Student Life
Student Organizations
Student activities are an attractive component of the program at the College. Clubs and organizations are responsible for many activities, including community outreach and educational opportunities for students. Activities include wet labs, picnics, fund-raisers, such as dog washes and runs, and T-shirt sales. It is in many of these activities that students learn what their real interests are within veterinary medicine. It is also here that lifelong friendships are established.
Housing
University of Illinois housing regulations do not apply to students in the professional program of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Several rooms are available for veterinary students at Omega Tau Sigma, the professional veterinary fraternity. Veterinary students may also apply for accommodations within University residence halls. A limited number of University-owned apartments are available to married students. Students generally rely on the local community for housing needs because they often have pets to provide for. Assistance in finding housing is available from:
Tenant Union
326 Illini Union
1401 West Green Street
Urbana, IL 61801
217/333-0112
Veterinary students can recommend good housing that allows pets.
University and Community
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive, major public university ranked among the best in the country. As a land-grant institution chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts both theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois, which also has campuses at Chicago and Springfield.
The Urbana campus includes some 200 major buildings on 1,470 acres, serving more than 2,000 faculty members, 26,000 undergraduates, and 10,000 graduate and professional students. The annual budget is about $1 billion, of which about a fourth comes from state appropriations and the rest from tuition, gifts, grants, contracts, and other revenues.
It is located approximately 130 miles south of Chicago, 120 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 miles northeast of St. Louis. Together, Urbana and Champaign have a population of more than 100,000. The community is served by several airlines, three interstate highways (see map), bus, and rail. The twin cities and University make a pleasant community.
The University is known for the high quality of its academic programs and its exceptional resources and facilities. The University Library is the largest public university library in the world, housing more than 21 million items in the main library building and in more than forty departmental libraries and units campus-wide. More than one million patrons use the online catalog each week. The University has international stature in the areas of computing and electronic communications. It also enjoys one of the largest and most active alumni associations. These resources are complemented by outstanding cultural opportunities available to the community, including offerings at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.
Campus Map
The College of Veterinary Medicine is located in Urbana, Illinois, 140 miles south of Chicago, 120 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 miles northeast of St. Louis. From Interstate 74, take the Lincoln Avenue exit south and travel about 3.1 miles until you reach Hazelwood Drive, at the southeast corner of the University's main campus.
College Tours
Tours of the College are available for prospective students in high school or older through the Office of Academic and Student Affairs (admissions@cvm.uiuc.edu; 217/333-1192). Tours are typically conducted over the noon hour by a current student. Visitors can also request the opportunity to meet with an admissions adviser after the tour.
College of Veterinary Medicine Open House
Each spring, the student body of the College of Veterinary Medicine sponsors an Open House. Several thousand visitors attend Open House to discover the behind-the-scenes side of veterinary medical education and practice. Equine lameness evaluations, mock surgery demonstrations, reptile health care exhibits, and a look inside a cow's rumen are some of the exhibits and activities available there. This is an excellent opportunity for people with an interest in veterinary medicine to observe our facilities and to learn about the service programs in veterinary medicine at the University of Illinois. Open House is typically held the first Saturday in April, unless that falls on Easter weekend. Call or check the College Web site to confirm the date.