March 28, 2024

West Texas A&M University declared Thursday early morning that it experienced acquired a $2.1 million donation for creating a companion animal science software of examine to complement and extend its pre-veterinary training and animal research applications.

Vice President for Philanthropy and External Relations at West Texas A&M University, Todd Rasberry, welcomes attendees at the WT gift announcement of $2.1 million for an animal companion program Thursday in Canyon.

Companion animals are domesticated animals this sort of as cats, canines, horses, birds, reptiles or rodents that are principally held as animals.

WT President Emeritus Russell C. Very long and wife Natrelle Hedrick Extended were being on hand for the announcement to discuss about their $2.1 million planned reward to the college, as well as the relevance of providing to the college and the impression that it will have on students and the community.

“WT is very vital to us as an establishment that serves college students and serves this location so very well. We have place in over 30 a long time right here and have witnessed it improve and acquire,” Russell Very long said. “We want to do a thing that will continue on to aid the college students, college and the region it serves.”

Former West Texas A&M University president Russell Long speaks to the crowd Thursday at WT about the $2.1 million donation he and his wife Natrelle are giving to the university. Long became the ninth president of WT in 1995, and he retired in 2005.

The Longs explained that the companion animal program struck close to their hearts, as it is especially crucial to both equally of them. They reported that it gives pupils far more prospects to study about the treatment of companion animals, and it is priceless with the dearth of veterinary systems in the state.

“I am extremely thrilled to be a portion of this,” Natrelle Prolonged claimed. “We seriously needed to aid pupils, and animal treatment is anything that is close to equally of our hearts. I type of feel like we owe this to the institution for all they have done for us.”

Russell Very long also spoke about how he hopes their contribution will help established an case in point of how other people can support the college.

Natrelle Long speaks about her commitment to the university, announcing a $2.1 million gift to the new animal companion program at West Texas A&M University on Thursday at a press briefing in Canyon.

“We hope that by our contribution, this will set an case in point for other individuals with all the offering opportunities that are accessible to make the university able to serve the neighborhood and its demands better,” Russell Very long claimed.

The Longs reported that this gift helps to satisfy 3 of their most simple needs, to enable WT with its pupils and team, to help animals, and to help the location that has arrive to imply so a great deal to them.