AAVMC celebrates 50 years in veterinary education

Graphic courtesy of AAVMCThe Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) will be drumming up grassroots engagement from member institutions and national attention centered on new public initiatives to celebrate the association's 50th anniversary. The yearlong observance is themed "50 and Forward" and was kicked off at the AAVMC's March annual conference.

“We're proud of all that has been accomplished, but the purpose of the AAVMC's 50th anniversary celebration is much more than an effort to commemorate this very important milestone in the history of the organization,” says Ralph Richardson, DVM, outgoing dean of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and chair of the 12-member 50th Anniversary Planning Committee, which has been working for more than a year to develop the project. “What we hope to do with this celebration is illuminate the critical role that academic veterinary medicine is playing in the modern world and build greater awareness and support for what we do.”

The celebration will conclude at the AAVMC's 2016 annual conference in Washington, D.C., with an announcement of the 50th Anniversary Grand Initiative. The AAVMC says the initiative is a "transformational project conceived to help our colleges and the profession build momentum and create progress."

Additional 50th anniversary projects and events will include:

> A six-minute video profile of the AAVMC

> A 30-second television public service announcement

> A commissioned painting that will be featured on the cover of a special 50th anniversary edition of the Journal of Veterinary Medical Education in fall 2015 and a history book written by veterinary medical historian and former Cornell University Dean Don Smith, DVM, to be published in early 2016.

> A revamped AAVMC.org home page and new 50th anniversary section on its website. 

> A gala event at the March 2016 annual AAVMC conference will feature distinguished guests from throughout the profession and announce the 50th Anniversary Grand Initiative.