Thank You for Standing ‘With Illinois’

This message will appear in the Fall 2022 issue of the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association Epitome.

In October 2017, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign publicly launched With Illinois, fundraising campaign with an ambitious $2.25 billion goal—the largest ever for our campus. The College of Veterinary Medicine set out to raise the most in our history: $40 million.

Both goals were exceeded long before the campaign drew to a close on June 30 this year.

I want to thank our veterinary partners throughout the state who made it possible to raise more than $59 million to propel our college on a trajectory of innovation and impact. We deeply appreciate every gift of any size. Your investment shows you value the veterinary care, expertise, discoveries, and education delivered by the college. You also helped us reach our goal by putting us in touch with your clients, animal owners of means who want to support veterinary causes.

Campaign Impact

Let’s look at what those dollars will do:

• 70 new scholarship funds were established during the campaign, easing the financial burden of students
• Many gifts allow us to advance care for animal patients through state-of-the-art medical technology and improved facilities 
• Other gifts facilitate the teaching and research mission of the college by creating endowed faculty positions
• Our largest single gift, $15 million from philanthropists whose dogs were helped by our oncology service, will make high-quality cancer care more accessible to more patients by funding new faculty positions and a clinical trials center

Christine Dietrich, assistant dean for advancement, saw the college’s campaign efforts through to success.

“It is my privilege to work with the amazing faculty members, alumni, referring veterinarians, and grateful clients who together made it possible to raise nearly 50% more than our initial goal,” she said.

“When someone decides to make a substantial gift, there is usually a passion driving that decision. People have a deep desire to honor a loved one, to remember a special animal friend, or to leave a legacy for the students of tomorrow. And I get to witness the joy and satisfaction that comes not only to the beneficiaries of the gift but to the donors themselves.”

Gifts from Alumni

Here are just a few of the gifts received from our alumni in the past year of the campaign.

• Dr. Wes Bieritz (Class of 1963) has assisted the emergency and critical care service in acquiring the technology to start a hemodialysis service for small animal patients.
• Dr. John Coyne (Class of 1974) and his family chose to endow two professorships and to name the newly renovated lobby of the college’s Small Animal Clinic. They have also supported veterinary student scholarships since 2013.
• Dr. Clyde Dunphy (Class of 1974) and his wife, Catherine, named the Communication Center within the college’s Clinical Skills Learning Center through an estate gift, in addition to their ongoing support for veterinary student scholarships.

“The support will go on and help vets for not just the short term but for generations,” said Dr. Dunphy. “That’s how I look at charitable giving. You’re not just helping in the moment. You’re giving for the future.”

Worthy Investment

With your help, your College of Veterinary Medicine is building a future worth investing in for the students, patients, and discoveries that lie ahead. We rely on your ongoing partnership to make that future a reality.

To find out more about sharing your passion for veterinary medicine through a gift to our college, please contact Christine Dietrich at cdietric@illinois.edu.