Prepared to be a Dean

Dr. Laura Molgaard ('91)
Laura Molgaard didn’t aspire to be a dean of a veterinary college. But she didn’t shy away from the opportunity when asked. Since 2019 Molgaard has served as the interim dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Minnesota. This comes after almost two decades as that college’s associate dean for academic and student affairs where her efforts with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges have had a significant impact on education in the veterinary profession. That background has helped prepare her for her new role. “Being an associate dean is surprisingly good training to be a dean,” Molgaard said, “especially when it comes time to interact with our stakeholders. The first thing they ask about is classroom instruction and our students. My background in those areas made it easy for me to have those conversations.”