faith in me. Their generosity allowed me to focus on becoming the best student and future veterinarian I could be."
