Hometown Hillsdale: Roni Roth Avra, ’12

Written by Stephanie Gordon

Growing up in Hillsdale, Michigan, didn’t deter Roni Roth Avra, ’12, from wanting to attend the college in her own backyard. Hillsdale College was familiar thanks to her mother, Renee Roth, who worked at Hillsdale for more than 27 years, retiring in 2024. Hillsdale was close to home and still allowed Roni, a seasoned equestrian, the freedom to show her then-beloved horse, Cherokee.

Roni was born in Ohio and moved to Hillsdale when she was three years old. A graduate of Hillsdale Community Schools and a lover of all animals, she found herself working as a kennel assistant at Northside Veterinary Hospital in Hillsdale during high school. Unbeknownst to Roni at the time, the Northside connection would become very important during the next decade of her life.

As a Hillsdalian who has experienced life on and off “the hill,” Roni said once you’re on “the hill,” it’s almost as if you’re not in Hillsdale anymore. “As a student, I didn’t feel like I was in the same town I grew up in,” she said. “It’s just different—in a good way. My classmates were kind, and there was a group of us locals at the College, which helped make the transition to college easier.

“When I came to Hillsdale, I thought I wanted to major in psychology, but then I became interested in math,” Roni recalled. “But, I failed a Calculus 3 test and Dr. Webster (thankfully) kindly redirected my path. I started dabbling in a lot of different things, and I found my groove during my sophomore year with my biology classes.”

Roni called Dr. Jeffrey VanZant and Dr. Francis Steiner “influential” in her academic career. “I now treat a lot of my professor’s pets, so in a way, we’ve come full circle,” she smiled.

An active Chi Omega member, Roni fondly remembers a large group of sisters who were also biology majors interested in the medical field. The bond of sisterhood and academic interests was instrumental for Roni’s path. “We really pushed each other and spent a lot of time studying together,” she said.

Upon graduation, Roni knew she wanted to attend veterinary school. “I put all of my eggs in one basket and only applied to Michigan State University,” she said, “and I didn’t get in.”

Instead of dwelling on the rejection, Roni took additional classes at MSU after graduating from Hillsdale College, per the vet school’s recommendation. After a year of classes, she was accepted into MSU’s veterinary program. And when summers rolled around, Roni said she continued to work at Northside as an assistant, keeping that door open.

Roni graduated from Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2017 and started working as Dr. Roni Roth at Northside one week after graduation. “It just made sense to come home because I knew the doctors and clients so well,” she said. “From kennel assistant to doctor—I’m very grateful to be here.”

The majority of Roni’s days are full of wellness visits and caring for sick patients.

“I conduct surgeries once a week, but internal medicine is where I flourish,” said Roni. “I like to know what’s causing disease and how to solve the problem.”

Outside of the clinic, Roni enjoys spending time with her husband, Ted, and their two dogs, Jackson and Andy. She is still involved in the equestrian world. That love also began in Hillsdale, just down the road at Wingate Farms. “I showed Cherokee when I was in college, and he made it to the hall of fame and was also a world champion,” she said. “After graduation, I started paying my own horse bills, so the horse showing slowed. Now, I am actively involved with the Michigan State Pinto Breeders and Owners organization.”

Roni said she has many favorite parts of her job, but watching her patients grow up and grow old is probably the most rewarding. “I’ve been fortunate enough to meet many patients as puppies or kittens and care for them for the duration of their life,” Roni said. “I get to know both the patients and clients really well. That makes diagnosing and treating patients when they become sick more difficult sometimes, but it’s rewarding when I can help.”

Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. She enjoys baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, Detroit Lions football, and breaking a sweat at the gym.

Published in February 2026