The A-State Advantage
The A-State Advantage is hosted by Heather Nelson, and she bridges the gap between high-level academic research and real-world industrial application to solve the Mid-South’s most pressing workforce challenges. Featuring a mix of visionary researchers and industry titans, the series showcases tangible "Economic Impact Stories" that move beyond theory into pragmatic results. This is the definitive platform for regional business leaders to discover direct pathways for leveraging Arkansas State resources to gain a competitive advantage in a global market.
The A-State Advantage
How Arkansas State Is Building A Community Centered Veterinary School With Heidi Banse and Calvin White
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Arkansas is launching its first College of Veterinary Medicine, and the numbers are already staggering: roughly 1,500 started applications within days of opening. We talk with Dr. Calvin White, Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost at Arkansas State University, and Dr. Heidi Banse, the founding dean, about what that surge reveals about pent-up demand for veterinary education in Arkansas and why so many future vets want to train close to home.
We dig into the stakes behind the headlines. When counties lack a single veterinarian and many areas are federally designated as underserved for food animal and public health care, the impact is immediate: producers wait longer during outbreaks, poultry and livestock industries feel the pinch, and families drive hours when a dog or cat gets sick. Dr. White explains why the university chose to invest directly rather than outsource the effort, and why building the right leadership team mattered as much as the bricks and mortar.
Walking us through the community-centered program design, from statewide clinical partnerships to early hands-on experiences, and shares the most memorable moments from calling newly admitted students for the first time. We also clarify what the AVMA Council on Education’s letter of reasonable assurance means, how provisional accreditation protects students’ rights and access to federal loans, and why veterinary medical loan repayment programs can be a game-changer for rural practice.
If you care about rural healthcare, agriculture, workforce development, or the future of animal health in Arkansas, this conversation lays out what is being built and why it matters. Subscribe, share this with someone considering vet school, and leave a review. What question do you have about the new Arkansas State University veterinary school? @Arkansasstatemedianetwork.com.
0:09 - Welcome And Vet School Milestone
1:32 - The Application Wave And Demand
2:27 - Veterinary Deserts And Farm Bottom Lines
5:19 - Pets, Poultry, and Retiring Vets
6:38 - Why Dean Heidi Bancy Said Yes
8:40 - The Financial Bet To Build It
17:08 - Community Partnerships Across Arkansas
19:39 - Retaining Arkansas Medical Talent
25:16 - Calling Admitted Students And Their Reactions
29:40 - Loan Repayment And Provisional Accreditation
33:18 - Building Timeline And First Day Plans
36:23 - Research Pathways And Future Programs
44:21 - Why The Vet School Changes Arkansas
50:35 - Final Thanks And What Comes Next
Welcome And Vet School Milestone
SPEAKER_02Hello and welcome back to another episode of the A State Advantage. And today we have as our guest Dr. Calvin White, who is the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost for Arkansas State University, and Dr. Heidi Bancy, who is the dean, the first ever dean of the College of Veterinarian Medicine. And today we're going to talk about the brand new vet school, which is the buzz of Arkansas right now. So our conversation is really timely. This is going to be the first of its kind in Arkansas. And as of just a couple of weeks ago, it has received its letter of reasonable assurance. I love how they say that. A letter of reasonable assurance. Maybe I should have added that as a question because I'm curious. That comes from the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Education. I hope I said that right. And you guys will welcome your first class, your first cohort, uh, so to speak, of 120 students in August, which is unbelievable. Since opening applications on April 3rd, the program has received the last count I heard was nearly 1,500 applications. Has that gone up even more?
SPEAKER_01And yeah, those are all those are in progress applications, fully completed applications. We got about 700, but still a boatload for sure.
SPEAKER_02Yes. So that's just that they've started the application process, not fully. And that number's around 1500 or more at this point. That's incredible. Just signaling, of course, the extraordinary demand for veterinary education rooted in Arkansas communities. I think we can clearly say the
The Application Wave And Demand
SPEAKER_02demand is there if anybody had any doubt whatsoever. I have to say it was there were like 400 applications within four to 24 hours. What is that number? It was an incredible number in the first like just few hours and even more at 24. What are those numbers? Because I just want everybody who hears this to recognize that in since April 3rd, it's not just 1,500, but it was just immediate like a landslide of applications.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And I think again, that 400 number is probably those that were in progress. So everyone started an application. We probably had between 100 and 200 in that first 24 hours that were submitted.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But still a reasonable number for sure. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Remarkable. And for any student out there who's ever filled out an application for any type of school at any point, they they want credit for they had started the application process. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So we're gonna we're gonna kick this off with with you, Calvin, for um with this question.
Veterinary Deserts And Farm Bottom Lines
SPEAKER_02Arkansas has roughly 10 counties without a single veterinarian, which is amazing. And about, and not in a good way. And about a quarter of the state's counties have been federally designated as underserved for food, animal, and public health veterinary care. What does that actually mean for a farmer or a livestock producer trying to do business in the state of Arkansas?
SPEAKER_00It's huge. Um it's huge for them because of the wait period at times. If you're living in a county and you need uh veterinary health care, uh it's tied to your bottom line in many times. Uh 57% of uh ag is directly tied to animals in in the state of Arkansas. And so as I said before, if you are a rancher and you're living in one of these counties and you have something going through your herd, uh that that could cost every day, could cost you money. Uh at the same time, it's very similar to what we know in the state of Arkansas at healthcare deserts. All right, they're dealing with the medical care for um for us as humans. It's very similar. We never really thought about it, that aspect that if you get in certain counties uh out in the country, that you could be an hour, two hours away from the closest health care. Uh you may have a PCP close an hour or so, but to get real health care, you could be some Arkansas are two to three hours away from a facility that can actually treat certain issues and conditions. Right. It's very similar in the uh in the embedded in air medicine. It is huge. And so not only that, we have one of our major industry, poultry, poultry science. And that is tied to, again, the availability of vet care and research. Uh, not only that, something as small as every day, if you if you have an animal or pet that falls sick, and we know that we've I've talked to hundreds of people and understanding the money that people will spend because those pets become a part of your family. So it's a dual. It's not only dealing with the agriculture industry and the need for it, uh, and the need of that care, that care tied to the cash crop, but it's also something as simple as the dog or the cat who gets sick. And we do know that we have an aging veterinarian population that are actually moving on toward retirement.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00And we're we're not being able to backfill that pipeline. And so not only do we have 10 counties, I think if this school or college wasn't coming on board, I actually think the 10 counties would probably grow in number if we were not meeting that that need.
SPEAKER_02I'm so glad you brought up the like a home pet because I think that gets in the in the whole discussion about vet care, sometimes, you know, we talk we talk so much about farms or ranches or um, you know, poultry that you don't even think that also impacts the people that want to have a dog or a cat or any kind of pet. And we know post-COVID that
Pets Poultry And Retiring Vets
SPEAKER_02the rise in people who have home pets and stuff, and you think about that, if somebody's two, three hours away from a vet, you know, are are they gonna feel like they could take in a pet? It's just and that has ties to health care, that has ties to mental health. It's just, you know, there's a domino effect. So I'm just so glad you brought that up.
SPEAKER_00Just think about it as a dog as many where I grew up, dogs were, you know, we use we didn't have dogs as pets. Yeah. Dogs were actually working. I mean, they were working animals. And so at times, if you had a dog and you live two hours from if you yourself was living two hours from healthcare, yeah, and you don't have a vet, then if you get a dog that has a snake bite, what do you do in that situation?
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00In that county. I mean, so those are real things that happen on a day-to-day basis that go, you know, we have people who and animals that go underserved. And so that's what this is designed to do, meet a need and a gap that has always been there. And potentially if Heidi and her team is not filling it, we'll grow, would would continue to grow. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02I love it. I just love it so much that you're just thinking about the full spectrum. I'm just, I just think that's just so beautiful.
Why Dean Heidi Bancy Said Yes
SPEAKER_02Um, Heidi, you came from LSU, one of the most established vet programs in the country. And you you came here as an entrepreneur, I have to say, so much admiration for you because it's very entrepreneurial what you've done to come build a program from the ground up. So I think we should note that that you are also a budding entrepreneur. Because I think anytime you're coming into higher ed to build something that's never been here before. So I want to applaud you for that because that was brave and amazing. And we're so grateful that you did that. Um, and um, as such, most people would call that the harder path than to go into an established program. So what was it? Um, maybe don't look at your boss, but you know, what was it for the rest of this question? What was it about um the offer? What was it about Arkansas? What was it about Arkansas State University that that really made you go, yeah, I want to take this on, I want to take on this challenge, I want to do this.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think for me it was twofold. Um, certainly, you know, what LSU and my prior position, we built a new curriculum. And so to me, the next big challenge was to build a program. So it just followed. Granted, that's a much larger challenge than just building a curriculum, but but it kind of was seemed to go in sequence. And then that was the next step. Um, and it just happened that this came along really at the at the right time for that to happen. But I think beyond that, the the new program element, um, certainly Arkansas has its draw for me. I grew up in a small town in Montana, and Arkansas to me is a series of small towns, small communities. It is a very rural state. Um, so it has felt like home for me since I got here. And and there's a need that that Probo Swite already spoke to, a need for veterinarians here. So we're doing something with a purpose to serve communities that mean something to me.
SPEAKER_02So I love it. Thank you. Um, Calvin, when you got here three years ago, has it does it feel like three years or longer or shorter?
SPEAKER_00Actually, it was a little longer.
SPEAKER_02Um, so a little over three years ago uh now. We we every month counts, every, every day, every day counts. Um, so I love that story about um that that was these were some of the first major decisions that you had to make and you had to help help make um coming on board. And so walk us through those decisions um and how it it really moved from a total concept and idea, because there was a lot of not starts and stops, but you definitely had options that you had to evaluate and decide which direction that you wanted Arkansas State University
The Financial Bet To Build It
SPEAKER_02to go. And and then how does it lead to, you know, still in the ground? And then now we're just a few short months away from uh the groundbreaking and and entering in the first class.
SPEAKER_00I think the thing that most people don't realize is that Arkansas State University had been talking about this for a while, uh, even with a previous chancellor. They had some community conversations around this this idea. Uh, they actually did some focus groups, there was some feedback, and COVID occurred. And so all of that kind of shut down throughout COVID. And as I've said before, in different arenas, our institution didn't come out of COVID as well as other institutions did. As far as enrollment, there was a lag there. Even when I uh arrived here in 2004, we were still suffering from that lag from COVID, where other institutions just ripped off the mandate and said, we're back and we're going. This institution did not do that. Uh and I don't say that as a criticism, but it's the truth. It's my honest assessment of that. And so we saw that in in areas of enrollment, we saw that in areas of teaching, whether, you know, whether you're going to continue online or coming back to coming back. Um, and so I was at an institution that we woke up one day and our administration said everybody be at work on Monday, and everybody was back at work on Monday. I mean, that's just literally how it happened. And so the conversation about the vet school suffered from that same lag. And so when the transition of the administration actually occurred, it was this thing out there still called the vet school that was still very theoretical that they had talked about. There was no movement on it. There was absolutely no movement on it. And so one of the things that when I interviewed and talking to certain people and talking to some of the constituency, that came up several different times about are we going to move forward on the vet school or what's going to happen. And so I know that Chancellor Shields was committed to restarting that and getting that going. And I think one of the biggest things that they were still faced with, the first decision was looking at the performance. And so, number one, restarting the conversation. And so I there's a story that's always told that uh, and I won't say who it was, but you know, person was on an interview, and so we were talking about the vet school, and someone leaned over and said, Well, that's not gonna happen. And now that's a true story. Um, and that's a person who is actually was a member of a cabinet of our cabinet who says that that's just not gonna happen. So that's really where the vet school was before Chancellor Shields arrived. And so theoretically, we had talked about it. Theoretically, we were got we had done focus groups on it, and so that idea was bumping around out there.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00I think what happened is when Chancellor Shields came in, you know, taking the bull by the horns and really starting to move the campus along. That was one of the things he heard a lot in a community about oh yeah, we've been talking about this, what are we gonna do with this? And one of the biggest decisions he made is what is to the conversations were centering around whether we third party to actually mitigate some of the financial risks, or do we go it alone? And going it along with being a huge financial uh investment on the parts of this institution. And so I had accepted the job and I was slowly transitioning.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00And I always tell the story that he called me one afternoon as we talked daily, and he said, Hey, I'm gonna send you something. I want you to take a look at it and just digest it over the weekend. And actually, I'll call you Monday next week and we'll talk about it. And so he did. And little did I know, it was to perform us that for the vet school. And it was clear as day. Uh, as you, you know, we look, we sit and you and I have been living in that world as of late. We sit and look at numbers all day, and numbers tell a clear story.
SPEAKER_02They do.
SPEAKER_00They numbers never lie. Numbers never lie, and it tells a clear story. And I came back and I said, Why are we third partying with this person? I said, because it will take 20 years before we even see a dime by third party because it's gonna drive up tuition for our students. They're gonna, and rightfully so. If you have that third party coming in, they're gonna want their investment back. So we mitigate ourselves from the financial risk. And so he showed me what we had in reserves. We talked about it, and I said, it's better off to good. If the performers are right, I said, now let's go back and make sure these numbers are right. Right. And they were. I mean, so uh Dr. Fry and his team had done a really good job with with those numbers. And then so the numbers were telling us within a decade we would be okay.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00It'd be tight at first, but we'd be okay. And I said, if you're gonna do this, let's do it right. And so you're only gonna have one shot at this. And so this could be transformative. And so if the if the risk and the tolerance is there for the risk, I would do this on on our own. And so that's kind of where I left it. And a couple of days later, he and Lynn were standing behind a podium before I arrived, talking about they were making the decision to go with their own. And I said, Oh, okay, we're in it now. But no, that's really, that's really true. Yeah. Uh, so there was some some decisions. And I think the second thing was when I first arrived was leadership. Right. It was what did I want to see? Because when I we they made the decision, and when I arrived, it became my baby at that point. The chance to kind of went a different direction. And then it's like, okay, what does that look like? And we had some other people here who were actually working on that, and Dr. Fry was uh directly involved in it. And so we established a national search. And so we interviewed, and I told them from the onset, don't I didn't I want top-notch candidates. I want people from established schools. And again, it was willing to put the investment there. I mean, we have one shot, and we're only going to get one shot at this, and let's do it and let's do it right. And Heidi came bubble to the top of that pile. I always say that, and I mean that the first 15, 20 minutes, I knew I would hire. I did. I mean, and I'm talking about there are other well-established deans coming from well, other well-established uh College of Veterinary Medicine who was in that pool who sitting in my office, and I knew at that point, I just had that that feeling. And so since she's been here, she and Dr. Fry have been able to do things, and I take that as a result of the leadership that's there. Right. The the threshold and the risk financially, I have been able to and willing to go there simply because of the leadership that I have there. That I'll be quite frankly honest with you, I wouldn't have done it with some other people if I didn't feel that. Because at the end of the day, my job is to make sure that the institution is financially sound.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00And can could survive this if it was a failure. And we're talking about tens of millions of dollars. Right. And so that's a boat of confidence in the people who actually boots on the ground running this thing every day. And so they need to know that. Uh, and I talk about this in one of the voices and the behind the scenes that his name is not mentioned a lot, but he really is critical to this effort, Dr. Rust Hanna, because Russ was writing million-dollar checks for this when accreditation was unsure. Right. This was before we saw that light at the end of the tunnel. I mean, he was I'm like, come under us. He was like, Oh, okay, come under us. And he believed in it. Right. Believed in it. And his job is fiduciary responsibility of this institution.
SPEAKER_02That's right.
SPEAKER_00And so when accreditation was not assured, he was still pumping money into this. And I want to really talk about him. You know, I think that's one of the names that have really been left out of this story that is critical because he was at the table and he was leading those discussions behind the scenes on all the budgetary aspects of this. There's been a budgetary on the backside of this that we've had to balance.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. And and that's, you know, there's a lot of uh constituencies, shall we say, that are that are looking to him to go, you know, what what do you, what's his posture, what's his take, uh, where's his faith lie? And so having um him believe in the project and backing it up and and proving that is is critical. So I'm so glad that you you brought that up.
Community Partnerships Across Arkansas
SPEAKER_02Um Heidi, you've talked about this being a community-centered program. And just again, love that. Is there anything about this talk I do not love? Um so, but it's not just about training vets, and you talk about that all the time. And it's about sending them back to the communities, uh, and not simply the ones they came from, but hopefully we're introducing them to new small towns. So you talked about how you grew up in small towns, but we're hopeful, hopefully introducing them to parts of Arkansas that they may didn't weren't aware of, didn't know. And, you know, because we have amazing small towns all over the state. And um, so how does um that the community-centered nature of the program, how does that shape the way that you're building both the curriculum and the clinical partnerships that you're setting up?
SPEAKER_01Sure. So for us, um, we have partnerships all across the state with a variety of state agencies and veterinary practices, as you mentioned, to support this community-centered model. And what we're trying to do is make sure that our students stay here in Arkansas, experience Arkansas, um, all of the communities of Arkansas out in out in the rural areas, as well as, you know, in the towns and larger cities, but that they get opportunities to see um the state where it is. And I think, you know, one of the challenges that we have is is in those veterinary deserts, how do we get them into those communities? And so that's still a challenge. But as we hopefully grow workforce around those areas, eventually those will grow into those areas. Um, but but that's a big thing is getting getting the kids out, getting them to see what Arkansas has to offer, working with various agencies across the state. Um, and that just makes us a better program and very much centered in what Arkansas has to offer. So some of the places that we're working with include Game and Fish, the Department of Corrections. We're going to give our students early experiences with their beef and dairy herds and their equine herds, um, doing some of their preventative care and those sorts of things. So that involves a bit of travel, some field trips for them, but again, keeps them involved in some of our communities that need service.
SPEAKER_02That's really important to us. Wow. That's amazing. Um, Calvin, two years ago, 108 Arkansas students applied to veterinary schools out of state, and 43 are enrolled across the globe at last count. Wow. Last year, that number dropped to 92 applicants. So 92 Arkansans that applied out of state. And we're hearing that students were waiting for this program. Um, so they delayed. And I know one student, Arkansas State University student who delayed um because he was waiting there. I think I introduced all of you guys a few months back. Um, so at the same time, 58% of Arkansas students funded um to attend LSU, they never come back to practice here. We we know that data exit. So 58%. So we lose 108 students, 58% of those don't don't come back. Um so now you've received over 1,500 applications since opening admissions. So taking all of that into context, what does that demand signal say to you about the need, not just the need, but the want, the want to be in Arkansas, the want to do the program in Arkansas? What does that tell you about because I I don't I want you to talk about um because you have sent out already some acceptance letters. And so um if you want to talk about a story about the first couple, that would be that would be great too. But but what does that what does that tell you about what Arkansans want and need and um around the vet school?
SPEAKER_00You know, it it just tells us that the uh the pent-up demand was always there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00It was there, and we felt it. We we believed it to be true, and so the numbers are the numbers, and so we were right. And the gamble and yeah, we're spot on. I won't say it was even a gamble. We stepped boldly into a breach that uh I will say that was needed. It was a bold strategic investment in the people of the state of Arkansas. And it was being held accountable. I'm sorry, um, that's our job.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00It's the job of higher ed to educate the people in which it serves. And I use that word serve all the time because we are. Here to serve the state. We are a public institution. We're supported by the taxpayers of the state of Arkansas. And so we have to continue to prove our value proposition to the people. And when we stop proving that value proposition, that's what gets us into trouble. I think what makes a great chancellor is someone who's constantly out there, you know, telling that story of what is that value proposition. And this event, this investment in the people of the state of Arkansas will pay dividends. I'm an Arkansas kid. I was born and raised here, educated, not my graduate work here, but I chose to come back here. And as you well are aware, I've had plenty of opportunities to leave this state. I've chose I this is home for me. I am a fifth generation Arkansan. And to be able to do something for the state in which it's given me so much, and do something for the state, not only the ag industry, but for people uh in the state that providing a service to the state, that's our job. It is to educate and what better place to do it is when we know we have those numbers, 58% of them. And so so many times people will talk about how, well, our Kansas, we carry this inferiority complex. It is. I don't know why we do, but we do it from time to time. And I tell them, you know, we are about 3.2 million people, total population, but we've always punched above our well, our weight. If it's anywhere from the Waltons to the Hunts, you know, to Al Green, to all these people who come from this small state, I always say that it must be something in the water. This was needed. It's something we should have always had. And so seeing that and being able to, you know, live and conceptualize, take it from conceptualization to Heidi and her team realization, that was real for me. And so even though I wasn't on the front lines of that, I was always behind the scenes. But I under this will always be special to me. And if I do nothing else in higher ed or do a lot of other things in higher ed in the next 20 years of work, this will always kind of be near the top. It's important to me. And I'll let Heidi tell the story of maybe a story or two about the kids who got in. Yeah, that's important.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00It's important to the people of the state of art. And I think that's what higher ed we've kind of gotten away from. Yeah. Why should you have to go out of state? We produce the talent and someone else actually reaps the benefit. And I can't get mad at those people because I was headed to Iowa. When I first got my PhD, I was headed to Iowa. Uh and at the last minute, I got a phone call to say, hey, we want you to interview at the University of Arkansas really quickly. And I did that, but I was headed to Iowa. And if I would have landed and my wife and I would have landed up, we were never coming back here. Now my wife continues to tell me in February I was I was coming back hard. But that's where we were headed.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so again, Arkansas produced the talent. Why should Iowa benefit from, you know, benefit from it? That's right. And so to me, that's important. And that's a value pro that's what we're here to do. And I'm just honored to be a part of it in a small way, the fact that we were able to do it, be able to be a good steward of it, and see that come to realization.
SPEAKER_02And I think both of those are, I mean, both sides of that story are important as far as the students that we're welcoming to everybody wherever you come from, uh, nation, world, but but we do have a responsibility to Arkansans and to to Arkansas students too. And and we have to always balance though. And I think that um you and the chancellor have such a great commitment to that. And you always find ways to vocalize both of that, both sides of that story. And I
Calling Admitted Students And Their Reactions
SPEAKER_02love that. But do you have any um special stories about some of the first um acceptance uh packages? I guess do they get a package? What what happens if if somebody's watching this and they're going, I haven't gotten it yet. Like, can you talk a little? Yeah, can I get one? Who do I who do I write to? Can you talk a little bit about like um I know it's a little off. We weren't really planning on this, but I'd love to hear, and I'm sure others would about what that process. I have seen pictures that your whole team in a room and you guys kind of it looked like you know, a a weekend and you guys had hoodies and jeans on. And so I imagine I was like, did they literally work and sleep up at the school around the clock over the weekend, that first weekend that applications were coming in? But tell us a little bit about that, what it's been like to go through those, the first acceptance letters, you know, share some of that story.
SPEAKER_01Sure. So um, yeah, we we got our letter of reasonable assurance on Friday um at around noon. And so we're getting the word out really on Friday and had the plan to come in first thing on Saturday to start wading through applications. And I told everyone to bring their sleeping bags. Now I did not follow through on that requirement.
SPEAKER_02I love it so much. Um did the promos at least offer to buy you guys some donuts and Shipleys biscuits or something or something. That's amazing. I love that you said bring your sleeping bag. Oh, that's fantastic.
SPEAKER_01Um, but yeah, we've been working 14 hours a day, you know, because we're a small team. We've got there's only eight of us on site. We've got one other now remote faculty that's helping us, um, halftime remote faculty, but eight of us on site waiting through now 700 applications. And so we've been trying to go as quickly as we can. And that's why it's a rolling process. And some have heard and some haven't. Um, but we've just been working really hard to get that done. And I have to commend Dr. Sarah Hooper, our associate dean of admission students and research, for leading that effort and really undoing so much work to make sure that we are prepared for this launch and ready to go to start evaluating these applications. Um, so yep, everybody's been working. I mean, really offloaded everything else and been working. Len and I just had to take us a trip to DC, but otherwise, we've all been here. And so far, um, we've made around 70 offers and we'll continue to do so until we get our class filled.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So, what do the students get when they do they get a pet? Is it a letter or a package or so I I think there's some.
SPEAKER_01Oh, you called them. Okay, tell us about that process. And then uh we follow up with a letter um so that they have got a formal written offer, but I call all of our students because it's important to me that they know that they mean something to us coming here and that once they sign, they're part of the pack and are here to support them on their journey starting the day that they get admitted.
SPEAKER_02So have there been any of those phone calls that mean that, you know, that you're gonna remember forever? Like is the first one the one like you know, Calvin says that I'm always this is always gonna rank. Um, is there is there a phone call, you know, that you're gonna go, I'm always gonna remember that one of this these first few days or something in this first class?
SPEAKER_01I think the thing that's most impressed me is the variety of responses that people have to the news. And so I've had tears, I've had just radio silence from shock that I'm like, is this good? Is this bad? Are you with me? So I've had screams. I I swear I couldn't hear for a few minutes after I talked to one of our candidates. So, um, anyways, there's been it's been really a really great reception and um so much enthusiasm. And I and I think, you know, going back to talking about what does this mean for Arkansas and some of the students that we see, we've got we've had, in addition to students that are in college now, a traditional pathway coming to vet school. We've got we've got some of our um incoming students that have been out for five, 10, 15 years. This has been a lifelong dream that they've never pursued because they didn't want to go out of the state. And suddenly it's available to them. Yeah. Um, and so there's there's just so much gratitude that I hear from our students, and it's just very heartwarming. So absolutely.
SPEAKER_02Well, and we need to do a we need to do a better job or a good job. It's all fresh and new, but we need to add that to the stories that we're telling of that non-traditional student that's coming back at maybe it always uh wanted to to be a vet and maybe didn't for location or geography or whatever that is. I love that. I love the student acceptance stories. Uh, I did I have to admit that I have seen on social media a couple of students that have posted their their letters and then so excited about uh getting part of that. Because for them, they're always gonna be the first class. Absolutely. They're gonna be that first group. And so it's uh we need we're gonna have to get them like t-shirts or or something that they were first. Um okay, we'll get back on track. Sorry.
Loan Repayment And Provisional Accreditation
SPEAKER_02I just wanted to, I mean, I I love all the stories. Um, so Heidi, the um for the vet graduates who go back to serve those federally underserved counties, just want to circle back to that real quick. Um, there's a loan forgiveness pathway. And I definitely want to make sure we we talk about that. How does that change the conversation you're having with prospective students when choosing Arkansas State for vet school?
SPEAKER_01So I think for us, um, you know, because our goal is to train mixed animal practitioners prepared to go out into those rural communities, that that opportunity to not have to worry so much about that financial aspect is important. I think a lot of those conversations honestly will happen between now and September, or, you know, as students are going through school and in their career pathways, for a lot of them, to be honest, like they're just so excited to get into veterin. Some of those things they haven't thought about, but they will. Yeah. And we've got options for them as they go through. And actually, when we were at just in DC this week, that was one of the topics that we were talking about is making sure that veterinary medical loan repayment program stays funded. And that's critical for us here in Arkansas. If we want to meet the veterinary needs of our communities, sending them back into those rural areas, you got to make it so it's not so expensive. Right.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. There's there's got to be a pathway for them. Um also, um, so we talked about it. We you got the letter on April 3rd, but walk us through what receiving that means for the program and for the students who are considering applying. Because I guess there are programs that don't don't aren't accredited. Is that is that true or am I misunderstanding that? Or but the the accreditation is a big deal and there's a pathway without it and with it. And so I know that that was super important to Calvin and to his team to get that before we started everything. But can you kind of talk about you know what that means?
SPEAKER_01Yes. And so for most veterinarians are accredited, it's unusual for them to not be. And the reason being that students can't get federal loans if you're not accredited.
SPEAKER_02Okay.
SPEAKER_01So that's why it's critical here in North America for our North American schools to be accredited. Um for us, once we get that letter of reasonable assurance, now as our students enter into the fall semester, we automatically move to this provisional accreditation status. Okay. And what that means for us is that any students that enter into our program are granted the same rights and privileges of any student from any accredited program, fully accredited program anywhere. The provisional status, what it means, it just means different for our program with regards to number of reports we're submitting every year and how often they come to visit and check on us.
SPEAKER_03Okay.
SPEAKER_01Now, once our first cohort graduates in 2030, assuming we are still in compliance with all 11 standards of accreditation, then they come for another visit and then we then we become fully accredited. And that means that they only come to visit us every seven years and we don't have to report as frequently. So I from an institutional perspective, it means something provisional versus full, but for a student perspective, it's the same.
SPEAKER_02Fantastic. And I think that's, you know, we hope that there'll be parents, students um hearing that. So I think that's a good education point for for them to understand the difference and what that what that means for their students.
Building Timeline And First Day Plans
SPEAKER_02Um so walk us through, and you both can speak to this, the timeline for the building um and uh the first day of classes. Is that the same day as the rest of Arkansas State opens up? Can you you want to talk a little bit about what we're looking for between now and August? And we won't give too much away. I know that uh, you know, there might be a party or something, a ribbon cutting of some nature, you know, you know, breaking news later on, but uh what you can share.
SPEAKER_00There's a ribbon cutting. I know that we've extended several invitations to um policymakers, um dignitaries, dignitaries. Uh but I've told Heidi when it comes to I was at a place that had a professional school, so I understand that they beat to a different rhythm than the rest of the campus. And what's applicable to some of the undergraduate population is not going to be so applicable to them. So I'll let her talk about first day they may, may not be starting. Their first day of class may not, most likely will not be with the rest of the campus, or in their commencement will potentially not be with the other commencement. So we've given them some leeway and some latitude to be able to determine that. That's quite normal. Actually, kind of pretty much you know on par with most other places, but I'll let her walk through that, what that looks like.
SPEAKER_01That's great. And and what we've settled on for a class schedule is we're just gonna start a week earlier than campus so we can have commencement at the same time. We thought that was an important part for us to be a part of campus for that, at least have the opportunity um timing-wise. And and that's really just because if we get snow days or those sorts of things that happen for us, because we're trying to meet discrete outcomes, it's really challenging to just cancel class. So we we needed some makeup days really built into our schedule.
SPEAKER_02So that's you don't have as much flexibility, right?
SPEAKER_01Exactly. So back that up now. Between now and August, our um CBM building is still on track to be done end June. So, so that will, and then we'll moving in all of our equipment. Our barns, we're building two new barns on the Animal Science Farm. Yeah, and uh those will be completed end July. So I was last there last week, but they had the footings in. So we're looking forward to see seeing those go up as well.
SPEAKER_02And the the bed school building, I just drove by, I try to buy drive by there at least once a week, and it's just breathtaking. We took some um some people, some some business leaders from Little Rock that were here to um to speak to class and stuff and took them by there and they were just blown away. It's just a beautiful, it's just a beautiful structure. It's just gonna be breathtaking. What's the timeline on the building being moving ready?
SPEAKER_00They're dry now. That means that no water or anything. They're working completely inside. And I don't know. I actually, I actually believe it or not, I have not taken a tour of the inside. I do the same. I kind of drive by every day.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Heidi. It's time you take me through.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh but call me.
SPEAKER_02I'd like to go. I want to go too.
SPEAKER_00But I, you know, that's another Heidi. I don't know. Yeah, do you want to do it? Do you know what they're doing?
SPEAKER_02It's so they're done in June, and then we'll move in. So the barns are going to be done in June and then the and also the vet school main building. Sorry. The barns done in July. July. Building done. Done in June. Because we've got a lot of moving to do with all our special equipment. Oh, I can, I can only, I can only imagine. Yeah, that's just it, it's just it's beautiful.
Research Pathways And Future Programs
SPEAKER_02Um, Calvin, right now the focus is teaching and getting that first class in and trained, but where do you see the research opportunity going? Because you are passionate about research. I am. And um, so particularly at the intersection of the vet school and ag research, like what's already happening on campus, if you can kind of give us a forward view of what your dream is for what that could look like in the next few years.
SPEAKER_00In my head and uh my head, I think I have a plan, whether I'm here to play out that plan or not, or Heidi and I kind of wrestle to the ground on that plan. I have this issue that's plan, but the reality of it is I think research will intersect quite nicely with it. We have the Arkansas Bioscience Institute that's actually going to be housed next door. So I can, you know, I've I envision creating kind of the STEM corridor on that end of campus where it's kind of feeding, where actually I see some of the scientists actually doing research in the Arkansas Bioscience Institute, actually kind of flowing back and forth between those two buildings, however, Dr. Mercico and you know Heidi see fit. But how it will impact research instant instantaneously is the fact that we have 1,500 applications, 700 completed applications. And as I've talked to different people who've already called, I've I've received calls from a lot of folks about, hey, such and such is apply. And I've told them all, I said, I'm not involved in the day-to-day of that. I said, there's going to be a lot of highly qualified uh people, young people, and you know, who will not gain admission simply because there's just not enough seats. It doesn't mean that they don't have the grades or what they're looking for. There's just not enough seats to go around. Uh, and so I've said, you know, I'm not touching that. And I said the experts are doing that, but they're going to be people who are going to be looking for alternatives. And already I go to bed at night now. I've moved on to thinking about, and I actually charged some by Dean's Council after this week about I put a committee together and I said, I want quick and I want quick movement on how are some of these 1,500 students out there who did not get in, how could we have provided them an alternative pathway to put them into a graduate program, into a master's program where they could continue to hone certain skills and do certain things to eventually maybe gain admissions to the College of Veteran Medicine. And even if they never do, then they leave here with a credible, you know, credential that they can go on and work in the industry or work adjacent to the industry. So I already see that there are intersectionalities to this. And I'll be honest with you, we have several policymakers who've already approached us about the next step toward a teaching hospital. We're not there yet. And I don't know if we will be there anytime in the future because I know the cost of that and what that will ensue. And we need to stay this course for at least the next five to 10 years. But the prop, but there's already interest in saying what's your next step.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00And these are people who are sitting in the state capitol about what would it take to do that? And I said, Yeah, it's gonna take a big checkbook, but we're not there yet. Yeah, we're not ready yet. We need, you know, I don't want to put that type of pressure on them. Right. Research is important. Uh I'm an old professor at heart. I always will be. Um, and I'm happy as when I'm reading and writing and tinker. I spent some time this morning in uh create a state. I actually, they had to pull me out. That's my happy zone. Seeing all that research that's going on and walking through the walking through the labs. And actually, I talk about I actually had a meeting today with the dean of the library, and he he literally looked at me, he said, I've never worked with a provost who understands the library as much as you do. I live in libraries. That's part of my research. All over the world I've been in libraries. That's important to me. Uh, but I think we will have to figure out what that looks like long term. Uh, but I do envision one day being able to have, you know, off-ramps or for kids who don't obtain admissions to be able to go into programs. And ultimately, I would love to see a PhD DVM. I actually think it'd be something that actually could be unique. And I think long term, I actually believe that that's where we'll probably go, hopefully. But in the meantime, we've got to spend some PhD programs off and some because those kids and those people they could they could do research over there. They could work in the barn. There's there's other intersectionalities there that we've even again, I race, my mind races a lot. Like at night, I can't. So I was actually thinking about this just the other day. It's like, where are those intersectional? I'm already, Heidi's here admitting, and she or our team is admit admitting those students. I'm already, yeah, I've already pivot to the next thing because I know they have that. So I'm like, okay, what's that plan to move them forward? So it will be important, but I understand now that they've got to get their feet underneath them. They've got to produce the first cohort of the graduates, and I don't want to rush that, but she and her colleagues will be looking at is it feasible to have a graduate degree here? Is it feasible to have a graduate degree there? And maybe even have some of those graduate students maybe sit in a class or two. I don't know what that could look like. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Well, you know, I have a longstanding belief that leadership is true, leadership is at the intersection of dreamers and doers. And one thing I've always loved and admired about both you and the chancellor is that you both are built with equal parts, dreamer and doer. And I love that you have cultivated teams that you push to inspire to go, you know, you got to do the work, but we've always got to dream. What's the next dream? What's the next bigger? And I think it's exciting for the audience, anyone hearing this and stuff, to know that the the outside of this campus is pushing this campus to go, what's next? You know, and that says to me that they believe us, they trust in us, um, and they love what they're seeing and what they've seen so far. And they're like, okay, well, this is this is awesome. That worked out. Okay, next. And Heidi's over here going, okay, can I get my 120, you know, input first? So, you know, at least, you know, at least he understands the the balance and he's protecting some. But um, but that is exciting because I think that that's that's where that's where we need to be. We've got it, we've got to keep dreaming, but we've also we've got to also gotta get the work done.
SPEAKER_00And that's the road. That is that yeah, there that's the tension. I'm always pulling. I'm heidi, come on, you know, I'm like, I can't, um, but that's always the road. I mean and I'm that I'm that way in with a lot of the other deans as well. I'm like, okay, where's the growth potential? Where's this? Where's that? What are we doing? And that's just kind of how I think in my mind. But also being a, you know, being a dean and being a program program director in a department chair, I understand too that there's only so fast that they can go.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00That doesn't mean it stops me from thinking, but there's only so fast that they can go.
SPEAKER_02Heidi, anything you'd like to add to that? I mean, what do what do you think about when you think about the future? I know you're thinking, I can't think past, you know, 1,500 applications or 700 completed, but but when you do have a a chance for a glass of iced tea on the front porch and can s sit back and relax for a minute, what do you think about where this can go and and what you and your team are building? I mean, it's amazing.
SPEAKER_01And I think what I mean our focus is on for for now is trying to think about ways that we can create research programs. That also support our community. So translational research programs that are applied, herd health. Um, and so what we've been fortunate in our six tenure track faculty that we have attracted here so far that will start with us this summer, most of them have very applied research that can immediately be impactful to Arkansas community. So that's kind of what we're trying to build.
SPEAKER_02Amazing. Okay. Um, this is gonna be the last question, maybe I may think of an another one. I I know that you guys have very busy with a pile of applications. Um, I can I can hear the phone vibrating. So I know and I really want to say before we end that I really appreciate that you guys made the time for this because if there's anything I've learned, um, it is that April is the busiest month on the Arkansas State University campus of all 12 months in a calendar year. And I just don't know how any of you are breathing. Um, because I'm I'm not breathing. Every time I come in here, I've been hyperventilating just across campus. But it, I know you're very, very busy. And I just want to say thank you for taking the time for this because you know, we want to, we want to share the story, and everybody wants to know about the vet school.
Why The Vet School Changes Arkansas
SPEAKER_02Um, so Calvin, you said that establishing uh this school is the equivalent of what the establishment of UAMS was for the UA system, um, and that it will have that same generational impact. Um, I want you to make that case for the the listeners. That's a that's a bold statement. I happen to agree with you. Um, but you know, kind of how you see this, um, the the generational impact of the vet school here in Arkansas.
SPEAKER_00It's huge. Um, and I truly believe that. I wouldn't say that if I didn't believe that.
SPEAKER_02I know.
SPEAKER_00You know, I really believe that. This is transformative. And I think what Heidi and her team uh have done and will continue to do will I think we're at a crossroads right now. I think as we move forward. You know, my mom once told me one time, she said, son, you'll come to certain uh stages in your life that you'll look back on them and you'll know that it was a chapter turning moment in your life. It will be there will be certain dem, you know, demarcations in your life that you'll demar that you'll denote like things were never the same after that. Things were never, things will never be the same on this campus uh as a result of Heidi, her team, and what we've done with the College of Veterinary Medicine. Number one, we now become a college of designation. I mean, this is you come here. If you want to be a, you want to, if you're an aspiring kid out there who wants to become a vet, why do you go anywhere else? Because we have a, we're gonna have a three plus what, two or three plus one program that you can actually try to get and gain admissions into the College of American Medicine after your junior year if you meet certain markers and academically sound. And so we're gonna try to build in pathways that expedite some of these high-achieving kids who are kids who deserve to have that chance. So that makes us a college of destination. And so that's huge for us. And then some of the things that will spin off from that. And looking at some of the corporate leaders out there, uh, I understand that there will be things, whether there is an Oakland or whether there is a Tyson food, there will be potential of money that we will be able to do certain things, whether they're naming opportunities or things like that, that money will flow on this campus as a result of this of this school being placed on this campus. We have very generous Arkansas in this state. And we have Arkansas who've gone on and done extremely well. We have some of the richest people in the world live right here in the state of Arkansas. And they care about Arkansas and they care about educating people and educating a workforce that directly feeds their industry. That's not selfish to me. That that's actually a natural intersectionality that we need to try to see and explore. That's on the horizon for us. The potential of what money could be brought on this campus to further that school along. We're just beginning. And it is the same. To me, it absolutely is the same as what UAMS did. And could you imagine? And I, you know, I Heidi and I joke with Heidi about this a lot. Could you imagine, even though that we may not remember who the founding dean or the University of Arkansas Medical Science is, no one can ever talk about the relevance or the role it plays in healthcare in the state of Arkansas. It is the only game really in town for the entire 75 counties. Heidi and that college represents that for veterinary medicine now.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00That's huge. And I don't know, she's living right here and it's right in her face. Right. Right now, and she hasn't that hadn't sunk. I believe that I don't want to speak for her. I don't think that had a chance to sink in. But because I've been a little bit removed, that's already kind of sunk in for me. Right. It's like my my fingerprints will always be on this. And maybe it's what, maybe it's why I hope I spent I'm gonna spend my time here. I don't know. But I'll I always tell this joke. I'll be sitting on my ranch one day on the porch and my grandkids, and I'll be saying, Hey, you know that school over there, I helped do that. And they will be saying, Pop pop is pop pop didn't do that. But he did. It's important to me. So it will be transforming. It will be transforming, and it's huge. And I think it if and continue to serve the people of Arkansas.
SPEAKER_03Right.
SPEAKER_00And this state has given me so much. I mean, it really has. I mean, I'm a poor kid from you know, from a farming community who didn't have a lot and we didn't own our own land. And so I understand what all of this means. And so, and why should you have to leave to go get educated to work in the number one industry in the state? In the state of Arkansas. Yeah. Yeah, we live in Tornado Alley. Why should our kids have to leave the state to go get a meteorology degree? I'm already working on the next one. I mean, really, I think.
SPEAKER_02What does it feel like to to hear Calvin when he when he says all of that? Um, I know you're not native to to Arkansas, but um, you know, I'm I'm sure you've heard him say this and you've heard others say this since you uh since you arrived, but you know, what does that feel like to you? I mean, how does that land for you when you hear him talk about that?
SPEAKER_01Definitely. I think I recognize, you know, Arkansas is our Arkansans are tied to their home. Um, and and that's that's part of what makes the state amazing to me. And part of what makes I think what we're doing amazing because we're able to allow them those training experiences without having to leave their home state. So we're really glad grateful for that opportunity for sure.
Final Thanks And What Comes Next
SPEAKER_02Well, I can't thank you both enough. This has been fabulous. I'm I'm sure that we've gone over and I don't care. Um, we have a great, a lot of great information and know that both of you are going to uh come back here to other shows that we're gonna do. Um talking about a dream. I have a dream that each of you have your own show. Um talk about the all things med school and you know, Calvin can just talk about all the things. So we'll we'll have to we'll give him categories. But um, just wanted to say thank you again to both of you for coming. And that's all for this episode of the A State Advantage. And thank you for joining us.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for having me.