Wisconsin native, Marie Bucko,  is just starting her third year at the University of Wisconsin.  As the President-Elect of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association, she is making it her mission to make veterinary school a better experience for all.  

Given her impressive background, we have no doubt that she will make that happen. Prior to vet school, Marie worked at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). She’s planning to take that all that experience and apply it to her new leadership role at SAVMA.

Marie answers our most burning questions about her life, career aspirations, and what she wants us to add to our Amazon Prime queue: 

If I wasn’t a vet, I would be a Policy Advisor in USDA or on the Senate Agriculture Committee

The most agonizing career decision I ever made was reapplying to vet school.  When I was in undergrad, I lost my father to cancer very quickly. I was deeply saddened and my school work was no longer my priority and I didn’t get into vet school after graduation as I had hoped.  So, I applied for an internship in Washington DC at the USDA and was offered the position the day after my husband and I got married.  The internship was supposed to be for a few months, but I was offered a full time job and ended up staying long term.  My husband and I relocated to DC and I worked on agriculture policy for several years. Although I wasn’t working on a farm, I was helping to make things better by making sure our food was safe by making sure farmers and producers voices were heard through policy development. But, I still had that feeling that I would be missing out if I didn’t at least try once more, so I re-applied to vet school and this time I was accepted.  However, leaving my job and D.C. was bittersweet.

Last thing I binged watched was Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. You must add this show to your queue!  

Kind of work I'd do for free would be working with service and working dogs. These dogs do so much for the betterment of humans, whether on the front lines of war, airports, or at homes with people who need them…and they do it with the biggest hearts. 

If I could live in a foreign country, it would be France.  My mother is French and her entire side of our family lives there.  And of course, French food makes my stomach very happy.

How I clear my head after a crappy day- After a bad day, I like to order takeout and chill with my husband and our pets.  Also, nothing makes me happier than reading a good book or watching the Great British Baking Show.

My perfect day would begin in the gym lifting weights.  Nothing truly gets my day started than pumping iron!

On the top of my bucket list: I would love to go backpacking through Europe with the husband.

How I made my your first dollar: I grew up on a farm and made my first dollar doing farm chores.  

Favorite perk of being President Elect of SAVMA:  My favorite part of being part of SAVMA leadership is meeting new people and hearing their amazing stories! We all come from such diverse backgrounds and that shapes who we are.

 Connect with Marie and follow her journey on Instagram