Arkansas State University is set to reach a historic milestone as its new College of Veterinary Medicine prepares to welcome its inaugural class of students in August.
The first group of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students will arrive on campus for orientation beginning Thursday, Aug. 6, with classes officially starting Wednesday, Aug. 12, marking the launch of the university’s newest academic program.
“We are delighted to welcome our inaugural class to campus for orientation starting Thursday, Aug. 6, with class beginning Wednesday, Aug. 12,” said Dr. Heidi Banse, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Before classes begin, Arkansas State will celebrate the official opening of the college’s new facility with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11. University leaders, faculty, elected officials and community members are expected to attend the event.
University officials say the opening represents years of planning and investment aimed at expanding educational opportunities while helping address the growing demand for veterinarians across Arkansas and the Mid-South.
“This is a transformational day for Arkansas State University. After years of planning and preparation, we are welcoming students into a program that will strengthen our university, expand opportunities for Arkansans and help address a critical workforce need across our state and region,” interim Chancellor Calvin White Jr. said.
ASU System President Todd Shields has helped guide the project since joining Arkansas State as chancellor in 2022.
“What makes this accomplishment especially meaningful is that every decision was made with the goal of creating a program that serves students, meets workforce needs and highlights the unique strengths of Arkansas State University,” Shields said.
The pre-operative area, which is part of the surgical skills training space, is shown in College of Veterinary Medicine at Arkansas State University.
Dr. Len Frey, senior associate dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and senior adviser for strategic initiatives, has spent nearly a decade working toward the program’s launch.
“During the time in which I have been affiliated with A-State, the creation of the College of Veterinary Medicine is the single most significant strategic initiative that Arkansas State University has undertaken,” Frey said. “It is one of the most entrepreneurial strategic decisions we have ever made as an institution.”
The College of Veterinary Medicine’s new 56,000-square-foot building was designed specifically to support hands-on instruction through a competency-based veterinary education model.
Construction also included new barns, which were completed earlier this summer and will support large-animal instruction and services.
Banse said faculty and staff are putting the finishing touches on the facility before moving into the building ahead of the grand opening.
“We are thrilled with our progress to date in development of our program and are looking forward to training students to be practice-ready and contribute to the veterinary workforce in Arkansas, the Mid-South and beyond,” Banse said. “Our amazing team has been working tirelessly over the past two years to prepare our programs and our curriculum to be ready for our current and future students.”
The college will begin its first academic year with 19 on-site faculty members teaching first-year students. An additional 15 faculty members are expected to join the program over the next year as it continues to expand.
“We will have 19 faculty members on-site to deliver our year-one curriculum, and another 15 faculty will be hired over the next 12 months,” Banse added. “Our ambulatory service continues to grow, providing large animal services to the community. We look forward to developing additional clinical services to support the community as we move forward.”
Feature Photo: Work is underway completing the College of Veterinary Medicine ahead of the August opening.
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