Lunn hired as inaugural director of SDSU Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine

Lisa Lunn has been hired as the director of the Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine and professor of food animal medicine in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at South Dakota State University. She will also serve as an associate dean for the college.

“It is a privilege to have Dr. Lunn leading the SDSU Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine,” Angela Pillatzki, department head of veterinary and biomedical sciences, said. “She not only has extensive academic experience, but she is also very familiar with and knowledgeable about 2+2 veterinary programs, which makes her a tremendous asset to our program and students.”

Lunn comes from West Texas A&M’s Veterinary Education, Research and Outreach program, where she led its 2+2 veterinary program as an associate professor of veterinary medicine. Similar to SDSU, West Texas A&M students complete their first two years of veterinary school as part of a smaller cohort before finishing the final two years of their degree at a larger university. For SDSU, each group of 20 students moves on to the University of Minnesota; for Lunn’s former students, they joined a cohort of more than 150 students at the Texas A&M main campus. Lunn believes starting with a smaller group really benefits students.

“I find that the learning is really enhanced with a small class size. It’s more dynamic and collaborative with a lot of back and forth,” she said. “It builds tremendous relationships within the student body that stay bonded after graduation. It’s nice for them to have that built-in resource for the rest of their careers.”

After completing her own Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine degree from Kansas State University, Lunn has held positions with Michigan State University, led St. George’s University in Grenada to receiving accreditation from the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, and helped grow the University of Alaska Fairbanks 2+2 program from 10 to 14 students during her tenure.

Throughout her career she has worked on a number of different animals, from camelids to reindeer. She believes having knowledge on a broad spectrum of animals is crucial for veterinary students looking to practice in rural areas, a focus of the SDSU program.

“Rural medicine to me means living in a small town and being responsible for keeping your town’s animals healthy. That could be cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, bison, poultry, working dogs, or pet dogs and cats,” Lunn said. “Our goal is to equip students with a solid understanding of livestock production so they can play a vital role in preserving and advancing South Dakota’s proud agricultural legacy."

Prior to her interview with SDSU, Lunn had only been to South Dakota once, when she accidentally got caught in Sturgis rally traffic on a road trip. But the 2+2 program, combined with the facilities available within the college and the small-town feel of the community, drew her in.

“After the interview, my husband and I decided ‘this is the place,’” she said. “It’s a small university with powerful things happening.”