Life & Work with Twanda Collins of Auburn

Today we’d like to introduce you to Twanda Collins.

Hi Twanda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, my life was shaped by the duality of a city that offers both beauty and danger. Raised by my grandmother—a single, tireless woman who stepped in when my parents could not—I learned early on what strength looked like in the face of adversity. Growing up in Chicago, my environment taught me how to fight, but my grandmother taught me how to build. I moved from the front lines of “Chi-raq” to the hallowed grounds of Tuskegee University, becoming the first in my family to earn a college degree. Now, I’m tackling my 3rd and 4th degrees simultaneously (MPH/DVM) to show the younger generation that you can overcome a difficult past and become the very change you once sought.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Leaving Chicago for college was only the beginning; the real battle started my sophomore year. The person who had been my financial and emotional backbone passed away, leaving me to navigate the world as a grieving student and a new mother. I became a single, full-time parent, working two jobs while maintaining a full course load. There were nights when a steady home or a stable bank account felt out of reach, but I refused to let those downfalls define my son’s future or my own. I pushed myself back into the classroom because I knew that my dreams were the only way to build the life we deserved. Every struggle was just a lesson in how much I could endure. God gives his battles to the toughest soldiers and I’m the toughest.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
“In a field where few look like me, I have found my calling in Herpetology. My journey to the Veterinary Science profession wasn’t a ‘piece of cake’; it was forged through years of being told I wouldn’t make it. I’ve learned to turn negativity into the very fuel that drives me, finding a deep, quiet satisfaction in proving the doubters wrong. While I have worked with many species, my heart belongs to exotics. I thrive in the high-stakes environment —where taking risks and entering dangerous situations is a requirement for saving a life. For me, the physical and emotional strain is worth it to know I am contributing to the survival and population growth of these misunderstood creatures. I live by a simple creed: stay true to yourself, fight for what you believe in, and trust that God will see you through.”