College of Veterinary Medicine names education center in honor of Dr. Timothy R. Boosinger

Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine celebrated the official naming of the Timothy R. Boosinger Veterinary Education Center on Friday, July 31, honoring the former dean and provost’s profound impact on the college.

The state-of-the-art facility opened in 2014 and serves as the central hub for veterinary students. It includes 55,744 square feet of classroom, study and collaborative space designed to enhance the student experience.

The facility naming honors Boosinger’s legacy of investment and renewal that continues to provide Auburn Vet Med students, faculty and staff with the facilities and equipment needed to prepare generations of Auburn veterinarians for successful careers.

“Much of this institution’s success can be traced to the principal leadership, vision and courage of this exceptional Auburn leader,” said Dean Calvin Johnson. “The Timothy R. Boosinger Education Center is a fitting tribute to Tim’s bold vision and leadership and to Tim and Marcia’s philanthropy both within the College of Veterinary Medicine and across Auburn University.”

Boosinger, who passed away in January 2025, championed several capital projects as part of a large-scale renewal of the veterinary campus. During his tenure as dean from 1995 to 2011, the college’s footprint doubled, including $125 million and 325,000 square feet in new construction. Along with the Veterinary Education Center, results included the John Thomas Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital and the Wilford and Kate Bailey Small Animal Teaching Hospital.

CVM Professor and Associate Dean Emerita Donna Angarano recalled the many times she and Boosinger, her close colleague and friend, cast a vision for the future of the CVM over Diet Cokes and M&Ms.

“I don’t know how many evenings we met on the way to our cars in the circle driveway and… discussed the possibility and dream of classrooms with movable, comfortable chairs and roomy tabletop desks,” Angarano remembered. “All of this was happening while we were also looking at the possibility of a new small animal teaching hospital. I’m so proud of him. It would have been much easier to take on the challenge of pursuing either a new educational building or a new small animal hospital. He chose to pursue both.”

Third-year DVM student Spencer Madore said the veterinary education center paired with an advanced teaching hospital provides he and his classmates with the tools needed to hone real-world veterinary skills.

“I joke with people all the time that if they let me bring a refrigerator and a grill up here, I’d probably never leave,” Madore said. “This space has provided me and countless other students with resources, opportunity and a community to advance our education, and we could not be more grateful.”

Boosinger’s impact reached far beyond facilities. During his time as dean, the college’s annual budget nearly doubled from $24 million to $43 million, research expenditures increased from $2.8 million to $10.2 million annually and private giving surpassed $39 million. His strong leadership skills were renowned among peer institutions and provided the college with stability and guidance during times of transition and marked growth.

“By naming this facility the Timothy R. Boosinger Veterinary Education Center, Auburn recognizes a leader whose influence can be seen not only in the buildings and programs he helped shape, but also in the people that he mentored, the students that he served and the standard of excellence that he helped to establish,” said Auburn University President Christopher Roberts. “His leadership reflected a deep belief in the power of veterinary medicine to serve animals but to also strengthen communities and improve lives. This center represents that same belief.” 

Boosinger was a national leader in his field, serving as president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and as a member of the AVMA Council on Education, the accrediting body for veterinary colleges. As a faculty member, he served as a board-certified anatomic pathologist and was internationally recognized as an expert in bone and joint pathology and in foodborne bacteria causing illness in humans.

“Generosity can take many forms, and, as many of you know, giving of himself to others was built into Tim Boosinger’s personality,” said Auburn University Associate Dean and Librarian Emerita Marcia Boosinger, his wife of 54 years. “Possibly most important of all, Tim was a generous mentor to countless members of the Auburn University community, feeling that his time was well spent paying forward what his predecessors, such as Dean Tom Vaughan, had given him in the way of guidance and advice as he progressed in his career.”

Before coming to Auburn, Boosinger served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He began his career at Auburn as a CVM faculty member and served as associate dean before leading the college. He went on to serve as Auburn University’s provost and chief academic officer of Auburn University from 2011 to 2018.

“Auburn University has given so much to our family since we came in 1983 — and we are all incredibly grateful for everything we have received — but nothing would have been closer to Tim’s heart than today’s naming in recognition of all of his hard work and dedication,” Marcia Boosinger said.

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