MSU's veterinary college turns 100

East Lansing, Mich. — Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine celebrates its 100th anniversary, marking its official designation as a degree program in 1910.

Within a century of opening its doors, the school has transformed itself to a $90 million operation, earning the ninth spot on the U.S. News & Annual Reports list of best colleges. And while the college has made several advances in animal medicine, from performing the first open-heart surgery on a dog to last year’s acquisition of a $2 million MRI machine large enough for horses, it still remains true to its original purpose: teaching.

Noted for its commitment to international research projects and a diagnostic lab that performs more than 1 million tests each year, MSU has trained more than 6,000 veterinarians and more than 90 percent of the veterinarians in Michigan. “That’s the biggest impact we make,” said Christopher Brown, dean of the school. Brown says the school will continue its efforts by focusing on training future veterinarians and protecting the nation’s food supply from disease through research.