Dr. Colleen Hegg has been named Associate Dean for Graduate Studies at the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, effective April 1, 2026.

This appointment reflects Dr. Hegg’s longstanding leadership in graduate education and her expanded contributions beyond the College’s Comparative Medicine and Integrative Biology (CMIB) Program, of which she serves as director. In her new role, she will lead and oversee the College’s graduate education portfolio, including the CMIB Program, the dual DVM/PhD program, the online Master of Science in Food Safety, the Master of Science in Veterinary Biomedical Systems, and emerging graduate programs. She will drive academic excellence, student success, program growth, and alignment with institutional and accreditation standards.

Hegg currently serves as Director of the CMIB Program, a position she has held since 2019, where she has strengthened student support, fostered community across a highly distributed program, and elevated the program’s visibility and impact.

“Time and time again, Dr. Hegg has gone above and beyond for our CMIB students,” says Dr. Kim Dodd, Dean of the College. “Even though these students work in labs across MSU’s wide campus, Dr. Hegg’s dedication and support have created a true sense of community within the program. As Associate Dean, she will extend that same vision and energy across the College’s graduate programs, strengthening both the student experience and our academic offerings.”

A neurotoxicologist, Hegg joined the MSU faculty in 2006 and earned her PhD in environmental toxicology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her research focuses on the role of purinergic signaling in the neuroregeneration of olfactory receptor neurons, advancing understanding of how the nervous system replaces neurons after damage from environmental exposures such as air pollution.

The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies is a newly established role within the College, created to reflect the growth and increasing complexity of its graduate programs. Previously, graduate education and research were jointly overseen by a single Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies. By separating these responsibilities into distinct roles—Associate Dean for Research and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies—the College is positioning itself to provide more focused leadership, strengthen program development, and enhance support for graduate students and faculty.

Dr. Jim Luyendyk, Associate Dean for Research, looks forward to collaborating in this new structure. “I’m excited to partner with Dr. Hegg in this new role,” he says. “This evolution allows us to more intentionally advance both our research enterprise and our graduate programs, ensuring each receives the dedicated attention and strategic direction needed to thrive.”