CVM Connect: The Vaniman Travel Grant, Culture and Veterinary Medicine

About the event

Student Session

Coming Home – The Vaniman Travel Grant, Culture and Veterinary Medicine

Presented by DVM candidate, Christian Gombio

Join us as Christian shares how the Vaniman Travel Grant made it possible to return home to Guam for the first time since 2019 – and how that experience reshaped his perspective on veterinary medicine. A Guam-born Filipino who left home in 2016 to pursue veterinary school, Christian has had limited opportunities to return home. The experience of veterinary school, coupled with the challenges of cultural displacement, prompted him to reconnect with the people, culture, and purpose that first inspired his pursuit of a DVM. In this presentation, Christian will reflect on his summer experiences, the role the Vaniman Travel Grant played in reconnecting with home, and how travel can deepen both veterinary learning and cultural understanding.

College of Veterinary Medicine CONNECT

Coordinated by the Community & Access team, ‘CVM Connect,’ is a forum series designed to cultivate a strong sense of community by creating a space to come together, connect, and participate in educational discussions. This forum series offers an invaluable opportunity to engage actively, expand networks, and further personal and professional development.