CSU Opens New $230 Million Veterinary Hospital and Educational Complex

The facility, designed by Clark & Enersen and constructed by JE Dunn Construction Group, spans 213,000 square feet and is located at 300 W. Drake Road. It will support CSU’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine “Ascend” curriculum, enabling students to begin working with patients in their first year rather than their third.

This new hospital will increase veterinary student enrollment by 20%, adding about 30 students each year to the program. The incoming first-year class this fall consists of 174 students.

The complex features 24 new examination rooms, which more than triple CSU's primary-care exam space, allowing the facility to manage approximately 42,000 patients and conduct 500,000 diagnostic tests each year. Over 700 employees from CSU Veterinary Health Systems will deliver services across more than 25 veterinary specialties, including oncology, ophthalmology, and orthopedics.

Dr. Sue VandeWoude, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, expressed enthusiasm over the new curriculum: "Our Ascend D.V.M. curriculum sets a new standard for how we will teach veterinary medicine at CSU. We’re adopting new teaching approaches for professional training that build upon CSU’s longstanding legacy of excellence in veterinary education."

The curriculum revamp, which took over a decade, falls under the guidance of Dr. Melinda Frye, associate dean for veterinary academic and student affairs, who noted, "I think it’s going to be great not only for our students, but for the animals and people they care for."

In the first two years, D.V.M. students will follow a block schedule focusing on specific body systems, such as cardiovascular or gastrointestinal, which is aimed at enhancing learning efficiency. Frye emphasized the importance of revisiting topics in varied contexts to help solidify understanding and develop clinical reasoning skills.