One week before the start of classes in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, members of the incoming class of first year DVM students arrived at Lynn Hall for orientation. There are 89 students in the DVM Class of 2026. The orientation program, called “Launch! DVM 2026,” provided them with a head start on their veterinary school learning experience.
Guided by veterinary student ambassadors, the new students engaged in a variety of activities, listened to informative presentations about a range of topics, and toured facilities that will figure prominently in the first year of their veterinary education. The orientation sessions began Monday, August 15, and conclude tomorrow (Saturday, August 22). The Launch program includes team-building exercises and opportunities to meet faculty, staff and Dean Willie Reed, who led the class in reciting the Veterinarian’s Oath as a way of setting the stage for the grand adventure that lies ahead.
The nearly 90 members of the class come from Indiana and 26 other states, with one international student from Korea. Male students account for nearly 25 percent of the class, and nearly 40 percent of the students represent diversity of race and ethnicity. First generation college students account for 24 percent of the Class of 2026. Just getting into the class is a major accomplishment, given that more than 1,600 students applied for admission.
“Launch! DVM 2026 gives our college a thoughtful and organized approach to helping our new students feel welcome and informed as they anticipate the first day of classes,” said Director of Student Services Jamie Richards, who led the effort to plan the orientation week. “This is a high caliber class. We are excited to welcome them to Lynn Hall and look forward to getting to know them and seeing them fulfill their dream of becoming veterinarians.”
Also new to taking classes in Lynn Hall are 30 Year 2 students in the on-campus Veterinary Nursing Program. After completing a year of core curriculum classes across campus, the members of the VN Class of 2025 begin their Lynn Hall coursework this semester, with a daylong orientation scheduled for Monday. We will feature that class in next Friday’s Vet Gazette.
The new students bring the total population of Purdue DVM students enrolled this fall to 329. In the Veterinary Nursing Program, there are a total of 102 students enrolled in the on campus program, with another 396 taking courses on line in the VN Distance Learning Program.
