Stay connected. Get involved.
As a member of a network that is over 5500 alumni strong, you and your fellow alumni play an important role in the success of the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Our alumni are not just our past—your connection with the college is a vital part of its future success. So whether you have just graduated or are about to celebrate your 60 year reunion, we encourage you to stay connected and get involved with your alma mater and your fellow alumni.
Below are just a few of the ways you can get involved with the College of Veterinary Medicine.
Our alumni hire College of Veterinary Medicine students and fellow alumni for a variety of positions, including but not limited to internships, residencies, and full-time employment in practices. If you have hired a student or fellow college alum, thank you! If you are looking to fill a position, you may submit your job information to our website using this form. View the Alumni Job Board.
There are lots of alumni and special events each year, including alumni receptions, class reunions, Vet Med Open House, and more. Check the college calendar for details.
Every spring semester, over 300 applicants come to the College of Veterinary Medicine to interview for one of 120 spots in the DVM degree program. We have 21 teams of interviewers, and each team has a veterinarian on the team. If you are interested in serving on one of these interview teams, please contact the Office of Academic and Student Affairs.
Thank you so much to our alumni who impact the College of Veterinary Medicine by making charitable donations! From the Veterinary Medicine Achievement Fund, which provides annual, unrestricted support to the college, to class endowed scholarships to estate gifts, there are many ways that you can make a gift to your alma mater. Visit our Giving section to learn more about the ways you can support the college.
Be sure we have your current contact information so that you receive our monthly e-newsletters and other important news. Please subscribe to our news feeds and follow us on social media to keep abreast of the activities of the students and faculty at your College of Veterinary Medicine.
![[David Kieltyka in Uganda gorilla sanctuary]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/alum-kieltyka-feature-260x157.jpg)
Endows Scholarship for Students Facing Discrimination Dr. David Kieltyka (say Kell-TIC-ka) has had the kind of life and career from which “triumph over all the odds” books and movies are made. Growing up poor on the South Side of Chicago, he realized a childhood dream through attending the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine...
![[cat sleeps next to mailer]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/sassy-cat-main-260x157.jpg)
Invention Makes Treating Cats Safer If you’ve never handled a cat in a veterinary setting, you may think you can predict their body movements but you would be wrong! They will surprise you. Dr. Kristen Knight, a veterinarian at Banfield Pet Hospital in Oswego, Ill., and a 2014 graduate of the college, created the Sassy...
![[Dr. Gavin Meerdink]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/gavin-meerdink-260x157.jpg)
Dr. Gavin Meerdink, who held many roles at our college, passed away on July 4. Joining our faculty in 1989, Dr. Meerdink headed the clinical toxicology service within the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, served the state’s agricultural industry as an Extension veterinarian focused on beef and feed safety, and oversaw the Veterinary Medical Research Farm. He...
