Donation from Dale and Pat Hatfield to expand academic offerings and providing new resources in Equine-Assisted Services
Dr. Jeremy Moreland, President of William Woods University (WWU), today announced the receipt of a $500,000 donation to the University to fund academic and additional resources for the WWU Equine Assisted Services Program. The gift is courtesy of Dale and Pat Hatfield of Longmont, Colorado, longtime advocates of equine-assisted therapy through their support of riders, therapists, facilities and horses in the industry.
“Just a few days after we marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of our landmark four-year degree in Equestrian Science, we are thrilled to announce this amazing gift from Dale and Pat Hatfield to further benefit our elite EQS program,” said Dr. Jeremy Moreland, President of William Woods University. “Equine-Assisted Services is a powerful tool that allows individuals with physical, cognitive, behavioral or emotional challenges to find strength, healing and independence, and this incredibly generous support will enable us to train future professionals in this critical industry.”
“My wife Pat and I are grateful to our long-time friend, (current WWU Trustee) Bryan Tramont, for first introducing us to WWU and for arranging for a subsequent visit to the beautiful WWU campus in Missouri, where we were not only able to interact with students but where Pat was also able to spend quality time with the faculty and staff,” said Dale Hatfield. “We were both elated to be able to provide support for Equestrian Science, Equine-Assisted Services and related programs at the university.”
The $500,000 gift will provide direct program support for the Pat Hatfield Equine-Assisted Services Program at William Woods, which will include expanding the current Equine-Assisted Services concentration into an academic minor for the 2024-2025 academic year. It will also be used towards providing added resources for retraining horses for EAS work. The new program will also include a new endowment fund for “Pat Hatfield Scholars,” which will provide financial support for 1-2 stipends per year to support meritorious WWU EAS students during their industry-required internship at EAS providers.
“At William Woods, we are always committed to constant improvement, including striving to make our already outstanding academic programs even better,” continued President Moreland. “The Pat Hatfield Equine-Assisted Services Program will allow us to take our nationally-renowned EQS program to even greater heights.”
For more information about our nationally ranked equestrian program, click here.
