Generous gift supports renovations to UC Blue Ash Veterinary Technology Building
The grant from the L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation will help pay for renovations to the Veterinary Technology Building. Photo/UC Blue Ash.
A longstanding relationship between Greenacres Farm in Indian Hill and the Veterinary Technology Program at UC Blue Ash College has led to a generous gift that will support a major renovation project.
The L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation, which owns Greenacres Farm, recently awarded a $300,000 grant to UC Blue Ash and the Veterinary Technology Department. The majority of the funding will go toward much-needed renovations to the Veterinary Technology Building, with a portion also going toward the purchase of vaccines and supplies the vet tech program uses to care for approximately 250 animals at the farm, including horses and cattle.
“We are grateful for this generous grant and ongoing support from the L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation. It reflects the strong community ties and reputation for producing excellent graduates that our Veterinary Technology Program has developed over the past 50-plus years,” said UC Blue Ash College Dean Robin Lightner, PhD.
The program’s presence in the community includes working with local animal shelters and farms like Greenacres where it has a 13-year partnership that brings vet tech students to the site a few times each semester as part of their training and education.
Veterinary Technology students visit Greenacres Farm a few times each semester to get hands-on training providing vaccines and preventative care to large animals.
“This valued partnership provides our students with hands-on access to large animals while enabling them to deliver important veterinary care,” said Jennifer Wells, DVM, chair of the UC Blue Ash Veterinary Department. “The increased support toward funding the Veterinary Technology Building renovation is a significant benefit and will allow our program to enhance student learning spaces and office areas.”
The L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation has a history of supporting the Veterinary Technology Program at UC Blue Ash through funding for vaccines and supplies, as well as scholarships for vet tech students. This gift is the largest to date in the partnership between the foundation and the program.
The Veterinary Technology Building is one of six academic buildings on the UC Blue Ash campus. It opened in 2005 and includes a large laboratory, surgery room, a classroom and offices for faculty and staff. To help meet accreditation requirements, the building needs to be renovated to create an exam/intake room; provide more student support spaces (including a student lounge) and reconfigure some of the existing offices. The renovation work will start this spring and should be completed later this summer.
The UC Blue Ash Veterinary Technology Program was founded in 1969 to prepare students to earn their associate degree and become licensed veterinary technicians. Vet techs develop a variety of skills that include drug administration, nursing, surgical preparation and radiography. They assist veterinarians in animal hospitals, medical centers and industry.
Through the years, the program has developed a reputation for excellence by providing a rigorous education through classroom, lab and clinical experiences that prepare graduates for a successful career. The program is also critical in meeting the ongoing need for veterinary technicians throughout the Greater Cincinnati area.
Featured photo: Students from the UC Blue Ash Veterinary Technology program taking a group photo during a past visit to Greenacres Farm. Photo/UC Blue Ash.
About UC Blue Ash College
UC Blue Ash College is a regional college of the University of Cincinnati. It combines the resources and academic excellence of UC with low tuition, personal attention and a welcoming campus community that is nationally recognized for advancing student success. The college is located on a scenic 135-acre wooded campus in the heart of Blue Ash, Ohio. To learn more, visit us online, call 513-558-9495, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X and Instagram.
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