The Dean's Letter

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Welcome to the Anniversary Edition of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s Aesculapian. In our first printed issue since 2020, we reflect on the College’s impact since its very beginnings... over 75 years ago. In fact, this spring, we proudly graduated our 75th class of veterinarians, which coincidently, was also our largest class ever... where 150 new veterinarians crossed the stage, up from 114 just a few short years ago! This increase, the largest done fastest in the nation according to the AVMA, was made to better serve the growing needs for veterinary care in our state and communities.

We’re also celebrating the 10th anniversary of our Veterinary Teaching Hospital, which is a cornerstone of excellence in veterinary care, and the fifth anniversary of the Butler Garden, which beautifully honors the deep human-animal bond central to our profession. And, we can’t forget the 80 years of operation of our diagnostic labs; five years before we even graduated our first class, our diagnostic labs were providing quality diagnostic testing to our state and its communities, especially those in rural areas.

But even as we enjoy looking back at our rich history during this celebratory year, we know the importance of moving forward. We are focused on not just doing our best to fulfill our three missions of teaching, research and service, but going beyond the expected to ensure we are educating the next generation of veterinarians to be ready for a fast-paced and rapidly evolving veterinary profession, modernizing our facilities and accessibility of our hospital, community clinic and diagnostic services to better serve our community, and creating new knowledge through research that advances animal and human healthcare.

So, join us for a look back at some of the College’s notable accomplishments and a look forward as to what the future holds for UGA’s CVM. These stories will recount UGA-CVM’s success in performing feline kidney transplants, implementation of the first ever honeybee medicine program, and development of its new Precision One Health Initiative, where it is not just about treating diseases—but also about understanding the deeper relationships between the biological, social, and environmental factors that shape our world.

We are ever so thankful for those who came before us, setting us on a path forward and are excited to continue this journey of service and discovery. Reading this special issue of the Aesculapian fills this alumna with great excitement and pride in what our College has done from its very beginnings... innovate, create, educate and make UGA CVM a great place to grow a career, gain an education, serve our state and push the boundaries of our wonderful profession forward. Thanks for reading!

Click below to view and download an online version of the print edition.