Alum Vianca Mae Dacumos '21 pursues veterinary career
December 22nd, 2021
Vianca Mae Dacumos '21 wears a traditional Filipino outfit in magazine portraits to convey her cultural pride and to represent her community
Vianca Mae Dacumos graduated with the Class of 2021 this past May and found herself on the cover of the latest edition of La Pietra Days magazine. In her cover story, Dacumos is described as "the ultimate dichotomy of empathy and perseverance." She recently wrote to the school with an update on how she's doing in college.
"When I first attended La Pietra, I found it hard to believe that I would be successful," Dacumos writes. "But as the years went by, I continued to prove myself wrong."
She continues on to say that La Pietra helped her find confidence within herself, which put her on a track to discover her passion and purpose. Today, she is attending the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, pursuing a degree in Animal Sciences with a Pre-Veterinary track.
"I was able to find pieces of me that I didn’t know existed. Most importantly, I discovered my very strong love and passion for animals," she adds.
Dacumos '21 is now attending the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, pursuing a degree in Animal Sciences
During her time at La Pietra, Dacumos took on leadership roles in student government as Student Body Secretary, the National Honor Society, and even started her own club to raise awareness and money for local animal shelters.
"My experiences in both the projects and my clinical internships revealed that veterinary care is a privilege not available to low income families," she writes. "I am fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a veterinarian but also fulfilling my mission in life."
In the future, Dacumos plans to create a non-profit organization that provides affordable veterinary aid to those from a low income background. She believes it is our duty as humans to care for animals and ensure that they are not neglected.
"Thank you very much for allowing me to finish my education at La Pietra," she writes. "You have left an impact on my life, and I am very grateful for that."
You can read the full cover story on Dacumos and the rest of La Pietra Days magazine by clicking the link below! The latest issue also features stories on fellow alumnae, including the graduation address by Cecilia Chung '09 to the class of 2021, and Diana Carty's '77 spotlight on finding purpose in the healthcare industry and being on the frontlines of the pandemic in Seattle.
Mahalo for representing our school so well and for making our community such a special place! If you're an alum and have an update you want to share, click here. We'd love to hear from you!
