Graduate Student Association

Executive Committee pictured left to right: Saurav Pantha, Joana Magoga, Jordana Zimmermann, Maddie Mancke, Rebecca Bigelow, Taylor McAtee, Thitikan Jirakittisonthon.

The Graduate Student Association seeks to provide learning, mentoring, and relationship building opportunities for graduate students in the College of Veterinary Medicine. If you are a graduate student in the College of Veterinary Medicine please join our organization to take advantage of these opportunities.

Feel free to email us at cvmgraduatestudentassociation@vet.k-state.edu if you have any questions.

 

Executive Committee

Maddie Mancke President Email Maddie Mancke is originally from Washington State, where she completed two associate degrees in animal science and agri-business. She then transferred to Kansas State University to complete her Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences and Industry (Bioscience option). She has been working towards a Ph.D. in Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, starting in January 2023, through the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses include beef cattle production and welfare, primarily in the feedlot sector.

Jordana Zimmermann Vice President Email Jordana Zimmermann grew up on a small farm in southern Brazil. She earned her veterinary degree from the Federal University of Pampa in 2017 and her master's degree from the Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor in 2023. During this time, she worked first as an undergraduate researcher and later as a professor, where she discovered her passion for both teaching and research. In 2024, she proudly joined the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at K-State to pursue a Ph.D. under Dr. Eduarda Bortoluzzi, in collaboration with the Beef Cattle Institute. Her research focuses on Animal Welfare, Pain Assessment and Management, and Predictive Models for Animal Health.

Rebecca Bigelow Co-social/Community Engagement Chair Email Rebecca Bigelow is originally from the Texas panhandle. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences from Texas A&M University in 2021 then earned her Master of Science in Animal Science from West Texas A&M in 2023. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology through the Beef Cattle Institute within Kansas State's College of Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on calf health and management within commercial calf ranches.

Thitikan Jirakittisonthon Co-social/Community Engagement Chair Email Originally from Bangkok, Thailand, Thitikan Jirakittisonthon, also known as "Thiti," decided to return to work for the Thai government after completing her MS at CVM KSU. She had not thought she would have another chance to study abroad again, especially in the same place. Last three years, she has had the opportunity to rejoin the Anatomy and Physiology lab, working on Extracellular Vesicles as potential pain therapeutics. This project can be applied not only to animal health but is also essential for clinical translation to human health.

Joana Magoga Treasurer Email Joana Magoga is originally from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Swine Nutrition at Kansas State University in the Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology department. She earned her Agriculture and Livestock Technician degree in 2015 and her Veterinary Medicine degree from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in 2022. Following graduation, she worked as a veterinarian in Brazil, providing technical assistance to nursery and finishing farms. Her research interests focus on swine nutrition and swine production systems.

Saurav Pantha Secretary Email Saurav Pantha was born and raised in Nepal. He received his DVM in 2020 and worked as a veterinary clinician for 2.5 years before joining K-State in the fall of 2023. He is currently doing his PhD in the Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology with Dr Santosh Dhakal. His research focuses on immunology, virology, and metabolomics, investigating how the interaction of obesity and biological sex influences influenza virus pathogenesis and vaccine response.

Taylor McAtee Executive AdvisorEmail Taylor McAtee is currently working on a Ph.D. with Dr. David Renter in collaboration with industry in CORE’s Applied Beef Research and Management Training Program. She is originally from La Cygne, Kansas and has animal science degrees from K-State (B.S.) and West Texas A&M universities (M.S.). Her previous research was related to high-risk feedlot cattle and respiratory vaccinations (BRD). Taylor’s ongoing projects range from quantifying the influence of cattle health on greenhouse gas emissions to evaluating different BRD treatment protocols and novel feed additives in feedlot trials. This work underscores her commitment to fostering science-based management decisions in commercial beef production.