Jacob Wood knew he would pursue a veterinary degree in college, but he was still considering what school to attend when he received a text message from his father. “I was deciding between K-State, Iowa State, and UNL, planning to go into large animal veterinary somewhere, and then I got a text from my dad who was planting,” he recalled.

While working on their family farm in Palmyra, Jacob’s dad was listening to the radio and heard Governor Jim Pillen announce the new Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program. He texted his son, encouraging him to check it out. “I got on my phone and looked it up,” said Wood, who was impressed with how well this program aligned with his goals. “I started working on the application that day. It was perfect. It was right in my line of work, and it confirmed Nebraska as my college.”

The Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program is helping to address the shortage of veterinarians in rural Nebraska. The state’s livestock industry generated more than $20 billion in cash receipts in 2024, a 68% increase from 2019. However, the number of veterinarians serving large animals have been decreasing for many years. Nationwide, fewer than 6% of current private veterinarian practices serve large animals.

Launched in August 2024, the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program brought 19 new students to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) in 2024 to study to become rural veterinarians. In 2025, 20 additional students were selected for the program. Up to 20 students per class will have 50% of their tuition covered for their first two years of the program. Up to 11 of the students in each class will have their tuition fully covered for the UNL Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine. To receive full tuition benefits, students commit to work in rural Nebraska for at least eight years.

Alongside the Elite 11 program, Governor Jim Pillen announced the Nebraska Rural Veterinarian Grant Program in 2025 through the Nebraska Department of Labor. The program offers grants of up to $150,000 to recent veterinary graduates or new veterinarians who begin working in rural Nebraska. To qualify, applicants must commit to reside and practice in a county with fewer than 40,000 people for eight years. They must also work in a veterinary clinic where at least 80% of hours are devoted to production animals.

Retaining Nebraska’s students

Sydney Hutchinson, who is also part of the Elite 11 Veterinarian Program, grew up in the Nebraska agriculture industry on her family farm in West Point. She often found herself in the cattle barn working alongside the local veterinarian helping with calving and observing the work. “I’ve always been interested in the sciences and making an impact,” she explained.

But when choosing to become a veterinarian for her career, she applied to Kansas State University (K-State) because of its Early Admission Program. She completed the application process and was accepted into the K-State veterinarian school.

On the day she sat down for her interview at K-State, Nebraska announced its Elite 11 Veterinarian Program. Hearing about the program made Hutchinson reconsider her college choice. “I decided if I can stay in Nebraska that’s what I really want to do. I always thought I would go to UNL, so this was a cool opportunity to stay in the state,” she said. She applied to the Elite 11 program and was accepted into the first class.

Uniting a passion for agriculture and helping others

Lynsie Lancaster, whose parents both grew up on cattle farms, also wanted to pursue veterinary studies. Yet she was reluctant to sign up for an eight-year program and take on the student debt needed to complete it. She applied to pursue a bio-chemistry degree at UNL instead, but in the back of her mind she still wished to become a veterinarian.

Her high school guidance counselor in Hastings saw news about the start of the Elite 11 Veterinarian Program and encouraged Lancaster to apply. “A week after I graduated from high school, I got a notification that I was accepted into the Elite 11 program,” said Lancaster. “I really haven’t looked back since. I enjoy my cohort—having that small, close-knit group of people going through the same thing as me. I know I’m going to have that connection through vet school and probably for my lifetime as well.”

Lancaster said the Elite 11 program gave her a way to merge her two passions—agriculture and helping others. “I see veterinary medicine as a way of combining those two. When you’re working with ranchers, the cattle are their livelihood. If the cattle are happy, healthy, and growing, then the ranchers are happy and less stressed. That’s the way you can help them and do what you love at the same time.”

Growing skills through competition

Now in their second year of the program, Wood, Hutchinson, and Lancaster are excited about how it is preparing them to succeed in their future careers. Of the 19 students who started in the program, 11 will be selected to continue tuition-free.

The competitive nature of the program is appealing to the students. Lancaster, who enjoys rodeo sports, said it is very similar to aspects of a rodeo, where each person competes individually but scores points for their whole team. “You have your cohort who are your community, but at the same time they’re driving you to win.” This format motivates every student to work harder and be the best on the team.

Providing pathways into the Nebraska workforce

Even if they aren’t chosen to be part of the Elite 11, Wood, Lancaster, and Hutchinson all intend to complete their veterinarian degrees at UNL and commit to careers in Nebraska. With strong communities and scenic natural beauty, Nebraska has what they are looking for.

“Nebraska is where I was born and raised. I fell in love with Nebraska just growing up here, and all of my family is here,” said Hutchinson. “Family is a big thing for me. And that’s what is so great about this program. We’re losing a lot of students who want to be here. What’s really cool about the Elite 11 program is we get to keep the students who want to be in Nebraska in Nebraska.”

Making The Good Life an easy choice

The beauty of the Nebraska Sandhills is a major reason why Wood has decided to stay in the state. “My hope is that at the end of the day I can run a little custom clinic somewhere out in the Sandhills for farmers and beef producers. It’s such beautiful country, such nice people—everything that you want from a community,” he said.

“The incentive of the program made it easy for me to choose to stay in the state,” added Lancaster. “Nebraska is special because of the people. The people you meet here, everyone has a smile on their face, they’ll sit and talk to you for 20 minutes even if they just met you. People say it’s flat and there are a lot of cornfields, but if you get off the interstate there is a lot to see and it’s beautiful!”

Learn more about the Nebraska Elite 11 Veterinarian Program.