2001 Fall Conference Makes Room for More Learning

The 2001Annual Fall Conference, held October 4 and 5, squeezed in an extra half-hour of cutting-edge continuing education, which featured 45 speakers from the College and from across the country.

“We're improving the program every year,” says conference coordinator Dr. Christine Merle. “We introduced tracking within the small animal program, which helped attendees focus on an area of interest.” More than 270 veterinarians took part in the conference.

Instead of being held during the lunch break on Thursday, this year the annual meeting of the College alumni association was moved to the more prestigious setting of the evening banquet, a move that also allowed more time for C.E. programming during the day. Dr. J.B. Bruederle ('91), Alumni Association president, called the meeting to order and announced the alumni award winners.

The Alumni Merit Award went to Dr. Earl E. Lutz ('52) in recognition of accomplishments in practice, contributions to the progress of veterinary medicine, and good citizenship and community service. After helping to convince the Illinois state legislature to fund the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Lutz became a member of the first class to graduate from the College. He worked for Pitman-Moore Drug Company (now part of Johnson & Johnson) as a veterinary consultant, helped to found bovine and swine practice associations, and was an active volunteer in the Champaign-Urbana community. He and his son Wayne ('64), the first father/son pair to earn Illinois DVM degrees, recently established the Lutz Family Endowment to support activities of the food animal section at the College.

Dr. Ajaz A. Alvi ('72 Pakistan) received the Service Award in recognition of meritorious service to the veterinary profession. Dr. Alvi came to the United States in 1974 and has owned the Alvi Veterinary Hospital in Summitt, Ill., since 1982. He is active in the American, Illinois State, and Chicago veterinary medical associations and has served as the executive secretary of the Illinois Academy of Veterinary Medicine for more than a decade. Currently, Dr. Alvi chairs the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, Licensing, and Disciplinary Committee.

Dr. Kurt Schrader ('77) received the Special Service Award for outstanding service to the College and the veterinary profession. Dr. Schrader owns and manages the Clackamas County Veterinary Clinics and also farms and raises livestock. He recently completed his third term as State Representative, District 23, for the state of Oregon. In that capacity he recently championed legislation that will bring the full four years of Oregon State University's veterinary degree program to the Corvallis campus, rather than have students do clinical training elsewhere. He was unable to attend the meeting.

At the end of the meeting Dr. Eric Neumann ('92) took office as the 2001-02 president of the Alumni Association.

Next, third-year student Nicolas Rippel and second-year student Rebecca Swearingen received $1,000 scholarships from the Auxiliary of the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association. The scholarships, which are funded by auction proceeds and donations, are awarded on the basis of a written application, financial need, and extracurricular activities. Silent and live auctions and a 50/50 raffle during the banquet raised more than $10,000 for the scholarship fund.

Scholarship winners Nicolas Rippel and Rebecca Swearingen, second and third from left, pose with ISVMA Auxiliary president Patty Herath (left) and auction co-chairs Linda Stevenson and Kay Armbruster.

The dates for next year's Fall Conference are October 10 and 11. Rooms have been blocked at the following hotels:

Chancellor Hotel . . . . . . . . 800/257-6667 $59 for single, $69 for double

Eastland Suites . . . . . . . 217/367-8331 $60 for single, $70 for double

Hawthorn Suites . . . . . . 217/398-3400 $65 for single or double

Holiday Inn . . . . . . . . . . 217/328-7900 $69.50 for single, $79.50 for double

Jumer's Castle Lodge . . 800/285-8637 $54 for single, $63 for double (Block number 221864)

Microtel Inn . . . . . . . . . 217/398-4136 $30 for single or double (block 26159; Friday rate, $70)

Super 8 Motel . . . . . . . . 217/384-8000 $53.10 for single, $63.10 for double