The College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is projected to open at Arkansas State University in the fall of 2026, with an expected enrollment of 100 students coming from both in-state and out-of-state.

The addition of this pre-professional college aims to address the shortage of veterinarians in Arkansas while preparing the next generation of veterinarians in the state. The college is currently undergoing accreditation, with comprehensive visits expected next summer.

“What drives us now, and where our focus is, is making sure that we’re able to develop a program that trains students so that they are what we call ‘day one ready’ or ready to enter practice,” Heidi Banse, Ph.D., dean of the CVM, said. “Then we will refine our curriculum to make sure it supports that as well.”

Banse said an important aspect of having the college at A-State is that it’s going to be based in the “heart of agricultural country.” She said students from a rural or agricultural environment often go to the city to train, leaving behind the need for veterinarians in rural areas. 

“By having it in a more rural environment and then sending our students out into other rural practices in their clinical year, hopefully they will stay in Arkansas,” Banse said. “They’ll train and stay here where we need them, so that’s another really exciting part about having it here in Jonesboro.”

Hunter Burnett, Ph.D., an assistant professor of animal science, said his background in beef cattle production highlighted an issue he’s recognized at A-State regarding students in pre-veterinary studies not staying in rural places. 

“We need vets in the animal health industry for vaccines and antibiotics, but when it comes to practicing vets for animal agriculture, we are limited,” Burnett said. “So when I heard the news I was happy to hear that we’re going to have something available here in the state.”

In addition to addressing rural veterinary needs, the college’s goal is to provide comprehensive training for students and prepare them to work across all areas of veterinary medicine to ensure students are well equipped to handle both companion animal practices and large-scale agricultural industries like cattle and poultry.

The college will feature a distributed clinical model, meaning there will be no on-campus teaching hospital and will be conducted off-site in private clinical practices, animal shelters or diagnostic labs. Facilities will include flexible classrooms, clinical skills labs and surgical skills spaces, providing students with a diverse learning environment.

“Our goal is the breadth of coverage of species, so students really have maximal opportunities to support the animal health industry wherever they go in Arkansas,” Banse said.

Emma Lovell, a junior animal science major with an emphasis in pre-veterinary and equine management from Paragould, said she is excited to finally have a veterinary college close to home. The close proximity will allow her to get her education locally and to stay connected with her community easier.

She said she hopes the new college will give back to the community and provide a wider range of care for animal health and sciences. 

“Many people have told me that when I become a veterinarian then I need to specialize in exotic or large animals since we only have a limited amount in our surrounding area,” Lovell said. “So, I believe it will promote more diverse veterinary practices.”

She said there are limited options here at A-State for internships offering more hands-on experiences with animals and many students enrolled in pre-veterinary studies have to travel out of state for those opportunities. 

Additionally, Lovell said the opportunities currently offered now at A-State are good but aren’t enough or well-known. 

“It is difficult to get more experience with companion animals such as dogs and cats, while there are a lot for large animals such as cows and horses,” Lovell said. “I think there will be a change with the new college especially with companion animal opportunities.”

Burnett said an opening opportunity for the students and faculty in the future is the upcoming improvement of the farms, as well as their technology and equipment. 

“It’s going to help us do more hands-on learning with our undergraduates before they actually get to the CVM,” Burnett said. “With that extra help and application, they’re going to succeed. That’s what separates us from other degrees or programs for the pre-professional aspect of going into veterinary medicine.”

Burnett said he hopes A-State becomes the top choice for students who are looking for a profession in veterinary medicine. 

“Our goal is to bring a vet school for students to live here and practice,” Burnett said. “We want to ensure that students are well-prepared to succeed, no matter where they go after graduation.”

The CVM is currently located at the Ellis House, 2204 E. Nettleton and is projected to be built by the Arkansas Bioscience Institute, occupying a parking lot space. 

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