A student tries out her new stethoscope provided courtesy of MVMA, VVMA and Professional Veterinary Products.

Dean Gerhardt Schurig presents a new student with a white coat.

MVMA President Dr. John Kable presents a student with a stethoscope courtesy of MVMA, VVMA and Professional Veterinary Products.

The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine’s Class of 2014 was formally admitted to the college following a White Coat Ceremony in which the 96 new students were issued white laboratory coats and administered the Veterinary Student’s Oath. The Class of 2014 represents an increase of five students from previous years, a trend the college hopes to continue. Once the college’s new instructional building is constructed, the college is expected to increase enrollment to 120-130 students. Almost 900 individuals applied for admission to the VMRCVM’s Class of 2014 and 200 personal interviews were conducted to select the new students.

"What marks this semester and incoming class as significant - and each is distinctive in its own way - is that the Class of 2014 has arrived at the dawn of a new era for the college," says Dean Gerhardt Schurig. "Ground has been broken on the future, and heavy machinery now dots the landscape of VMRCVM's Blacksburg campus. The next page in our college's history has been turned."

MVMA held drawings for two Barnes & Noble Nooks, along with carrying cases and lights. Melani French of Manasas, VA and Patricia Brown of Blacksburg, VA won the drawings.

MVMA, the Virginia Veterinary Medical Association and Professional Veterinary Products gave each student a complimentary stethoscope to help them on their path through veterinary school.

Incoming students represent many different undergraduate institutions, with several students hailing from undergraduate programs at the VMRCVM’s parent institutions, Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland at College Park. The students majored in a variety of disciplines.