The ‘purrfect’ example of perseverance: Leah Lopez

BY ANNABETH JOHNSON / Multimedia Journalist

Leah Lopez noticed the potential of Tarleton State University four years ago when she was college scouting. The graduate student was drawn to the agricultural feel of Tarleton as well as the pre-veterinary program it offered. 
 

From a young age, Lopez knew that she wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. 
 

In sixth grade, she completed a school project on finding future careers that lit the flame of her passion for helping heal large animals in the area of medical services.
 

Unfortunately, Lopez began noticing pain and problems with her legs around the time she started showing goats as a part of FFA. While training the goats, she would get pushed around causing minor displacements in her back. These displacements then affected the functions of her legs.
 

After years of searching for the cause of her leg issues, doctors were finally able to identify the source as the back problems that had added up over the years. 
 

After attending chiropractor appointments, Lopez was back on her feet chasing after her career that would now involve the medical aid of specifically smaller animals. 
 

Lopez is still on track to pursuing her dream career by graduating this December with a diploma that will read completion in all courses of Animal Science Pre-Veterinary Medicine with a minor in business. She will be the first in her family to walk the stage in purple as a graduate of Tarleton.  
 

When she was not focusing on her academics, Lopez spent the rest of her time involved in the student ministry of Paradigm. 
 

During the past two years at Tarleton, Lopez attended the weekly college worship night at Paradigm and led a small bible study group once a week. 
 

Lopez and her Challenge or small group partner, Allison Jones, taught lessons over the passages from the Holy Bible that the group would read together. They led an all-girls group that Lopez grew very close to. 
 

“It is a really good community of believers,” Lopez said. “[I am] glad to have been plugged into that.” 
 

Lopez also completed two different internships during her college career. Lopez was a part of an internship for a year and a half at G-Farms which sells grass-fed beef and delivers their products to different houses and production plants all across Texas.
 

At her G-Farms internship, Lopez held the position of a business intern whose responsibilities were to help with the company’s social media pages, ride along to make deliveries and answer phone calls. 
 

During break periods off of school due to holidays, she shadowed at Treasured Pets Veterinary Hospital in her hometown of Forney, Texas. Lopez would draw blood, place catheters and sit in on surgeries of the small ‘pocket pets’ that the hospital would accept. 
 

Aside from her academics, Paradigm and her internships, Lopez enjoyed relaxing during her free time by reading, hanging out with friends, finishing puzzles, and binge-watching her comfort show: “Gilmore Girls.” 
 

While Lopez experienced many highs during her college years, she also had to overcome many obstacles. 
 

With such a passion for her career, Lopez often became overwhelmed with the weight of her classes. She had to find a pattern and balance between her classes and her other daily activities which she eventually was able to obtain.
 

MacKenzie Watson first met her best friend one Sunday morning a year and a half ago. Their friendship and connection only grew as the years progressed. 
 

Being so close to Lopez, Watson shared what she values most in her friend that she made during their time together. 
 

“She is very intelligent but also very intentional with it,” Watson said. “Just the joy she has with it and the passion she has for her career is very admirable. She is very intentional with the time she spends with people.”
 

Allison Jones has been friends with Lopez for over two years. During her involvement in Paradigm, the two met through their Challenge Group where Lopez was Allison’s group leader. 
 

Over the past two years, the two have grown very close and Jones reflected on the qualities she admires and the growth that she observed in Lopez during her college years.
 

“She is very intentional with people that she is friends with,” Jones said. “I have seen her grow in her confidence and how friendly and outgoing she is with people.” 
 

Having first crossed paths 3 years ago when they signed up to be members of the same Challenge Group at Paradigm Emma Bowman. 
 

From seeing her shift from a member of a group to leading her very own, Bowman shared her appreciation for Leah in her most exemplary qualities. 
 

“She has such a servant’s heart,” Bowman said. “ She cares so much about everyone she meets and she is such a hard worker. She always puts in so much work into everything she does.” 
 

With her college career coming to an end, Lopez has exciting plans post-graduation as she applied to vet school and was accepted.
 

Lopez’s top three options for vet schools include Ross University in Saint Kitts, St. Georges’s University in Grenada and Texas A&M University in College Station. 
 

Until she leaves for her school of choice in the fall of 2025, Lopez will continue to work at Treasured Pets Veterinary Hospital. 
 

Upon looking back on the past four years, Lopez leaves some advice for her freshman self.
 

“[Do] not to stress about everything,” Lopez said.  “It is going to work out. Freshman year me was worried about getting A’s and good grades. It is important but it is not the most important thing. That [grade] doesn’t define you.” 
 

With a very successful past four years and a promising future, one can only celebrate Leah Lopez at the end of a chapter and the turning of a new page of her life. 
 

Congratulations, Leah, and may you never forget the gates are always open at Tarleton State University.