E-Insight

August 2006

College Gets Ready for Fall Semester and Orientation Activities

Although fall semester at Colorado State University doesn’t officially begin until the first day of classes on Aug. 21, The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences kicks off its student activities on Tuesday, Aug. 16, with nearly a week of orientations, luncheons and ceremonies.

On Tuesday, the College hosts a Breakfast Welcome for students participating in the Vet Prep program. The Vet Prep program is designed to assist disadvantaged students in obtaining the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. The program offers coursework and mentoring to selected students who, upon successful completion of the program, will be admitted to the Professional Veterinary Medical Program (PVM) at Colorado State University. Each year, seven students are admitted into Vet Prep based on their admissions ranking, as well as economic, educational, cultural and environmental factors. Tuesday also is the combined MBA/DVM orientation for four incoming students, with guest speaker Wayne Jensen, DVM, PhD, MBA, Senior Director of Research and Development at Heska Corporation.

The College welcomes its five Vet Start students with an orientation and luncheon on Wednesday. Vet Start students, all incoming freshman at Colorado State University, come from diverse backgrounds and engage in an undergraduate program tailored to prepare them for veterinary school. Vet Start, now in its 18th year, is an undergraduate pre-veterinary preparation program that provides guidance through mentoring, peer support, in-depth advising, and other specialized programs to ensure the success of its participants.

On Thursday, Dr. Lance Perryman, Dean of the College, greets the first-year PVM students in a welcoming ceremony, and also greets students in the first class of the combined Master’s of Science in Public Health/Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at their orientation. Thursday also marks the move-in day for the Prevet Living and Learning Community at Edwards Hall. The College welcomes 96 new freshmen who have expressed an interest in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. This unique living environment allows a rich mixture of advising services, academic services, dedicated facilities (Prevet Study and Computing Resource Room at Edwards) and directed activities - all located conveniently in the residence hall - for future veterinary students.  Students are encouraged to form social and academic groups to support and advance their academic careers and their transition to being a Colorado State community member.

On Friday, Aug. 18, the College hosts a series of events -- including the CVMBS RamWelcome -- for in-coming freshman undergraduate students in the Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology. The day, starting with a welcome by Dean Perryman, is comprised of directed informational meetings and orientation activities plus personal introduction of all new students to key advising and guidance personnel in the College. Students also are invited to attend an all-University barbeque for the freshmen and their families on the lawn near the Clark Building, and an afternoon outdoor fair featuring student organizations, departments, colleges and other student services offices. The event helps the almost 4,000 new freshmen begin to know and appreciate all the opportunities offered by Colorado State.

Friday activities conclude with the Passages Ceremony, when in-coming freshman PVM students receive their lab coats and participate in a non-binding recitation of the Veterinarian’s Oath, signifying their membership in the PVM Class of 2010.

“We hope to see all of our students at these many events, not only as an opportunity to meet faculty and staff, but also to be able to meet each other and begin networking with their fellow students and future colleagues,” said Dr. Perryman. “It is a wonderful start to the new academic year.”