On September 28, the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine hosted its annual Celebration of Generosity. This year’s event focused on the Empower Extraordinary campaign. DVM students Sarah Rich and Elena Rizzo, PhD candidate Dr. Cari Hearn, and Dr. Adam Moeser, Matilda Wilson Endowed Chair for the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, spoke at the Celebration and addressed the College’s four campaign pillars: students, research, faculty, and facilities.

“We are so proud to celebrate the College’s success in this campaign,” says Tim Stedman, senior director of Development for the College. “Our goal was $100 million, and alumni and friends rose to that challenge. Thanks to their passion for our mission, we have raised $122 million. Throughout the course of the campaign, our generous donors added more than 100 new endowments to the College.”

Additionally, Dr. Edward C. Liebler was honored as the College’s Philanthropist of the Year for his $3.3 million bequest. This gift will fund the Dr. Edward C. Liebler Endowed Chair in Veterinary Practice Management and Law.

“It is very important to me that future MSU veterinarians are equipped with the knowledge and experience to thrive in the profession,” says Liebler. “I want to ensure that MSU veterinary students have the opportunity to gain valuable practice management skills so they are able to make sound business decisions and have an understanding of the impact of law on their work.”

This Chair enhances the College’s mission: Learn, Discover, Heal, Protect. It also bolsters one of the strategic goals set forth by the College’s Strategic Plan and Curriculum Reinvention, “to be recognized as a global leader in veterinary health education through a cost-efficient, learner-centered education for career-ready, high-value graduates.”

Endowed chairs enhance the quality of the faculty and the educational experience, which is the foundation for academic excellence. The College will seek an individual with a unique combination of creativity, vision, and experience to be the inaugural Dr. Edward C. Liebler Endowed Chair in Veterinary Practice and Law. The chair will establish high-quality and trendsetting educational opportunities and a research program focused on veterinary practice management and law.

The Empower Extraordinary campaign officially ends on December 31, 2018. For more information on supporting the College, contact development@cvm.msu.edu.