A life’s purpose caring for animals
For as long as Emily Spalding Byers can remember, she’s been passionate about caring for animals. Byers grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, and her parents raised her and her two older brothers with multiple golden retrievers. “I always wanted to take care of our dogs,” she said. “If they got a little cut or something, I’d be the one who would bandage up their paw.”
When she was in high school, Byers’ oldest brother started what would become a sibling trend of attending Colorado State University. He eventually graduated with a degree in construction management. The second oldest followed him to Fort Collins, studying business for a couple of years at CSU before moving on. As a teenager, Byers made regular trips to visit her brothers and developed a fondness for the campus. Those trips were part of what led her to spend a summer working at CSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, and, a few years later, to attend CSU to pursue a master’s degree in animal sciences in 2005.
Now, the Spalding family — Byers and her brothers Jeff Spalding (B.S. ’98) and Brian Spalding and her parents Dave and Elizabeth Spalding — has donated to CSU to support multiple programs and projects, including the University’s new state-of-the-art Veterinary Hospital and Education Complex, or VHEC. (The gift will also support student recruitment for construction management programs, the CM Cares service-learning program, and student competition teams; as well as CSU Extension internships in ecological restoration, bee conservation, and animal care.)
“Animals have always been part of my life,” Byers said. “And my parents instilled in us the value of being involved and giving back to communities; when I heard about the new Veterinary Hospital and Education Complex, I knew it was something I wanted to support.”
The cornerstone of the VHEC project is a new 213,000-square-foot facility on the University’s South Campus, now in the final stages of construction. The building, in concert with existing facilities, will enable CSU to revolutionize the way it teaches veterinary medicine and address critical challenges facing the profession.
“The Veterinary Hospital and Education Complex is more than a construction project. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the future of veterinary medicine at CSU,” said Sarah Schmidt, assistant vice president for advancement in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “Gifts like the one from Emily and her family are a powerful reminder of the personal connections that inspire this kind of support. Every contribution brings us closer to a facility that will set the standard for world-class veterinary care for generations to come.”
After graduating from CSU with her master’s degree, Byers moved back to Durango, Colorado, where she studied biology as an undergraduate at Fort Lewis College. She spent the next several years working in veterinary medicine at a local clinic, first as an exam room technician and later as a hospital manager. During that time, Byers saw firsthand how high-quality veterinary care can benefit animals and their owners. She’s excited to see how the VHEC project will help CSU train the next generation of highly skilled veterinarians.
“It’s my life’s purpose to help animals,” said Byers, who now has two rescue dogs in the family, Rubi and Osa. “I love their big hearts and their companionship and their vulnerability. That can bring a certain vulnerability out in people as well, and we tried to be very personal and compassionate in how we dealt with clients at our clinic.”
After spending more than a decade in veterinary medicine, life took Byers back to Chicago, where she began to contemplate a career change. She and her husband eventually returned to Durango, and she started working at an environmental consulting firm. Since 2015, she has been an environmental protection specialist with the Colorado Department of Transportation. Even as she shifted professions, she couldn’t help finding her way back to caring for animals.
In her role at CDOT, she is closely involved with implementing the crossing structures that help wildlife move safely across highways. “It’s amazing; these structures are over 90% effective,” she said. “I feel like my work is really making a difference, specifically with keeping wildlife healthy.”
Throughout the years, Byers and the rest of the Spalding family have maintained a connection to CSU and campus in Fort Collins. Each fall, they all meet in town for a football game. “We’re always keeping up on what’s going on with the school and the town,” she said. “It’s always a fun family reunion. I’m proud to be a CSU Ram.”
Author: Christopher Outcalt
Source: www.giving.colostate.edu
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