Moving from Texas to Wisconsin was no small decision for Jonathan Levine and his family, who called the Lone Star State home for 22 years. But Levine, who assumed the role of dean of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine on August 1, knew it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Along with his wife, Gwen (also a veterinarian who joined the SVM as a clinical associate professor in radiology), and their son, George – plus two beloved dachshunds and one handsome horse – the Levine family spent the summer of 2024 migrating north.
“What impressed me the most about the SVM, and continues to impress me, are the people and the community,” says Levine. “I’m thrilled and honored to be in a place that values collaboration, excellence, and mutual respect. It’s a community that understands the mission of higher education is training the next generation. And all this incredible work happens in the context of a research-intensive environment that blends innovation into the student experience.”
Prior to taking on this new role, Levine was head of small animal clinical sciences and a professor of neurology at Texas A&M University College of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. His research focuses on neurological diseases in dogs, especially those with relevance to human spinal cord injuries and central nervous system tumors. He has also served as the president of the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians.
As he settles in, Levine has been holding townhalls and walking around the School and the teaching hospital in between campus meetings and road trips – all in an effort to connect with as many people as possible at the SVM, the UW, and the state of Wisconsin.
“It’s been wonderful to connect with our faculty to hear more about their cases, teaching, and research accomplishments, and to talk with our staff, students and house officers about their interests and aspirations,” says Levine.
UW-Madison Provost Charles Isbell believes that Levine clearly understands the importance of not just the School of Veterinary Medicine, but also how the SVM fits into the university as a whole. “I find him to be a deeply thoughtful person and a very strategic thinker,” Isbell says. “In talking with him, you realize he fully understands and deeply cares about all of the Vet Med community.”
In addition to bringing his own vision to the school, Levine looks forward to building on the key achievements of his predecessor, Mark Markel, who stepped down at the end of July. (Markel will re-join the faculty as a professor of large animal surgery and will continue to co-direct the Comparative Orthopaedic Research Laboratory.)
While Markel’s leadership was pivotal in revising the SVM curriculum from a traditional one focused on lectures and didactic learning to an integrative competency-based model, advancing and implementing it successfully will be a priority for Levine.
“Obviously, students are the center of everything we do in higher education and something that makes this institution really special is how student-centered it is,” he says. “Ensuring ongoing success with our curricular revision is a very key piece for me. We’re at the point that the actual courses, laboratories and learning sessions have to be planned and teachers, educators, and staff have to be brought together. This is a critically important process and I’m excited to help lead it.”
Another priority as Levine begins his tenure is the ongoing phased opening of the school’s expansion and renovation building project. A majority of small animal hospital services opened there this past summer, along with state-of-the-art research lab spaces on the building’s second floor. Additional third floor research space is nearing completion and slated to open in 2025 along with a rooftop terrace, a common outdoor courtyard area linking SVM’s north and south buildings, and a large animal isolation wing and arena. Planned renovations to SVM South will continue into 2025 under Levine’s leadership, as well, modernizing and maximizing all facilities to ensure all students, faculty, staff, and researchers have access to the spaces, equipment, and technology to match the caliber of the work they do every day.
Levine is also passionate about helping to grow some of the SVM’s signature outreach programs such as the Dairyland initiative, the shelter medicine program, and WisCARES, a clinic that brings together social workers, veterinarians, nurses and pharmacists to deliver low-cost care to pets in underserved areas.
While Levine acknowledges that veterinary medicine and higher education currently face numerous challenges, he also believes this moment is one of extraordinary opportunity.
“There have never been more opportunities in veterinary medicine than there are today for people that are entering the profession,” he says. “There’s record demand for companion animal services, there are new opportunities in global One Health infectious disease research, and there is growing recognition of the importance of food safety. There’s digital technology that allows us to consult remotely on cases from pet rabbits to dairy cattle. I think the role and importance of veterinarians, veterinary staff, and researchers affiliated with veterinary schools is only going to continue to grow, and the SVM plays a key part in meeting that need.”
A staunch believer in the importance of open, honest and frequent communication, Levine also acknowledges the importance of caring for the mental health of veterinarians, the challenge of cultivating and supporting an inclusive and diverse community in an ever-evolving world, and recruiting and retaining the highest caliber faculty and staff. These are among the priorities that have served as a guide for navigating his first few months and will form the foundation of his leadership.
“We’ve got amazing students, faculty, staff, interns, and residents who are incredibly mission-driven,” he says. “They value excellence and teamwork, and community is core to who they are. And when you have great people and great community, amazing things happen.”
Christina Frank and Maggie Baum