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Meet a Hokie: Kelby Henriquez

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Category: campus experience Video duration: Meet a Hokie: Kelby Henriquez
Kelby Henriquez knew he wanted to be a Hokie before he left elementary school. The first year student describes what it meant to make it official.
[00:00:00] >> Fairfax County Senior Kelby Henriquez has wanted to be a veterinarian since kindergarten and decided where he wanted to go to college not long after. "Hearing about Virginia Tech around 4th, 5th grade. I'm just focusing that. Mainly the animal poultry science. That was interesting to me since I wanted to become veterinarian." When it came to applying... [00:00:19] "Getting through the essays was really fun, kind of got me to actually think of things I've witnessed and my experiences throughout high school." Nearly 200 faculty and staff volunteers read more than 127,000 essays from prospective students. It's one of several changes to the admissions process. Kelby says he could barely contain himself at the vet clinic where he works when he learned he was admitted. [00:00:41] “I was so happy but I had to compose myself, trying to be professional but I was just so excited running around the hospital there for a second just to get it all the energy out before I go back to work. But it was, it was really awesome.” His parents were just as excited. [00:00:53] "They were really excited. They were so happy. My mom, I know she teared up a little and then my dad was super proud." Kelby says his best advice for students applying to college: Don't let the cost deter you. "There's a lot scholarships everywhere that you'd be surprised where you can get money from." As he finishes his last weeks of high school, he's lo