The College continually seeks to bring diverse perspectives to its faculty and staff base. The Faculty Excellence Advocates, a subcommittee of the College’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, work to evaluate and improve current hiring processes with respect to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Specific initiatives implemented this year include a tool for faculty and staff to self-evaluate their understanding of diversity topics, the infusion of diversity and inclusion into the curriculum, anti-bias training for hiring committees, and a more holistic admissions process.
This year, the College’s mentorship networking platform, CVM Connect, linked 300 mentors to mentees. Most of the 337 mentors who use the platform are alumni, but CVM Connect also welcomes mentors who did not attend MSU. Mentors can act as voices of reason and bring a new lens of perspective to aspiring veterinary professionals. The mentor-mentee relationship also helps current
practitioners stay in touch with the freshest generation to enter the veterinary medical field.
The College has a unique relationship with MSU’s Counseling and Psychiatric Services, as the Services support all Veterinary Nursing and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. In the 2020–21 academic year, 70 students in the DVM and Veterinary Nursing Programs enrolled in this service.
The Services treat all students, while the College hosts wellness-related events and regular activities in partnership with the Admissions, Student Life, and Inclusivity team. The 118 events hosted this year relate to a wide array of wellness topics, including mental health awareness, creative de-stress activities, and physical activities like yoga. In addition, wellness events connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Some of these events also touched upon stress management and the work-school-life balance.
