Geneva Benson is one of this semester’s newest additions to the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), but she’s no stranger to NC State.

In May, the Goodnight Scholar graduated a year early from her undergraduate animal science degree program with a minor in nutrition, eager to fulfill her longtime dream of becoming a veterinarian. Graduating early also enabled Benson to use her last year of Goodnight funding for her first year as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine candidate.

“The scholarships I’ve received at NC State have truly changed the trajectory of my education,” said Benson, a native of La Grange, North Carolina. “I’m deeply appreciative of scholarship supporters.”

Benson’s attraction to the Goodnight Scholars Program was driven by her passion for helping others and serving the community. But while she may have graduated early, her application to the Goodnight program was made during the 11th hour — she found out about the program the day the application was due.

“The scholarships I’ve received at NC State have truly changed the trajectory of my education.”

Quickly, she emailed Anthony Olaiya Wright, now the director of the Goodnight Transfer Scholars Program but formerly the assistant and then associate director of the Goodnight Scholars Program. He responded just as fast, urging her to apply. The perfect fit for the program, Benson was one of the 50 students to be selected that year.

“The Goodnight Scholars staff, like Allison Medlin and Anthony Wright, are truly dedicated to each scholar,” said Benson. “They’ve helped me grow beyond what I thought possible.” The program’s focus on professional and personal development, alongside generous financial assistance, brought Benson closer to her ultimate goal: becoming a veterinarian.

Benson has loved animals as long as she can remember but shadowing two NC State-graduate veterinarians for a career exploration assignment sealed the deal — she wanted to do what they did. She took their advice to attend NC State and hasn’t looked back.

She has explored all kinds of veterinary careers, and while she’s keeping an open mind as she starts her DVM program, Benson is particularly drawn to farm animal and mixed veterinary medicine.

Benson doesn’t shy away from taking advantage of every opportunity: from study abroad to research opportunities to lunch-and-learns at CVM. In fact, considering her undergraduate resume, it’s even more impressive that she managed to accomplish such a long list while graduating early.

She has been a Goodnight STEM Coach, University Honors Ambassador, Global Ambassador, Canine College Mentor, Pork Council Emerging Leader and Paws4People volunteer. Benson even joined The Helping Hand Project at NC State, discovering an unexpected passion for prosthetic development. With this team, she found her niche and even reached out to work with Derrick Campana, the founder of Bionic Pets, an animal-focused orthotic and prosthetic device company.

Her summer semester as part of the Thailand: Global Animal Management and Marine Conservation study abroad program stands out as a particularly impactful experience. During this trip, made possible by University Honors Program funds, she administered care to wildlife, assisted with small animal procedures and furthered her interest in prosthetics, seeing elephant prosthetics made by Campana put to good use.

In addition to traveling to Thailand, Benson participated in multiple cultural exploration trips hosted by the University Honors Program, which serve as part of NC State’s mission to provide high-impact experiences to students. Benson’s trips were covered in full by donor support.

Through these experiences, Benson has gone to the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain, and she even traveled across Ireland to learn more about its world-renowned equine industry. She has done domestic trips, too, like a camping excursion in Arkansas. On her Thailand trip, she earned her scuba certification, completing research dives with the New Heaven Reef Conservation team.

When she wasn’t traveling during her undergraduate program, Benson stayed busy on campus through hands-on research experiences. Through the Canine College Internship Program, she worked under University Attending Veterinarian Marnie Metzler’s guidance, conducting lab animal research. She also worked directly with pigs when she participated in the Animal Science Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (ASSURE).

ASSURE seeks to provide hands-on research, education and mentorship to its scholars. Through ASSURE, Benson was able to work with an important mentor for her, Billy Flowers, a William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor.

“Dr. Flowers’ guidance deepened my understanding of animal physiology and behavior,” she said. “But most importantly, he sparked a lasting interest in animal medicine and research.”

Benson’s hands-on undergraduate experience allowed her to witness the dynamic between professors and students within CVM, and she knew there was no better place for her to attend veterinary school.

“I’m a first-generation college student, and I’ve met so many people throughout my time at NC State that have been instrumental in me having such a wonderful college experience,” said Benson. “This community made me want to stay for the next step in my career.”