Tommy Thompson to chair SVM’s capital campaign

Tommy G. Thompson, former governor of Wisconsin, has agreed to serve as honorary chair of the School of Veterinary Medicine‘s capital campaign, which is part of the university’s “Create the Future: The Wisconsin Campaign.”

The campuswide capital campaign, will was announced publicly last Friday, has a goal of $1.5 billion and is scheduled to run through 2006.

Daryl Buss, the school’s dean, says Thompson’s presence lends additional impetus to achieving the school’s vision to create the future of veterinary medicine through unparalleled excellence in education, clinical service and research for the benefit of animal and human health.

“We have made tremendous strides to advance to the forefront of veterinary research and clinical service since our inception in 1983,” Buss says. “We intend to continue to strengthen our position as a leader in the future of veterinary medicine.”

To attain this vision, the school must improve and expand its facilities. The teaching hospital has outgrown its 20-year-old structure, and must expand to maintain excellence in education and patient care. Similarly, the school’s research facilities are no longer adequate to support its highly successful programs benefiting animal and human health.

As a result, the school plans to expand by adding a new building, to be located just north of the current building. The new building will integrate a new Large and Small Animal Hospital, expanded research facilities, an interdisciplinary Clinical Research Center, and an additional classroom. Creating the new building will require that the school raise $50 million in private funds. In addition, the school seeks funding for named endowed chairs, additional scholarships for veterinary students, and a Center for Veterinary Leadership.

Thompson’s service as honorary chair of the veterinary medicine capital campaign continues his long commitment to agriculture and higher education.

“I’m honored to be part of this capital campaign for the University of Wisconsin- Madison School of Veterinary Medicine,” says Thompson, a long-time supporter of Wisconsin’s only veterinary school. “For millions of people, pets are part of their families and for thousands of farmers, animals are their livelihood. We need to make progress treating animals just like we need to make strides treating humans. The miracles of modern science shouldn’t be limited to people, as we have the means and the resources to help all creatures great and small.”