Robert and Kay Ritchie have a vision: a steady stream of veterinary students in residency positions studying equine medicine at Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine (MSU CVM). When their residency training is through, these promising young scholars decide to stay at CVM or to return after practicing in the field. They share their knowledge with new students, and encourage former colleagues to return to CVM, thereby establishing a tradition of excellence.

Their vision is becoming reality from their recent establishment of the Equine Medicine Residency Endowment, which supports an equine medicine residency position in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at CVM. The Ritchies have stipulated that this endowment be enlarged in the future to support several “Equine Clinical Scholars,” who will make special contributions to equine health and well-being through their clinical work, teaching, and the generation of new knowledge.

“We really hope we can fund more and more people a year coming out of the system that, quite honestly, will stay in the academic professional arena,” said Robert Ritchie. “Like Dean (Christopher) Brown and others in academia, who share their knowledge with others. This endowment really is meant to help the world understand that there is a very quality resource available at Michigan State that can do things for large and small animals. And I think the vet school and equine medicine can lead the way.”

No strangers at MSU, the Ritchies have been generous benefactors for years