A record-breaking $50 million gift from alumnus Gary R. Carlson, M.D., will be used to expand Oregon State University’s Small Animal Hospital and establish an endowment fund within the College of Veterinary Medicine.
The gift, announced Jan. 17, is the largest in OSU history and comes from a physician who graduated from the university in 1974. Today he is a partner at Dermatology Associates in Westlake Village, California.
A love of dogs helped Dr. Carlson decide where the $50 million would go.
“As I began thinking about how I might make a difference in this world, I thought about those things that matter most to me,” he said. “High on the list was the joy that our pets so often give us — a special comfort and support that allows us to embrace life more fully. I wanted to do something that would enrich that experience and help us better understand and care for our best friends.”
The veterinary school will be renamed the Gary R. Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine.
“This is a game-changing investment in our college,” said Susan J. Tornquist, DVM, Ph.D., DACVP, the Lois Bates Acheson Dean.
“We are very honored and excited about Dr. Carlson’s partnership,” Dr. Tornquist said. “The hospital expansion is a pressing need for us now, but this is just the beginning of what Dr. Carlson’s generosity will make possible as the college adapts and grows to meet the needs of future generations.”
The plans call for doubling the size of the Small Animal Hospital, which has seen the patient load rise by an average of 10 percent a year over the past six years. Two new hospital wings will be built, and a linear accelerator will be obtained for use in radiation oncology.
The endowment fund will help “attract and retain top-tier veterinary faculty and support college strategic priorities,” the university reported.
The college increased its class size from 56 to 72 students in 2017-18.