development focus
Reaching new heights In the past six years, successful fundraising has elevated the college, leading to more opportunities for growth Story by Marisa Larson, KSU Foundation “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” This Maya Angelou quote speaks to the past six years of fundraising success at the College of Veterinary Medicine. With generous gifts from individuals and industry partners, the college has gratefully enhanced facilities, supported students and invested in program success. When Hodes Family Dean Dr. Bonnie Rush was named interim dean of the college in 2017 and then appointed dean in 2019, she came with a list of goals that included increasing scholarship support, improving facilities, advancing student wellness and increasing the college’s endowment. Through the generosity of alumni, friends of the college and industry partners, those goals have been met. “We’ve more than doubled the scholarship endowment,” Dean Rush says. “That is really important to keep the degree as affordable as possible so students graduate with less debt. Corporate and private gifts have allowed us to transform the college into a more contemporary and functional space. This has helped us with recruiting students and retaining faculty.”
Dr. Wayne ‘75 and Jane Ingmire surprised Dr. Jana Gigliotti ‘22, with a scholarship when she was a veteerinary student.
The Wellness on Wheels mobile unit brings care to those without access to a veterinarian. 66 | wildcatveterinarian
