JONESBORO – Arkansas State University hosted a White Coat Ceremony on Saturday to honor the inaugural class of its College of Veterinary Medicine, marking a historic moment as the state’s first veterinary school welcomes its first students. Friends and family gathered at the Fowler Center for the event, which is expected to become an annual tradition.
Dr. Heidi Banse, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, opened the ceremony with a welcome address. Dr. Will McLean, interim provost and executive vice chancellor, also addressed the audience before Dr. Sarah Shedenhelm, president of the Arkansas Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), delivered the keynote speech.
“On behalf of veterinarians across our state, I want to congratulate each and every one of you on earning your place in the inaugural class of the Arkansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Dr. Shedenhelm, who practices at the Baxter County Animal Clinic in Mountain Home. “Today is much bigger than the beginning of veterinary school. It marks the beginning of a new era for veterinary medicine in Arkansas.”
Dr. Shedenhelm, who began her higher education at ASU-Mountain Home before earning a degree in animal science at Arkansas State and continuing her veterinary studies out of state, reflected on the significance of the milestone. “For decades, students from across Arkansas who dreamed of becoming veterinarians had to leave home to pursue that dream. Today, because of the vision, dedication, and perseverance of so many people in this room, future generations will have the opportunity to receive an outstanding veterinary education right here in our home state.”
The White Coat Ceremony symbolizes a student’s entry into the veterinary profession. During the event, each student was ceremonially coated by a veterinarian while faculty members looked on.
Students in the program began arriving on campus earlier this month for orientation. The newly constructed College of Veterinary Medicine facility is set to be dedicated at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, ahead of the start of classes on Wednesday. The program's official start comes one week before the beginning of Arkansas State’s regular semester.