From competition to collaboration // College of Veterinary Medicine

Second-year student Ashlyn Lewis used to be a professional ballerina. She’s now channeling her perfectionism and attention to detail into a collaborative environment at Mizzou, where the focus is on improving animal health and working together to provide the best care.

Ashlyn Lewis grew up in Los Angeles, California, and became a professional dancer at a young age. Today, she's a second-year veterinary student at the University of Missouri.
Lewis began dancing when she was three. She starred in a number of productions, including The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet.
"In ballet, it’s almost all competition. But in vet school, we’re learning how to collaborate," she said. "The Class of 2027 has really bonded. We’ve learned that we’re all in this together. We help each other because, in the end, that’s how we provide the best care for animals."
Lewis is making the most of her time at Mizzou. She’s the vice president of the of the Student Chapter of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society, secretary of FelineVMA, and a student rep for Dechra. She’s also involved in the Small Ruminant and Camelid Club, ZEW Club, Human-Animal Bond Club, and the Anesthesia and Analgesia Club.

Published 3/13/25
Story contact: Deidra Ashley, CVMMarCom@missouri.edu
Photos by Karen Clifford

Ashlyn Lewis knows what it means to fully dedicate herself to a craft. Before she stepped foot in a veterinary classroom, she spent nearly a decade as a professional ballerina, performing in iconic productions like The Nutcracker and Romeo and Juliet. But after years of intense training and discipline, Lewis found herself longing for more — a deeper purpose, where her passion could make a lasting difference in the lives of others.

“I started dancing when I was three,” Lewis said. “By the time I was 22, I was tired of seeing myself in the studio mirror. I wanted to be around people, to help them, not just perform for them.”

So, she moved back to California, attended community college and eventually transferred to Cal Poly Pomona, where she majored in animal science with a focus on pre-veterinary medicine. It was there that a visit from the University of Missouri’s Doug Tindall sparked her interest in Mizzou.

“I hadn’t really considered Mizzou before then, but when I came for a visit, I was surprised,” Lewis said. “I saw how much the faculty genuinely care about their students. The collaboration, the hands-on training and the resources available to students really impressed me.”

Resilience and community

Lewis was accepted into the Class of 2027 and moved to Columbia in July 2023. Like many big transitions, the move came with its challenges.

“I had a lot going on when I first came to Mizzou,” Lewis said. “Not only was I transitioning from undergrad to veterinary school, but I had also moved halfway across the country and was dealing with some personal challenges. On top of that, I was several years older than my peers, which made me feel a bit out of place at first.”

To help navigate these challenges, Lewis turned to the College of Veterinary Medicine’s (CVM) embedded counseling team and scheduled appointments with Tiffany Sanford-Martens, PhD.

“Tiffany really helped me through a tough time,” Lewis said. “In the ballet world, you don’t often find people who genuinely care about your mental health. But at Mizzou, there are people you can reach out to who truly listen and invest time in helping you succeed. Mizzou is at the forefront of addressing these issues.”

Now in her second year at CVM, Lewis has found herself growing close to her classmates. She credits the discipline and resilience she honed as a ballerina for her smooth transition to veterinary school.

“There are a lot of similarities between ballet and vet school,” she said. “Both require grit, and you have to keep going, even when you fail. Ballet taught me how to fall and get back up — literally. That’s exactly what vet school demands.”

At Mizzou, Lewis has also discovered a new sense of community. “In ballet, it’s almost all competition. But in vet school, we’re learning how to collaborate,” she said. “The Class of 2027 has really bonded. We’ve learned that we’re all in this together. We help each other because, in the end, that’s how we provide the best care for animals.”

After graduation, Lewis plans to work in emergency veterinary care — and she sees herself staying in Missouri for the long term. “Missouri has captured my heart,” she said. “There’s so much to do outdoors, and it’s so green. I see myself staying here and maybe having a little land — with some goats.”

From the stage to the clinic, Lewis has discovered a new kind of performance. In ballet, precision and dedication were key to her success, but now, she is channeling those same qualities toward something much greater than applause. For her, it’s about healing, building connections and making a difference — one patient at a time.