South Jersey legislators deliver $8M for Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine

With construction workers buzzing about and faculty moving into their new offices on Monday, Aug. 4, a group of South Jersey legislators received a behind-the-scenes tour of Rowan University’s new Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine, just three weeks before the first class arrives on campus. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held in mid-October.

President Ali Houshmand, Founding Dean Matthew Edson and Provost Voki Pophristic welcomed the lawmakers, who delivered a ceremonial check representing this year’s $8 million in state appropriations to support New Jersey’s first veterinary school. Houshmand called it a new day for New Jersey. 

“I’m so grateful that our South Jersey legislators are such strong advocates for this important New Jersey investment,” Houshmand said. “This is a very important program, making us one of two universities in the nation with three medical schools.” 

“Aspiring veterinarians in New Jersey deserve an in-state option for their degree,” added Edson, a native New Jerseyan who is also the founder and owner of Rancocas Veterinary Associates, a multidoctor mixed-animal practice based in South Jersey. “Giving this opportunity to future generations in our profession means a lot to all of us.” 

N.J. Sen. Troy Singleton (D-7) said the South Jersey legislators’ advocacy for the university and its growth is personal and a collective effort.  

“Each and every one of us is invested in this institution,” Singleton said. “We really wanted to see this happen.”   

“This is spectacular,” said N.J. Sen. John Burzichelli (D-3), whose district covers Gloucester, Salem and Cumberland counties. “In my mind, any New Jersey state budget has to take into consideration what it needs to continue to help this evolve into a world-class university. The progress is just simply stunning.” 

Rowan University has more than doubled enrollment over the last decade and is recognized as a top 100 public research university in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. 

“When I talk to people who haven’t been here in a decade, they don’t have words for what they’re seeing," Burzichelli added. "And the fact now we’re adding a third medical school? That’s exactly where South Jersey should be.”  

In 2021,  New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy approved $75 million in funding to help support the construction of the school’s primary academic and clinical facilities. Situated on Rowan’s West Campus along routes 55 and 322 in Harrison Township, the school includes classrooms, educational and diagnostic laboratories, and much more, said Edson, who led the delegation through a maze of operating rooms, imaging areas and light-filled clinical spaces and offices. 

“This facility has three different primary purposes, one of which is a teaching hospital,” Edson said. “We’re going to use that for educating students, but also for bringing specialty care services to South Jersey that we haven’t had yet before.” 

In the future, Edson added, the facility will also include lab space for translational biomedical research, as well as 24/7 emergency care.