When Michigan State University built its veterinary teaching hospital in the 1960s, it launched a bold new model—one that changed how veterinary medicine was taught and practiced. Learning moved into the clinic. Teams of specialists worked side by side. Innovation became part of daily care. That vision still defines our work today.

But veterinary medicine is evolving quickly, and so are the expectations of our clients, the needs of our profession, and the technologies shaping both human and animal care. Our hospital has brought us this far—but it wasn’t built to accommodate the pace, complexity, and integrated services that modern medicine demands.

To stay at the forefront of veterinary medicine, we must reimagine the spaces where care, learning, and discovery intersect. A future-ready hospital will provide flexible clinical space; expanded capacity for both large and small animal specialty services; infrastructure for innovation; and stronger connections across animal, human, and environmental health. With support, we can build a hospital that honors our legacy, meets the demands of today, and positions MSU to lead veterinary medicine into the future.

Goal: $150 million

Before a deadly disease makes headlines, it often starts quietly—in animals. As zoonotic diseases become more common, early detection is critical, and that work starts at places like the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL). One of the most advanced labs in the country, the MSU VDL plays a vital role in identifying emerging disease threats in animal populations before they impact people, helping detect, track, and contain outbreaks before they become global crises. Diseases that pose a risk to human or animal health must be studied in high-containment research labs, known as Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) labs. These are carefully designed, highly secure facilities where scientists can safely study infectious diseases and determine how to stop them.

Right now, MSU has the diagnostic power to detect dangerous diseases, but insufficient research space to respond aggressively. With new and improved high-containment research labs, MSU scientists will be able to investigate emerging diseases on-site; develop more accurate diagnostic tools; discover treatments and vaccines across species; train future leaders; and help prevent the next pandemic. Veterinary researchers are often the first to see the early signs of emerging threats. When they have the tools to act quickly, we all benefit. An investment in BSL-3 research space is an investment in health, safety, and prevention.

Goal: $25 million

The biggest breakthroughs in health happen when science meets care and discovery meets delivery. Through MSU’s dual-degree DVM-PhD program, we prepare scholars to drive that progress—combining clinical training with research to transform health and make real-world impact. These students are training for careers beyond clinical practice—as scientists, public health experts, and innovators. They diagnose disease in the clinic, pursue answers in the lab, and apply their expertise to real-world challenges like cancer, zoonotic disease, and antimicrobial resistance.

But the path is long, the training is intense, and the financial barriers are steep. These challenges all too often force genuinely brilliant and resilient students to choose shorter, less research-intensive paths. With philanthropic investment, MSU can remove those financial barriers, attract exceptional candidates, and give them the resources they need to thrive. Every DVM-PhD student we support today becomes a catalyst for a healthier, more innovative tomorrow.

Goal: $22 million

At the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine, cancer care doesn’t stop at the exam room door. Our work with animal patients is helping shape how we diagnose, treat, and understand cancer across species—including people. Many of the cancers we treat in pets—like lymphoma, melanoma, osteosarcoma, and bladder cancer—look and behave just like these cancers in humans. What we learn from one species can inform care for another.

This is what we mean by One Health: the idea that human and animal medicine are connected. At the College of Veterinary Medicine, we collaborate closely with human medicine, engineering, and the life sciences—bringing broader expertise to every challenge we face. Together, we’re exploring promising tools like PET/MRI imaging and targeted therapies. We’re refining the next generation of cancer diagnostics and testing treatments that may improve outcomes for both animal and human patients.

With support, we can expand clinical trials to more diseases, invest in the next wave of diagnostic technology, and accelerate the research that will define the future of cancer care. Your gift helps us move faster, think bigger, and bring hope to more patients—whether they walk on two legs or four.

Goal: $25 million