Just as the School of Veterinary Medicine’s annual open house will showcase the school’s latest technologies, it will also be a chance to display its most prized patient, Mike VI, for the first time.The School of Veterinary Medicine will hold its 27th annual open house Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Veterinary Medicine Building. The event is open to the public and admission is free. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the various features and events. Some of the features at the open house include a petting zoo, a “parade of breeds” showcasing adoptable pets from local shelters, a cancer treatment unit, a raptor rehab unit that cares for wild birds of prey and an equine treadmill.This year’s theme is “Where’s Mike?,” which stands as a metaphor for the ever-present spirit of the University and the prevalent role that veterinarians play in the community.”The spirit of Mike just stays with you,” Lauren Orvin, third-year vet student and student event co-chair, said.Just as Mike defines the spirit of the University, the Vet School wants to show a spirit of community that defines their profession. “[Veterinarians] impact so many areas of our life that many people aren’t even aware of,” Gretchen Morgan, Public Programs Coordinator, said.The open house will raise public awareness of veterinary medicine, draw attention to issues concerning animals and showcase the recent developments and technologies of the field. Perhaps the most prominent feature will be the vet school’s new mobile diagnostic and treatment unit, which enables vet students to study in rural areas and serve outlying communities. One of the most popular features with children is the teddy bear repair center, where vet students operate on and repair stuffed animals. Mike VI will be in front of the Veterinary Medicine Building from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Erin Daniels, third-year vet student and student event co-chair, said the event also serves to maintain ties with alumni and to attract vet students from the University as potential employees. She said she partly based her decision to attend vet school on her experience at a previous open house.”I had been to the open house before I was a vet student,” she said. “I was really amazed by everything the vet school did,” David Senior, Vet School Associate Dean for Institutional Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, said that the open house provides more than just family entertainment.”It’s a wonderful educational experience for people and families really enjoy it,” he said. “It helps people connect with animals.” Morgan said donations from animal food and pharmaceutical companies provide most of the funding for the event.”The overall purpose of the open house is to let people see what we do every day,” Orvin said. “It actually brings people in the community into our educational environment.” —-Contact Matthew Barnidge at [email protected]