Today marks the start of Black History Month and we would like to take some time to highlight Dr. Strunck’s alma mater, Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Strunck attended TUCVM from 1999 to 2003. When asked what he enjoyed most about his time at Tuskegee, he responded, “The diversity at Tuskegee was my favorite part of my time there. As much as I learned about veterinary medicine, I feel that I learned more about other people and cultures than I ever expected.”
The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) is the only veterinary medical professional program located on the campus of a historically black college or university (HBCU) in the United States. The TUCVM has educated more than 70 percent of the nation’s African-American veterinarians, and is recognized as the most diverse of all schools/colleges of veterinary medicine in the U.S. The primary mission of the TUCVM is to provide an environment that fosters a spirit of active, independent and self-directed learning, intellectual curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, and leadership; and promotes teaching, research and service in veterinary medicine and related disciplines.
The TUCVM (formerly the School of Veterinary Medicine) was envisioned by Dr. Frederick Douglas Patterson in 1944. Dr. Patterson founded the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) that even today serves as an excellent example of far-reaching, consequential engagement across the U.S. The TUCVM was established in 1945 to train and educate African-Americans at a time when they did not have other opportunities to study veterinary medicine due to segregation and other racial impediments. At that time, the TUCVM was one of 10 veterinary schools in the U.S. and it is estimated that there were fewer than five African-American veterinarians in the South.
The first graduates of five included one female that completed the program with the DVM degree in 1949. Although the first veterinary class in 1945 contained students who were exclusively African-Americans, significant strides have been made over the years to become the most diverse and inclusive veterinary school in the U.S. which has served a singular role in expanding diversity in the veterinary profession. The TUCVM has educated about 70 percent of the Nation’s African-American veterinarians, and about 10 percent of Hispanic/Latino veterinarians. In addition, the TUCVM accepts and graduates of other groups, including American Indians, Asians, and Caucasians. The focus of the college is to be inclusive and play a significant role in educating underrepresented groups needed to address the growing veterinary needs in a diverse national and global population.
Since its inception, the TUCVM has graduated nearly 3,000 veterinary medical graduates.
Source: The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine – The Historical Legacy
