Some teachers truly love what they do. Micaela Alba, the newest member of the veterinary technology team, is one such teacher.

Voicing her enthusiasm, Alba says, “I love HCC and am so glad to be part of the veterinary technology program [to] help shape the future of veterinary technology.”

Alba credits Cindy Robinson, an instructor at HCC for bringing her to the Plant City campus. Alba started as a part-time instructor and “instantly fell in love with everything the job entails.”

“We’re very lucky to have her on board,” Robinson said. “She’s very motivated and dedicated to providing our students with an excellent learning experience.”

Among the classes Alba teaches this semester are Avian and Exotic Medicine, Intro to Vet Tech and Veterinary Medical Terminology. Alba loves teaching all of the subjects,  especially when she sees her students get ‘those light bulb moments.’ 

“In my opinion, what makes a good teacher is connecting with your students,” Alba said. “They feel confident enough to come to you for a question or for you to be there for them. That is a good feeling.”

Regarding students, Alba feels “if they are not learning, they are not growing,” and she tells this to them regularly. This is especially true in a career that changes as often as the veterinary field.

She also encourages her students to keep reaching for their goals and to further their education. Eventually, she hopes to become a veterinary technician specialist or get her master’s degree.

When not at work, Alba says you will most likely find her working out with her outdoor fitness group called Camp Gladiator. The group holds a special place in her heart as it allows her to interact with different kinds of people who share a common goal of being healthier. Outside of the group, she enjoys hanging with her pups, binge-watching TV shows and reading a “Harry Potter” book. 

Alba is a native Floridian who grew up in the Tampa Bay area. “I have always had a passion for animals. I thought it was cool to work with them and did a veterinary assisting program in high school at Tampa Bay Tech. So, to [advance] my career in the veterinary field, I wanted to take my education that much further,” Alba said. 

Although wanting to attend HCC as a student, Alba found working full-time while attending school difficult. Instead, Alba enrolled in an online veterinary technician program at St. Petersburg College for her Associate of Science and bachelor’s degrees.

While in school, one of her favorite non-major classes was Intro to Music because she loves music and found it interesting to understand the theory behind it. Recently, she has been listening to the new Taylor Swift album and the song “Neon Moon” by Brooks & Dunn featuring Kasey Musgraves from their “Reboot” album.

When asked what she would want to do as a career if she had to do something else, Alba said, “I am lucky to have the best of both worlds being a certified veterinary technician and an instructor, but if I could do something else, I would be a comedian. I love making people laugh; let’s be real if you know me, you know I am an obnoxious social butterfly.”