OSU College of Veterinary Medicine Celebrates 60th Anniversary

STILLWATER, Okla.—Since the Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine opened its doors in March 1948, the small land grant institution has served as Oklahoma’s only veterinary college. Many of its 3,165 graduates have had stellar careers in veterinary medicine and are renown world-wide. And through their hard work, dedicated faculty adds more prestige to OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

The college ended a year-long celebration of its 60th anniversary with a “Cowboy Roundup” at the Payne County Fairgrounds Expo Center on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008.

OSU College of Veterinary Medicine celebrates its 60th Anniversary

Alumni traveled from across the United States and Thailand to join in the festivities. Also celebrating were the classes of 1953 (55th year reunion), 1968 (40th year reunion), 1983 (25th year reunion) and 1988 (20th year reunion). Dr. Scott Sturgeon, Class of 2004, catered a barbeque sponsored by Merial and the OSU Center for Veterinary Health Sciences. Entertainment was provided by AC/VP, OSU’s Veterinary Pathology rock band, and Native Bluestem, a country/western group featuring OSU’s Dr. Dustin Devine.

AC/VP, a Veterinary Pathology rock band provided entertainment during the first portion of the 60th Anniversary celebration

Highlights of the evening included Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association silent and live auctions and an Omega Tau Sigma silent dessert auction. Proceeds in excess of $8,800 will benefit the Veterinary Student Annual Scholarship Fund.

Dr. Michael Lorenz, alumnus and dean of the college, assists volunteer auctioneer Pecos McNiel. Up for bid is a commemorative Eskimo Joe’s Vet Med 60th Anniversary T-Shirt signed by the OSU Women’s Basketball coaches.

“More than 550 alumni, faculty, staff, family and friends joined us as we marked this milestone in the OSU veterinary center’s history and in Oklahoma’s history,” says Dr. Michael Lorenz, Class of 1969, professor and dean of the veterinary college. “We are here to serve the Stillwater community, the state of Oklahoma and the nation. Veterinarians are the watchdogs over our nation’s food supply helping to make it a safer place for animals and humans. We are proud to continue a 60-year tradition of graduating competent, confident, practice-ready OSU veterinarians.”

The Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences is one of 28 veterinary colleges in the United States and is fully accredited by the Council on Education of the American Veterinary Medical Association.