Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 19 hours ago
As we gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving, we want to share our latest “Minute with Mark” video—and a heartfelt message of gratitude.
This 60-second tour featuring faculty, staff and students—and Walter the black Labrador—highlights some of the incredible new spaces that are elevating animal care, teaching, and discovery at UC Davis.
This season, we're especially thankful to everyone whose generosity made many of these facilities possible—and to everyone associated with the school who do incredible things here and across the world. With the launch of our Limitless campaign, we’re just getting started—even more essential facilities are on the way to power our people into the next era of compassion, innovation and potential.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Thank you for believing in our mission and for helping us create a healthier world for animals, people, and the planet!
P.S. Special thanks to staff member Amanda Dang, RVT for sharing Walter with us for the video. We spoiled him for his trouble, Amanda!
As we gather with friends and family this Thanksgiving, we want to share our latest “Minute with Mark” video—and a heartfelt message of gratitude.
This 60-second tour featuring faculty, staff and students—and Walter the black Labrador—highlights some of the incredible new spaces that are elevating animal care, teaching, and discovery at UC Davis.
This season, we're especially thankful to everyone whose generosity made many of these facilities possible—and to everyone associated with the school who do incredible things here and across the world. With the launch of our Limitless campaign, we’re just getting started—even more essential facilities are on the way to power our people into the next era of compassion, innovation and potential.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Thank you for believing in our mission and for helping us create a healthier world for animals, people, and the planet!
P.S. Special thanks to staff member Amanda Dang, RVT for sharing Walter with us for the video. We spoiled him for his trouble, Amanda!
![Mondays with Mark: November 2023 [Marine Health Edition]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w9Ce0PQ2eMA/mqdefault.jpg "Mondays with Mark: November 2023 [Marine Health Edition]
Do you think of the ocean when you think of veterinary medicine? Veterinarians play an important part in the health of marine mammals and ecosystems, which are connected to the health of our land and air and even humans ourselves. In this episode, we go from Washington State to Argentina to the coast of California to understand how the school is conserving marine life and helping us to create healthier marine environments.
I speak to Dr. Joe Gaydos, the leader of the SeaDoc Society (https://www.seadocsociety.org) in the Salish Sea, Dr. Marcela Uhart (https://ohi.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/people/marcela-uhart), the director of our Latin America Program, Dr. Lorraine Barbosa of our Oiled Wildlife Care Network (https://owcn.vetmed.ucdavis.edu), and Dr. Kirsten Gilardi, the head of our Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center (https://whc.vetmed.ucdavis.edu), who leads plastic cleanup off the California coast (https://whc.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/california-lost-fishing-gear-recovery-project).
As we enter the holiday season, these folks and all the people working alongside them give me hope for a healthier, brighter future.
Thanks for watching!
Articles in the episode:
The New York Times: Bird Flu Raced Through South America. Antarctica Could Be Next (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/science/birds-flu-antarctica.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-kw.elvD.ThCsoJMsTO &smid=url-share)
Science: Deadly avian flu reaches Galápagos Islands (https://www.science.org/content/article/deadly-avian-flu-reaches-galapagos-islands)
Folha de S.Paolo: Gripe Aviaria Percorreu America do Sul e Ameaca a Antartida (Portuguese) (https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ciencia/2023/09/gripe-aviaria-percorreu-america-do-sul-e-ameaca-a-antartida.shtml)
USA Today: Deadly pathogens can hitch a ride on ocean microplastics, raising alarm bells (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2022/04/28/uc-davis-researchers-pathogens-ocean-microplastics/9552226002/?gnt-cfr=1)
The Independent: Ocean microplastics are a hotbed for parasites, study finds (https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/microplastics-parasites-ocean-b2065302.html)
La Vanguardia: Los microplásticos pueden transportar parásitos terrestres al océano (Spanish) (https://www.lavanguardia.com/natural/20220427/8226746/microplasticos-transportan-patogenos-oceanos-contaminacion-riesgo-salud.html) Disclaimer: This video was produced before 2025 and may not meet current accessibility standards. These materials are not actively maintained. If you experience difficulty accessing this content or require it in an alternative format, please contact svmcommunications@ucdavis.edu")
![Mondays with Mark: January 2024 [Strategic Initiatives Edition]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yi1iD6J6qvs/mqdefault.jpg "Mondays with Mark: January 2024 [Strategic Initiatives Edition]
I’m pleased to announce that after approximately a year’s effort schoolwide, we are moving forward with four key strategic initiatives. After discussions with many constituents and leadership from our Academic Council and others, we’re advancing the school in these important areas:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Facilities
People First
Research
In this episode, I meet with the leaders of each initiative to get a peek into what we’re doing for each area, and how our actions will help position us for the future.
It’s exciting to launch these initiatives in a New Year. Please read this article (https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/news/strategic-initiatives-drive-school-forward) that provides more history and details to learn more.
To continue our leadership in veterinary medicine, we need to use our resources strategically and wisely. I thank everyone from the school community who helped inform these initiatives—you’re keeping us moving forward.
Happy New Year,
Mark Disclaimer: This video was produced before 2025 and may not meet current accessibility standards. These materials are not actively maintained. If you experience difficulty accessing this content or require it in an alternative format, please contact svmcommunications@ucdavis.edu")
