Meagan Sabo turns a near-tragedy into a Tri-C degree

May 12, 2017

The gray-and-white blur of fur darted past Meagan Sabo the moment she opened the front door. Bella bolted into the yard with every ounce of puppy energy in her 13-pound body. The dog reached the street in a blink.

Then came the moment Sabo can never forget: “I heard a sickening thud,” she remembers. “Then I saw Bella under the wheels of a car.”

What happened next saved the dog and changed Sabo’s life.

Watching caregivers at a nearby animal hospital nurse Bella back to health convinced Sabo to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. She will graduate from Cuyahoga Community College this month with an Associate of Applied Science in Veterinary Technology.

“When I saw everyone working on Bella at the animal hospital, I knew right then that this is what I want to do,” said Sabo, 25, of Parma. “It gave me my direction.”

Graduation day follows more than six years of taking classes part-time at Tri-C’s Western Campus in Parma. Sabo enrolled at Tri-C in 2011 after online research led her to the College’s Veterinary Technology program.

Sabo embraced campus life and immersed herself in activities through groups such as the Active Minds Club, Japanese Culture Club and the Veterinary Technicians Club.

She said her experience at Tri-C helped her grow comfortable meeting new people. Sabo has Asperger’s Syndrome, a mild form of autism that sometimes translates into awkwardness in social settings.

“I thought I’d just come to class and leave,” Sabo said. “But there was so much going on, I started doing things. College really helped me open up to people.”

Sabo thrived in the classroom, too, and spent the past semester interning with a local veterinarian and a veterinary lab to gain hands-on experience. She learned she enjoys working with exotic animals such as reptiles, snakes and birds.

She is already talking with several local veterinarian offices about a job after graduation. The Veterinary Technician National Examination also awaits so she can earn her professional credentials.

“I’m looking at getting my dream job,” Sabo said, “and it’s because of the people and classes at Tri-C.”

Throughout the month, we will be highlighting members of this spring's Tri-C graduating class. Click here to read more of their stories.