$39M gift from Stanton Foundation advances veterinary general practice education at Ohio State

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Stanton Foundation has announced a $39 million gift to the College of Veterinary Medicine at The Ohio State University to establish the Building Preeminence in Veterinary General Practice Education (BPVGPE) program, which will advance veterinary medical education for current and future generations.

“This gift from the Stanton Foundation will be transformational,” said Ohio State President Michael V. Drake. “It is an investment in the future of veterinary medical education at Ohio State that will continue in perpetuity through veterinary students and faculty who will provide skillful and compassionate medical care for generations.”

The program links together the educational needs of the students and the college’s mission to graduate competent and confident, practice-ready veterinarians. The BPVGPE offers students an opportunity to expand their educational experiences while developing and refining essential clinical and professional skills.

The Stanton Foundation is one of more than 750,000 individuals and organizations supporting the But for Ohio State Campaign, which has already raised more than $2.79 billion for students, research and innovation. The total amount raised during the campaign will be announced when the campaign closes on the evening of Sept. 29.

Nineteen million dollars of the gift will provide funding for: the Frank Stanton Endowed Chair in General Practice and Canine Health and Wellness, seven faculty and 12 staff members, the design and construction of a state-of-the-art Clinical and Professional Skills Lab, and the purchase of a mobile veterinary unit for the college’s Outreach Medicine Program. At the end of five years and upon the successful achievement of established milestones, $20 million of the gift will be awarded to endow the BPVGPE.

The college has a deep history with Frank Stanton, who in 2002 established the Ruth Stanton Chair in Veterinary Medicine to honor his wife. The chair is currently held by Dean Rustin M. Moore. The gift from the Stanton Foundation will help cement the college as the premier education destination for veterinary students with regard to general practitioner education.

“We are most appreciative to be chosen by the Stanton Foundation as the recipient of this amazing gift, which will bolster an outstanding general practitioner education program and have lasting impact on current and future generations of veterinarians and the pets and people for which they provide care,” Moore said. “The BPVGPE will enhance experiences within the college from the way we teach, to the way our students learn, to the quality and impact of the service we provide to the community.”

Based in New York City, the foundation was created by Stanton to support areas where he was unable to complete his charitable intentions during his lifetime, including canine welfare, the development of more informed citizens and the protection of First Amendment rights.

“This gift is meaningful to us because Frank Stanton was a proud alumnus who cared deeply for Ohio State and we are certain he would have been overjoyed to join his alma mater on this forward-thinking initiative that will greatly impact the students and the lives of pets and pet owners,” said Stephen Kidder, spokesperson for the Stanton Foundation and alumnus of Ohio State.

Stanton was president of CBS from 1946 until 1971, and was a major innovator of mass-media practices and programming innovations, initiating the modern presidential debate with John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1959. He received both a master’s (’32) and Ph.D. (’35) in psychology and an honorary doctorate (’49) in law from Ohio State.

For more information about the Stanton Foundation gift to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, visit vet.osu.edu.