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Officials and dignitaries celebrated a milestone Monday morning by grabbing a Sharpie to sign the final beam that will be put in place to finish the frame of New Jersey’s first veterinary school.

On Rowan University’s West Campus in Gloucester County sits the framing of what will be the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine. In less than a year, the first class of veterinary students will begin their coursework, which will involve hands-on experience from day one, according to the school’s founding dean, Dr. Matthew Edson.

“That’s what we all want to do when we come to vet school, and then we’re in a lot of books,” he said. “The books are important, but we want them to have those hands-on skills to go out into the world and make a difference from the day that they start.”

NJ.com’s food festival, Jersey Eats: A Taste of New Jersey is hitting the Meadowlands for the first time and we are looking for the best food vendors in the state!

The event will be held at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Jersey Eats is more than just a food festival. It’s a platform that bridges local businesses with foodies all over the state, showcasing what makes each business unique.

At our past events, vendors connected with more than 3,000 new customers and have since helped increase sales.

Here is what past vendors have said about how Jersey Eats helped their business:

“Jersey Eats provided us with a fantastic platform to showcase our hotdog stand at the event in Trenton, N.J. It was heartwarming to see customers sharing hotdogs with each other just to explore the diverse range of food offered by fellow vendors. This not only boosted our sales but also created a sense of camaraderie among the vendors. Moreover, participating in Jersey Eats allowed us to forge valuable connections within the food industry. We were pleasantly surprised when we received invitations to other events from individuals we met at the festival. This not only expanded our network but also opened up opportunities for future collaborations,” said Anthony Gomez of Anthony the Weenie Genie, a hot dog vendor in South Jersey.

“I signed up (for) the Jersey Eats Trenton back in March, where it (was) the first time I ever vended at a market with a large attendance. It was absolutely amazing! I sold out both days being the best weekend I ever had in sales (to date) but I also gained the confidence to do other big events and continue on this new journey as a small business owner,” said Madelyn Colon of Maggie’s Munchies, a dessert vendor based in North and Central Jersey.

Vendors will also get to benefit from digital exposure on NJ.com – reaching even more foodies online, event email campaigns, promotions in our newsletter, social media promotion and visibility in our exclusive Facebook group with over 8,000 New Jersey food lovers.

If you want all of this, apply to be a vendor at Jersey Eats!

Be part of New Jersey’s premier culinary experience and be one of our 75-plus vendors to show off what you have to offer! Apply to be a vendor now. Applications will be accepted until Oct. 4.

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Lauren Musni may be reached at lmusni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Laurengmusni and on Instagram. Find NJ.com on Facebook.