Great Grads – Jason Roberts | Land, Life & Science

A professor showing two students a hoof compared to a radiograph

Jason Roberts compares a hoof to a radiograph for two veterinary technology students at the University of Tennessee at Martin. As veterinary technology program director, he guides the profession’s next generation.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine ’02

For Jason Roberts, a career in veterinary medicine has always been rooted in a love of animals, agriculture, and service. He grew up on a small farm in Martin, Tennessee, and those early interests grew into a professional journey that has shaped not only his own career but also the lives and futures of hundreds of aspiring veterinary professionals across the UT System.

After graduating from the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, Roberts entered mixed-animal private practice, fully expecting to spend his career there. But in 2009, opportunity came knocking in the form of his former UT Martin academic advisor, who encouraged him to consider joining UT Martin to help grow its pre-veterinary program and establish a new veterinary technology degree. Roberts says, “It was an exciting opportunity to build something meaningful.”

That leap into academia changed everything, not only for Roberts but also for veterinary education in West Tennessee. As founding and current director of UT Martin’s veterinary technology program, he played a central role in designing the curriculum that launched in 2010 and ultimately earned full accreditation in 2014. Today, the program graduates close to forty students annually and has produced more than three-hundred-and-fifty graduates.

A professor performing a teaching surgery for students. — Jason Roberts demonstrates surgical techniques to students at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

His efforts have earned him multiple honors, including the UT President’s Award for Outstanding Educator in 2017. But for Roberts, the greatest reward isn’t the recognition; it’s the students. “The success of the students is what keeps me going,” the professor of animal science says. “You can be having a tough day, and then a former student sends a photo from practice or calls with a question.”

Families of pre-veterinary students often ask about the number one factor that makes an applicant to veterinary school successful. When discussing the challenges and competitiveness of being accepted, Roberts credits work ethic and a never-quit attitude. “There are going to be tough days along the way—and that’s different things, different classes for different people—but the students who come in with ‘This is the career I want, and even when there are bumps in the road, I’m going to do what it takes to get there,’ those are the students who make it.”

As both a UT alumnus and educator, he views the UT System as a place defined by opportunity. “UT opened doors for me,” he says. “I’m grateful for the chance to help open doors for the next generation.”