Greetings from Dean Andrew Hoffman
It is my great honor and privilege to serve as the next Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. Penn Vet’s tradition of excellence is marked by our deep commitment to education, advanced clinical care, and innovative research.
At the center of our efforts is compassion for both animals and people, as well as the preservation of a healthy environment. People look to veterinarians as professionals who not only deliver healthcare throughout the lifespan of animals, but also improve our quality of life within that context. We value relationships with our clients and further their interests along with those of the local community. Moreover, as a profession and an institution, veterinarians are well positioned to contribute solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including food security, biosecurity, biodiversity, antimicrobial stewardship, and climate change.
On the campus where modern veterinary medicine was born, we have an obligation to train a diverse student body on emerging career pathways. Adapting the curriculum to a new vision of the veterinary profession will be critical to our success. Penn Vet will further strengthen our profession by enabling broader opportunities through novel certificate and dual degree programs that break down traditional boundaries between the veterinary and other professional disciplines: public health, human healthcare, social policy, business, and law. As a result, graduating VMDs will be better prepared to fashion their own career goals, and ultimately contribute more creatively and effectively towards building a better world.
Our Board
A board of overseers is the advisory body to the dean of a school or the director of a major center at the University of Pennsylvania. While formal institutional governance and fiduciary responsibility for the University rests solely with its Board of Trustees, Overseer boards serve as a vital channel of communication with the Trustees on the activities of Penn's schools and centers.
Boards of overseers afford Penn ready panels of professionals, experts, and informed lay people who provide volunteer leadership and financial support to the areas they serve. Overseers also serve as ambassadors and spokespersons by linking the campus to the world.