Placing the final beam at a new veterinary college in Arkansas

The final beam has been set in place in the construction of the new College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) at Arkansas State University (A-State) in Jonesboro. The university recently recognized the milestone with a celebratory ceremony at the site of the CVM, which is expected to welcome its inaugural class of 120 students in the fall of 2026.¹

“We imagined this college, funded it, and now we’re building it. Every bolt in that beam represents a student’s future. This is not just about a building, it’s about the capacity to care for animals, to support agriculture, help food insecurity, and keep talent right here in Arkansas,”Todd Shields, chancellor for A-State, said in a news release.¹

A Veterinary Wellbeing Study conducted in late 2021 by Merck Animal Health and the American Veterinary Medical Association revealed a shortage of qualified staff to be one of the main challenges facing veterinary practices, and Arkansas is one of more than a dozen states that does not currently have an institution offering a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree.²

In the absence of a veterinary college, prospective veterinarians living in Arkansas are currently required to leave the state for the education needed to earn their DVM degrees. However, the state is on track to have 2 veterinary schools with Lyon College in Batesville, Arkansas, also planning to open to students in fall of 2026. Construction on Lyon’s veterinary education facility began in July of 2025.³

Graduates of the A-State program will be qualified to work as veterinarians in Arkansas and elsewhere following a 4-year program of study.² “Arkansas and this entire region need more animal health professionals,” Todd Shields, chancellor for A-State, said in a news release. “This college will train them, hands-on, from day one, solving problems for producers, clinics, agriculture and communities,” Shields said.¹ 
Heidi Banse, DVM, founding dean of the CVM, said university has been working diligently to build the animal health education program that will prepare future students for practicing veterinary medicine. The CVM 56,000-sq ft building will be occupied with administrative offices, classrooms, anatomy space, and training spaces for small animal clinical care and surgical skills.¹

Arkansas is especially in need of rural and mixed animal practices, and the new CVM will address it. “We are building 2 barns at the animal science farm next door that will allow our students hands-on experience with cattle and horses to make sure they are day-one-ready,” Banse said in a news release.¹
A-State’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the creation of the veterinary school in early 2023. Since then, the university has been working toward accreditation by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education, a process that is in progress.²

During the ceremony on Monday, October 13, 2025, attendees were invited to sign the final beam before it was hoisted and permanently secured into place, a symbolic moment that was not lost on the individuals who helped the CVM reach the milestone. “This structure represents not only just the parts that it is made of, but the spirit of teamwork and doing things the right way,” said Adam Seiter, executive vice president of operations at Nabholz, the contractor for the project, said in the release.¹Banse noted that many other partners have contributed to the efforts to get the CVM underway.

“[These partners include] the Department of Corrections, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Arkansas Department of Agriculture, National Toxicology Research Center, and our over 400 general veterinary practices across Arkansas, Southern Missouri, and beyond that are training our students in their fourth year of their curriculum,” Banse said.¹

References

1. A-State holds topping off ceremony for College of Veterinary Medicine. News release. Arkansas State University. October 13, 2025. Accessed October 17, 2025. https://www.astate.edu/news/a-state-holds-topping-off-ceremony-for-college-of-veterinary-medicine
2. ASU trustees approve the creation of a new veterinary school. dvm360. March 23, 2023. Accessed October 17, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/asu-trustees-approve-the-creation-of-a-new-veterinary-school
3. Lyon College breaks ground on a new veterinary school. dvm360. June 17, 2025. Accessed October 17, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/lyon-college-breaks-ground-on-a-new-veterinary-school