On September 18th we marked a milestone that will shape the future of veterinary medicine. More than 250 people came together to launch the next chapter of our Veterinary Medical Complex—an ambitious expansion that reflects not only our vision, but also the extraordinary generosity of our community.

May was nationally recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, so I have been reflecting on wellbeing—which is a priority for the school year-round.

At commencement this spring I shared the story of one of our graduates, Adrian Santoyo, a first-generation college student from a farm working family in the Central Valley. With the support of his parents and through his own perseverance, he achieved his dream and is now back home practicing as Dr. Adrian Santoyo.

As we reach the halfway mark of our school’s 75th anniversary year, I’ve been envisioning the future. Until recently, the pace of change in veterinary medicine has been mostly incremental. Entire careers could be spent grinding away on single diseases or scientific insights. Discoveries were hard won and served as building blocks for further innovation.