In Praise of Students

Veterinary students come to our College with diverse backgrounds and interests. In the course of achieving their goal of a veterinary medical degree, they enrich the College in many ways.

The core curriculum, along with a broad menu of elective courses, provides them a solid basis in the art and science of veterinary medicine. But for expanding students’ views and developing leadership skills, participation in organized veterinary medicine, special interest clubs, and volunteer work is equally important.

In this column I would like to highlight a few of the many extracurricular activities of our students during the past academic year, and to thank our students for their contributions to the College.

Two student-run programs within the College provide unique services to the community, state, and beyond. The Wildlife Medical Clinic (www.cvm.uiuc.edu/wmc/) cares for more than 1,500 injured or abandoned wild animals each year with the help of scores of veterinary student volunteers. WMC also serves to educate the public about wildlife and develop the medical skills of students.

The CARE Pet Loss Helpline (www.cvm.uiuc.edu/CARE/) is a confidential and supportive outlet for grieving animal owners. Student volunteers are trained by professional grief counselors to talk with callers to the toll-free telephone service (877/394-CARE [2273]). Both programs create favorable impressions of the College among the public.

Perhaps the most visible public outreach event at the College is the Veterinary Medicine Open House. This event is run entirely by students. Each year, thousands of guests visit our College on the first Saturday in April to learn more about the profession of veterinary medicine. The day also develops the leadership and public outreach skills of students. Their hard work and planning to pull off this outstanding event are much appreciated by the faculty and staff of the College.

Students also contribute to the success of our recruitment and interview program, part of the admissions process for prospective students. On a single day last February, about 325 applicants were interviewed by three-person teams consisting of a student, a faculty member, and an Illinois practitioner. As I visited with applicants and their parents or spouses, they were most impressed with our hospitality and the friendly environment of our College. For this we are grateful to the faculty and practitioner participants as well as to students.

Veterinary specialty clubs and the Omega Tau Sigma service fraternity work with community groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Despite a demanding academic load, individual students also find time to volunteer at the local humane society, serve as tutors, and work with local children who need positive role models in their lives.

In March approximately 150 students attended the national Student American Veterinary Medical Association symposium, hosted this year at Colorado State University. In preparation for the trip Illinois students raised a record amount—nearly $10,000—toward travel expenses through an entertaining evening of silent and live auctions. That money was supplemented by gift funds from the College and money from the Hill’s Student Feeding Committee.

The symposium allows students to meet and socialize with veterinary students throughout the country, strengthen bonds with their fellow Illinois students, and experience the types of continuing education that will be available to them after graduation. Our students shone in the competitions this year (see SAVMA Symposium article).

It is important for the College not only to provide students with a stimulating academic environment, but also to help them grow and develop skills that will assist them throughout their professional and private life. Many of these activities that enrich and complete the education of our students are funded totally, or in part, by gift funds. To those who support these activities, I say thank you. And to our students, whose energy and enthusiasm are invaluable to our College, I salute you and encourage you to continue your efforts throughout your academic and professional careers.