Reflecting on OSU's $250M investment to build world class veterinary teaching hospital
Friday, September 19, 2025
Media Contact: Mack Burke | Associate Director of Media Relations | 405-744-5540 | editor@okstate.edu
The future of veterinary medicine runs through Stillwater.
Recognizing that veterinary medicine is a cornerstone of Oklahoma’s economy and public health, Oklahoma State University President Jim Hess made securing investment for a new veterinary teaching hospital a key priority this spring.
The combined efforts of faculty, staff, alumni and students were rewarded when the Oklahoma Legislature approved a $250 million funding package to construct a new veterinary teaching hospital.
Dr. Hess said this transformational investment will directly support OSU’s land-grant mission to serve the state’s needs.
“Today marks a very historic day for Oklahoma State University and the entire state of Oklahoma,” Hess said. “Gov. [Kevin] Stitt and the members of the Oklahoma Legislature are to be congratulated for their contribution and transformational dedication to our College of Veterinary Medicine, the food supply of Oklahoma and the agricultural economy of our state.”
When the OSU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital first welcomed patients in 1981, it was considered one of the finest facilities in the country. After securing the largest state appropriation in university history in May, the university has committed to build a new veterinary teaching hospital that will not only propel OSU to national prominence once again but also position it as the nation’s best teaching hospital.
Hess said veterinarians are essential to every corner of Oklahoma — from rural ranches to urban centers — fueling economic growth and ensuring the safety of our food supply and public health. This critical investment, combined with $79 million allocated in 2023, marks a significant step forward in advancing the future of veterinary education, food security and public health in Oklahoma.
“This $250 million investment powerfully answers the call to build a new teaching facility for OSU’s veterinary medicine school, and we thank our elected leaders for their commitment to this vital project and the veterinarians who fought for it,” said past Oklahoma A&M Board Chairman Jimmy Harrel.
“We celebrate this significant progress as a win for Oklahoma State University, its veterinary students and the agricultural community. The facility will serve the state for at least the next 40 years and equip our graduates to meet the evolving needs of Oklahoma’s vital animal industries. Our mission is to be No. 1 in the nation, and this will be the launching pad to achieve our shared vision, advancing the university’s top-tier status as a land-grant institution.”
Looking Ahead: A New Era for Veterinary Medicine
The new 255,000-square-foot facility will replace the existing 145,376-square-foot veterinary hospital, which was built to serve 60 students but now supports more than 150.
With this expansion, OSU will address one of the most urgent infrastructure needs in its veterinary program while expanding its ability to train the next generation of veterinarians.
"For us, this means everything."
The current veterinary hospital was identified as a key concern when the OSU CVM was placed on probationary accreditation in the fall of 2024. The American Veterinary Medical Association returned the college to full accreditation status in March, emphasizing that continued compliance is tied to facility upgrades.
Dr. Lionel Dawson, professor of theriogenology, said he’s seen veterinary medicine and student needs evolve dramatically since joining the OSU faculty in 1982. When he started, there were just 26 faculty members. That number has since more than doubled, but the hospital facility has remained largely unchanged.
“We were the premier veterinary hospital when I started,” Dawson said. “But veterinary medicine has changed. Our facility is outgrown. With a new building, we’ll be able to hire more specialists, give students more hands-on learning and provide better care to animals across the state.”
Dr. Jerry Ritchey, interim dean of the OSU CVM and an OSU alumnus, said the new hospital represents a turning point for veterinary medicine in Oklahoma that will immediately elevate OSU’s ability to provide a better experience for the hospital’s patients and the students who work there.
“This is a long past-due reward for the legacy of current and past faculty and staff members who have worked so diligently to produce practice-ready, highly sought-after graduates,” Ritchey said.
“Professionally, this will immediately elevate our ability to provide a better operational experience for our patients and clients, allow us to expand subspecialty offerings, improve the work environment for our students and staff, help our recruitment efforts to attract the best faculty and train our students in a contemporary environment with space and resources to enhance their educational experience.”
As one of just 33 accredited veterinary colleges in the United States, OSU plays a unique role in meeting Oklahoma’s veterinary workforce needs. Each year, more than 100 students are admitted to the program, with graduates serving all 77 counties in Oklahoma.
This funding is also key to addressing Oklahoma’s rural large-animal veterinarian shortage — a pressing issue for agriculture and food production.
From back yards to barnyards
“For us, this means everything,” said Dr. Kelly Black, hospital director.
Black said the new hospital will create new opportunities to expand treatment options for small and large animals, including advanced imaging tools (CT, MRI, radiography and ultrasound), a linear accelerator for oncology treatments and an Aqua Cow float tank.
“I think it’s an investment in the future of veterinary medicine in the state of Oklahoma, and I think it’s going to bring us into the next century, where we’re still working in the last century,” Black said. “This is really going to move us forward and make us a leader in veterinary medicine.”
Dr. Daniel Burba, professor of equine surgery, called the project a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the veterinary faculty that “will elevate my ability to provide state-of-the-art care and will be a huge morale booster for our support staff, veterinary technicians and receptionists.”
He said the new space will allow for more immersive clinical teaching, access to equipment like a large-animal MRI and even more excitement among students about learning.
“It is such an awesome feeling when students get excited about a case and have the necessary tools to bring it to discussion and not only prepare them as an entry-level veterinarian, but also show what advanced care is all about,” he said.
Horse owner Steele Hunter has been a client of the CVM hospital for over six years. He lives in Stillwater, but he said he’d make the trip to Stillwater even when he’s working eight hours away.
“This investment means I’m gonna be able to rest assured that I know I am gonna get the best possible results of what my horses and animals are needing from the best possible care,” he said. “And I know they’re gonna be putting out the best possible educated veterinarians into the marketplace that will be able to carry on their legacy and spread that experience wherever they may go.”
OSU food animal client Dale Newman has brought his cattle to OSU for a quarter century. He said ranchers like him would not be able to get their animals the care they need without the CVM hospital.
“It just makes me proud to know that there is concern about the rural animal facilities for taking care of the cattle,” he said.
“It’s a very big plus, and thank God for whoever stepped up to the plate to get it started. We’re rural, and who cares? So many people don’t know where their food comes from, it’s unreal. People also don’t understand how much people like me love our animals. We love our cattle. Thank God somebody decided to take care of the old boys out in the rural country.”
Dr. Trey Kraft, an OSU College of Veterinary Medicine alumnus and president of the alumni society, characterized the Legislature’s support as “invigorating.”
“There are many crossroads in the headlights of veterinary medicine,” Kraft said. “There is a growing need for more veterinary practitioners in the rural corners of Oklahoma, and we are facing shortages of veterinarians on the national level. This investment in the infrastructure of Oklahoma State’s College of Veterinary Medicine will make our facilities not only contemporary but exemplary on the national level. We are setting the stage for a humongous leap forward into the future.
“I think that the facilities, and ultimately the veterinary program as a whole, should both be shining stars in the state of Oklahoma. We are so blessed to have this institution, and I look forward to our future collaboration with legislators and Oklahoma veterinarians going forward. I don’t think we should settle until we see our school as a national power.”
The new facility directly supports OSU’s broader land-grant mission to improve agriculture and rural health through innovation and service.
“It’s program-changing, not only for our students and faculty and staff, but also for animal owners across the state, particularly our farmers and ranchers in rural areas that need the support to do what they do: feed and clothe the world,” said Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, assistant professor and director of the Center for Rural Veterinary Medicine.
In addition to the hospital’s expanded capacity to treat patients, there will be dedicated space for rural veterinary medicine education and production animal work, augmenting clinical instruction and providing a better operational experience. The investment will also allow the college to launch its first neurology service, enhance its oncology offerings and attract new clinical research study opportunities.
When OSU alumna, veterinarian and former Oklahoma legislator Dr. Lee Denney attended veterinary school in the mid-1970s, the entire program was held in just one building: McElroy Hall. A lot has changed within the profession since she graduated in 1978, and Denney believes the investment is coming at a crucial time — not just for OSU, but for the entire state.
“Veterinary medicine is twofold, really,” Denney said. “We have the charge to keep the food animal population healthy, thereby keeping the food supply safe. We also have the charge to keep companion animals free of disease, as these pets have become family members.”
To further strengthen the future of veterinary medicine in Oklahoma, the Dr. Lee Denney Act of 2024 was established to provide financial support for students pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at OSU, focusing on serving rural communities and meeting the needs of livestock producers.
Fourth-year veterinary student Eli Pool, a third-generation OSU alumnus and proud Oklahoman, was among the first cohort of students to receive the Oklahoma Rural Veterinary Scholarship.
From the student perspective, he said clinical experiences are “paramount in preparation for becoming a practice-ready veterinarian.” Now, he said, those experiences will be far more expansive and accessible.
“I could not be more excited to be part of the OSU CVM at this time,” he said. “This investment will no doubt serve Oklahoma State students as well as the state of Oklahoma for another 40 years, just as the current teaching hospital has, only better. Future classes at OSU CVM will get the experience, training and knowledge to practice in a state-of-the-art facility, which will result in highly skilled, practice-ready veterinarians. Not only will this new hospital help to produce veterinarians to practice across Oklahoma and the U.S., but it will provide the gold standard of specialty care to all of its patients.”
Kami Schenk said OSU’s commitment to building a new teaching hospital also sends a powerful message to first-year veterinary students like her.
“It’s a profound and impactful blessing that gives us the opportunity to learn and serve in a facility that matches the level of care our future patients deserve,” she said.
“This investment will provide a firm foundation for future veterinarians to succeed and, in turn, change and save more lives. It’s also worth noting that by investing in our future, as current students, we feel the support and confidence from our state and community to succeed.”
Photos by: Ellie Piper
Story by: Mack Burke and Bailey Horn | STATE Magazine