Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban serves as guest speaker at the 2024 Commencement Ceremony
Esteban shared the story of first coming to UC Davis to sell airtime to Spanish language radio stations to recruit more Hispanics.
This article was originally published as "Congratulations to the Class of 2024!" by Trina Wood.
Congratulations to the Class of 2024 who received their degrees from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in its 74th Commencement Ceremony held at the Mondavi Center on May 24th. Among those graduating were 145 DVM students, 31 residents and 17 students in the Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine program.
Dean Mark Stetter provided opening remarks and welcomed all three groups celebrating their graduations. Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Croughan gave a warm welcome to the graduates.
Dr. Jose Emilio Esteban, Undersecretary of Agriculture for the United States, served as guest speaker. Esteban received his veterinary degree from National Autonomous University of Mexico and migrated to the U.S. in 1985. He found his way to the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine where he obtained his masters in preventive veterinary medicine (MPVM) and a PhD in epidemiology.
He went on to work for the CDC in the Epidemic Intelligence Service and later served as chief scientist for the Food Safety and Inspection Service before his current role.
When Dr. Esteban was nominated to Congress for this role by President Biden, Tom Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture, said that “Dr. Esteban has been on the front lines of protecting the public from foodborne illness for much of his career.”
‘I don’t want to deal with humans,’ Esteban thought when he first went into veterinary medicine. He wanted to be a Mexican James Herriot. Then he realized the animals have owners and he had to deal with them anyway.
Esteban shared the story of first coming to UC Davis to sell airtime to Spanish language radio stations to recruit more Hispanics. Dr. Bennie Osburn didn’t buy his sales pitch but introduced him to the MPVM program and convinced him to pursue it. Esteban was also Dr. Phil Kass’s first graduate student in epidemiology.
“The faculty in this university opened the world to me,” said Esteban. “I will never have enough time to repay what Davis did for me.”
The faculty in this university opened the world to me. I will never have enough time to repay what Davis did for me.”
‘I don’t want to deal with humans,’ Esteban thought when he first went into veterinary medicine. He wanted to be a Mexican James Herriot. Then he realized the animals have owners and he had to deal with them anyway.
“Now I’m dealing with politicians!” Esteban joked. But the one thing that keeps driving him is being trained as a problem solver
“To me, that is the heart of a veterinarian. That’s what makes us different,” Esteban said. “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because you learn a lot more from those. Just don’t repeat them!”
He ended with advice to slow down and take time to breathe—no matter what stage of life or career.
“Enjoy the moment; you will never have it again.”