Tuskegee University Breaks Ground on College of Veterinary Medicine Expansion

Tuskegee University celebrated the start of construction on two new additions to its College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) with a groundbreaking ceremony on September 18. Totaling 104,000 square feet, the expansion includes a new preclinical building and a new small animal teaching hospital, which will revitalize the TUCVM campus and enhance animal patient health services.

Flad is leading planning and design for the two new structures, both targeting completion in advance of the 2027 fall semester. Flad initially collaborated with Tuskegee to perform a strategic site and facilities study that developed recommendations for facility investments in alignment with university and TUCVM strategic plans and identified priority projects. TUCVM has a critical goal of increasing its current class size from 70 to 80, adding teaching and research faculty, and increasing caseloads for small animal patients, while proportionately increasing administrative, support staff, and space.

"The promise these new facilities represent for generations of veterinary professionals to come is only the beginning of this exciting journey," said Dr. Ebony Gilbreath, Interim Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The new small animal hospital is designed to be a cutting-edge teaching hospital and will greatly expand TUCVM's clinical capabilities. It will include space for advanced diagnostic and specialty care including modern imaging suites, surgery operating rooms, and intensive care units.

The facility will also consolidate critical support services under one roof, increasing efficiency and faster turnaround times for students and the small animals they treat. A modernized reception and waiting area will ease access for the surrounding Macon County community, which has for decades relied on Tuskegee for animal care that can be hard to find.

"As the practice of veterinary medicine has greatly evolved and care options have expanded, so have the facility requirements for students and patients," said Flad Principal-in-Charge Rachel Nelan. "These new facilities will offer students and patients access to state-of-the-art clinical and instructional technology while honoring the rich architectural history of the university."

Celebrating its 80-year anniversary in 2025, TUCVM was the first veterinary medicine program to be established at one of the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Tuskegee has educated over 70 percent of the nation's African American veterinarians.

October 07, 2025