Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was among the special attendees who celebrated 61 students as they received the first Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from Texas Tech.

Summary:

Texas Tech University’s School of Veterinary Medicine celebrated a historic first graduation when it awarded 61 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees at the Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium. The majority of the graduates will begin their careers in practice serving rural and regional communities of Texas and New Mexico. This milestone reflects several years of planning and community support, addressing critical shortages in veterinary care while establishing the second school of veterinary medicine in Texas.

Why This Matters:

• Addresses Shortages: The program directly targets a longstanding need for veterinary care in rural and regional communities.
• Historic Expansion: This is only the second veterinary school in Texas in 100 years, increasing educational access to professional veterinary medical training.
• Successful Collaboration: The achievement highlights how local and statewide partnerships enable impactful experiential educational and workforce development.

Texas Tech University’s School of Veterinary Medicine hosted its first graduation in program history this morning at the Amarillo Civic Center Auditorium, awarding 61 students with the first Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degrees issued from Texas Tech. 

Since beginning their journey in August 2021, this inaugural class of trailblazing students helped set traditions, refined curriculum and built a unique culture for veterinary students to come. The majority of the graduates have accepted jobs serving rural and regional communities throughout Texas and New Mexico – fulfilling the school’s purpose and delivering on Texas Tech’s promise to Texas. 

This historic moment was the culmination of several years of support, dedication and relentless pursuit from Texas Tech, legislative officials, the city of Amarillo and regional Panhandle communities. This teamwork ensured that the School of Veterinary Medicine became the second veterinary school in Texas with the first being founded more than a century before. The School of Veterinary Medicine is one of just 35 veterinary medical programs in the U.S. 

“This first graduating class from the School of Veterinary Medicine represents more than the fulfillment of a vision. It marks a milestone in Texas Tech’s commitment to serving the needs of our state, especially in addressing the critical shortages in rural and regional veterinary care,” said Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec. “Today, we celebrate not only the achievements of these graduates but also the impact they are already making across Texas and New Mexico.”

Schovanec and the Texas Tech University System  Board of Regents welcomed the crowd of family members, friends and special attendees that included Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who also addressed the graduates, and other state representatives. Then Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd L. Mitchell, M.D., took the stage to recognize how the graduation ceremony parallels the first graduation ceremony of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in its historical significance. 

“Like the medical school, the School of Veterinary Medicine was created to meet critical workforce needs that had long gone unaddressed in West Texas and across the state,” Mitchell said. “The goal was to create a pipeline for veterinary workers to fill these gaps, specifically in rural and regional areas. When you look at the first class of graduates, and you see how many are going into large-animal practices and into practices in our rural and regional communities, you realize that we have accomplished what we had hoped and planned for, and it’s incredible.”

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was fittingly a champion for the School of Veterinary Medicine’s inception, Texas Tech University System Chancellor Emeritus Robert Duncan. 

“It is with immense pride and joy that we celebrate the first graduating class of our esteemed veterinary school,” Duncan said. “This marks a significant milestone not only for our graduates but also for the future of rural and regional agricultural and large animal veterinary practices in Texas and across America.”

The students were awarded their DVM degrees, took the veterinarian oath and then were hooded. After that, class president Austin Byrd took pride in addressing his peers for a final time. 

“Texas Tech and the Amarillo community have done an incredible job at making all of us feel welcome and at home,” he said. “We feel so well-supported and prepared to go out and become great practitioners.” 

While the students’ time at the Amarillo campus has come to a close, School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Guy Loneragan delivered a charge to alumni that reinforced they are the future of the veterinary medical profession. 

“We are so immensely proud of these new graduates,” said Loneragan. “We were all in this educational journey together. They helped solve problems and develop solutions.  They embraced and fostered the school’s core values. And so many found ways to give back to the community through their efforts. Now they are helping us achieve our promise to Texas by starting their careers in a practice that serves rural, regional or large animal needs. That is transformative, and demonstrates how Texas Tech responds to and helps address the important needs of Texas.”

During the final semester for this graduating class, the School of Veterinary Medicine also completed its final step in the accreditation process. Those results will be known this fall. 

More Facts About the Inaugural Graduating Class: 

• Nearly half the class will meet veterinary shortages west of I-35. 
• 95% will work in rural and regional communities. 
• 69% were hired by clinical year practice partners. 
• One-third are first-generation students.