The University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine

Omega Tau Sigma

OTS Crest

Eta Chapter, Founded in 1948

Mission

We are a student veterinary fraternal organization promoting veterinary medicine through service and community. Eta Chapter is located at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine.

Our purpose is to:

encourage and foster the development of well-rounded ethical veterinarians and, through them, to create a better profession on the basis of friendship, cooperation, and respect of our peers.
impart to our members a desire to serve faithfully and zealously the varied needs of the animals kingdom.
instill a recognition of the rewards and importance of community service.
inspire our members with the awareness that the knowledge of a job well done and the regard of clientele and colleagues far surpass financial gain.
give aspiring young veterinarians a chance to survey analytically the veterinary profession so that they can be sure that their best talents will be used as veterinarians.
instill the principles of honesty, morality, resourcefulness, and compassion in all its members; and to give these new veterinarians a chance to learn the much-valued trait of working with a group for the mutual benefit of all.

Service activities

The first Saturday of every month OTS members volunteer for the Athens Area Humane Society Rabies Clinic at Pet Supplies Plus in the Kroger shopping center on the corner of Baxter and Alps. The clinic provides low cost rabies vaccination, nail trims and flea and tick preventative application for the community. Proceeds go to the Athens Area Humane Society.
Each year on Halloween, our members get dressed up and canvas the community asking people to donate canned goods. We collect hundreds of cans and these are donated to the Athens Food Bank.
Our chicken BBQ is an annual springtime event (usually April) that is highly anticipated by the community. We fire up the BBQ in back of the house, and our members cook up a storm of southern BBQ chicken with all the fixins. A portion of the proceeds this year is being donated to Sundown Surgery, an fund which helps to provide financial assistance to those who cannot afford expensive surgeries for their pets.
At Christmas, OTS participates in the Toys for Tots drive. We host a potluck dinner each year at the fraternity house and ask each person who attends to bring a gift. The drive is also open to those who may not be able to attend the dinner. We receive many gifts from the faculty and student body of the veterinary college.

History

Omega Tau Sigma was developed and organized by students in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1906. Its function was to provide a closer relationship outside of the classroom for those students at veterinary schools. Today there are fifteen chapter of OTS at veterinary schools in the United States and Canada.

The University of Georgia chapter (the Eta Chapter) was installed on October 18, 1948 with 24 members. This OTS chapter purchased their first fraternity house located on Milledge Ave. in 1950. The chapter relocated to Lumpkin Street and then again in 1985 to its current location at 205 Burnett Street, which is conveniently located a short walking distance from the College of Veterinary Medicine. This house provides a home for five OTS members and is the location for meetings, events and parties.

With the addition of the 2006 pledge class, the Eta chapter has grown to 65 members. The chapter is active with in the College of Veterinary Medicine, participating in college wide events such as Open House, and within the community, assisting the Humane Society and the local food bank. OTS also provides academic support to its members through group studies and access to textbooks and notes in the house study. And of course, OTS provides at place for relaxation after long grueling days.

The Eta chapter is continually growing and evolving, providing academic support, community involvement and social outlets to meet the needs of its members.

The content and opinions expressed on this Web page do not necessarily reflect the views of nor are they endorsed by the University of Georgia or the University System of Georgia.

This page was last updated on March 9, 2009.