ROGER RAMIREZ-BARRIOS TOLD THE CLASS OF 2026 THEY WERE LIKE PARASITES. IT WAS A COMPLIMENT.

BLACKSBURG, Va., May 29 -- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University issued the following news release:

Calling veterinary college graduates a bunch of parasites is not what the adoring parents, friends, and families were expecting.

But as Roger Ramirez-Barrios, clinical professor of veterinary parasitology, walked to the podium, he had a plan prepared, ready to engage the Class of 2026 Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine commencement audience in an unexpected way.

He had a poster rolled up under his arm. A few minutes into his speech, he unfurled it. A cartoon parasite. He let the room see it.

"I knew they were going to love that," Ramirez-Barrios said later. "I can understand that to the general public, comparin...