Matt Herrick Says TCTC Relationships Will Last a Lifetime
Press Release
Date: October 30, 2024
Contact: lgarrett@tctc.edu
By Lisa Garrett
Matt Herrick Says TCTC Relationships Will Last a Lifetime
PENDLETON --- The fall of 2024 is a bittersweet time for Matt Herrick.
After 15 years in the veterinary field, at age 41 he is changing careers and entering Wingate University as a Pharmacy student in preparation of pursuing a new profession.
Since 2007 he has been enrolled on the TCTC campus, on and off as a student in both the Veterinary Technology and Pre-Pharmacy programs and as an adjunct Veterinary Technology instructor while maintaining his job as a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) at Magnolia Veterinary Hospital in Anderson.
He earned a Veterinary Technology degree in 2010 and after years in the field, began to reevaluate the direction of his career. Looking for a change, but still invested in the health care field, he discovered TCTC’s two-year Pre-Pharmacy curriculum, which gives students the courses they need to apply to any pharmacy school in the Southeast. Tri-County’s program provides students the same opportunities to enter a school of pharmacy that a four-year college or university would – at a fraction of the cost.
Herrick was named outstanding Pre-Pharmacy student just weeks before receiving his degree at the spring 2024 commencement.
He credits his successes to the relationships he established over the years with both Vet Tech and Chemistry and Pre-Pharmacy instructors. “These connections continued past graduation and will last a lifetime,” he said, adding that they have served as mentors and sounding boards. “It’s those rare personal connection that made my decision so hard,” he said.
Late last year he was one of 10 accepted to Wingate University’s School of Pharmacy at the Hendersonville, NC, satellite campus.
“Our program provides students the same opportunities to enter a school of pharmacy that a four-year college or university would,” said Donny Winkler, TCTC program director for Pre-Pharmacy. Tri-County was the first technical college in the state to offer this package of classes.
Since 2009 Tri-County students have been accepted into pharmacy schools with sustained academic success. Tri-County has graduates from all colleges of pharmacy in South Carolina, South University College of Pharmacy and the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy.
“I really thought I was missing something in the fine print when I read that I could earn my prerequisites at TCTC and apply to any pharmacy school in the United States,” said Herrick.
He applied to Wingate University and was accepted in the first round of interviews, competing among individuals with bachelor’s degrees. “I was offered a spot before I left that day along with a $40,000 dean’s scholarship making it financially feasible,” Herrick said. “I talked it over with my wife that night and I accepted.”
“Wingate saw what we, as instructors, saw in Matt over the years – commitment,” said Ashley Brady, Veterinary Technology department head. When he entered the Vet Tech program, he was juggling many priorities including a third-shift job as a restaurant cook. He would get off work at 6 a.m. and change clothes and head to an 8 a.m. class. “We didn’t want him to burn out from compassion fatigue. We knew he had family responsibilities (he and his wife have three children), but we recognized his dedication and commitment both personally and professionally,” Brady said.
He will demonstrate that same dedication this year as he commits to five days a week classes in Hendersonville.
It was a hard choice to make, he said, but after years in emergency veterinary medicine, it is time for a career change. “I love veterinary medicine, he said. “I’ve invested 15 years with Magnolia and with TCTC. They will always have a place in my heart. I’m not abandoning it fully; I’m just taking a step away,” adding that he would like to work PRN as his schedule allows.
“I plan to keep in touch,” he said.
About Tri-County Technical College
Tri-County Technical College, a public two-year community and technical college serving Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties in South Carolina, enrolls more than 9,000 students annually and offers more than 70 major fields of study, including computer technology, business administration, mechatronics, nursing, and university transfer programs. Tri-County boasts the highest student success rate among two-year colleges in the state and ranks in the top one percent nationally for successful student transfers to four-year colleges and universities. To learn more, visit tctc.edu.
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