by Marcia Hill Gossard ’99, ’04 Ph.D.
Sometimes it takes many bends in the road to get where you are going. For Nick Snider (’14 DVM), he managed a coffee stand, he and his wife, Jennifer, worked as camp counselors, and he went back to school planning to become a biology teacher. But then he took his first virology and zoology classes and he was hooked. He knew his calling was to be a veterinarian.
“It is mentally stimulating and I get to work with people. Not just clients, but also staff,” said Snider, a self-described people person. Many go into veterinary medicine because they love to work with animals, but for Nick it was because he also likes to work with people. And that goes a long way for being a good veterinarian.
“Working with people is something I always liked. It is a bit of the camp counselor in me,” he said.
That love for animals and caring for people made him a natural to receive the Our Caring Profession Award, which is funded by John Mattoon (’84 DVM) and his wife, Jennifer Mattoon. The recipient is selected by the fourth year class as someone who has sincere compassion and caring for animals and people, excellence in mentoring and serving as a role model, and someone with good judgment and understanding.
“It was a huge honor to be voted as the gentle doctor by my class,” said Snider. “It gives me a lot to live up to.”
Snider also received the Thomas Montgomery Scholarship three years ago, which is given to nontraditional students with a family, and was the recipient of the Dr. & Mrs. E. Doyle Montgomery Scholarship.
The scholarships helped make it financially possible for him, Jennifer, and their two young daughters to live together in Pullman during his last two years at WSU. He commuted to Spokane during his second year, where his wife was a kindergarten teacher.
“These scholarships are a huge help on an already tight budget,” said Snider. “Over the four years even small amounts really add up. They go a long way.”
After graduation, he started working at SouthCare Animal Medical Center in Spokane. But one day he hopes to own his own practice.
As for receiving the Our Caring Profession Award, Snider was humbled to be honored by his classmates, and felt it was a special way to finish his final year.
“As classmates we go through a lot together,” said Snider. “It was a nice way to end our time there and honor the relationships we built.”