By Audrey Hanes, Photos by Melissa Donner

As progress continues in the building and founding of the Arkansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, from faculty hires to building barns, the university is busy preparing for the inaugural class of students next fall. 

After first announcing the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2023, A-State broke ground on the $33.2 million, 56,000-square-foot building in March at the corner of Driver Street and University Loop. As the state’s first public College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), students are clamoring to be admitted and earn training and degrees in a profession that is in need of practitioners across the state. 

“We have five new faculty hires since the groundbreaking,” said Dr. Heidi Banse, dean of the CVM. “Just this week, the steel has started to go up on our College of Veterinary Medicine building. We are also finalizing plans for bovine and equine teaching barns at the Agricultural Teaching and Research Center on A-State’s campus.”

According to Chancellor Todd Shields, the CVM hopes to train veterinarians here in Arkansas, ensuring that the state has the skilled professionals necessary to care for its livestock, pets and wildlife. It will help fill that gap in caring for Arkansas’ agricultural and rural communities, as well. 

Banse says A-State has been supportive every step of the way so far, as it now has less than one year until its doors open to students. 

“We are grateful for the full support of Arkansas State University,” said Banse. “We have amazing community partners, both veterinary practices and other organizations, across the state of Arkansas and beyond that support our Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program and have facilitated our continued success in development. We are able to be nimble and adapt to challenges as they are presented.”

The school expects 120 students in its inaugural class, many of whom will be supported by scholarships and generous businesses in town.

“We have had multiple additional commitments to endowed scholarships for our students,” said Banse. “We get multiple student inquiries each week, predominantly from Arkansas and also from the Mid-South region and across North America. … It is such an exciting time for our program.”

The CVM dean says she is most proud of the team that is being assembled to staff the college and the community-centered model of education.

“Our leadership team and faculty recognize the opportunity of building a College of Veterinary Medicine from the ground up,” she said. “Our team is hardworking and willing to adapt and overcome any challenge that comes our way. I am also proud of our community-centered model, which allows our students to be a part of the fabric of Arkansas throughout their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine education. … 

“Our community-based education model incorporates veterinary student experiences at the Department of Corrections, Department of Agriculture, the Northeast Arkansas Humane Society and the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.”

The chancellor has said that by partnering with veterinary practices throughout the state, students of the four-year program will gain real-world clinical training experiences during their final year at the veterinary school while also giving back to the community.

For more information on the veterinary program, visit astate.edu/college/veterinary-medicine.