An official ribbon cutting ceremony was held April 22 for Texas Tech University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in Amarillo.
“The Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine, like Texas Tech University, was established to fill a vital need,” Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said in a news release. “As the first century of Texas Tech University comes to an end, we can be proud that the School of Veterinary Medicine strengthens the foundation and expands the capability of our university to serve West Texas, our state and the nation for the next 100 years and beyond.”
Supporters and dignitaries from across Texas and New Mexico attended the event.
Also in attendance at the ribbon cutting were Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening, Vice President Pat McDowell, Secretary-Treasurer Pete Pawelek and State Directors Walt Hagood, Mark Daniel, Sam Snyder, Mickey Edwards, John Griffith and Allen Kaminski.
After the ribbon cutting, guests toured the campus and got a first-hand look at 185,000 square-foot facility that includes interactive classrooms, state-of-the-art research laboratories, teaching laboratories, student support areas and much more.
The Texas Legislature approved funding and the creation of the Tech vet school in 2018, and in March 2021, the school was granted provisional accreditation.
The School of Veterinary Medicine broke ground in 2019, and the first class of students walked in the door in August 2021, but this ceremony was a way to celebrate and officially commemorate the school’s opening.
Texas Tech officials report the School of Veterinary Medicine is a $90 million facility and is the first new veterinary program established in the state of Texas in more than a century.
The first graduating class from the School of Veterinary Medicine will be the class of 2025. Texas Tech selects 60 students each year to join the university’s veterinary program.
Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, the Texas Farm Bureau board members met with U.S. Congressman Ronnie Jackson and former Chairman Mike Conaway for a roundtable discussion.