More than 90 from College Honored at Ninth Annual Awards Program

For the ninth year, College of Veterinary Medicine faculty and staff gathered to pay tribute to the service and contributions of their peers. The awards program, held October 12 at the Illinois Terminal Building in Champaign, recognized more than 90 individuals. Dr. Susan Ferraro (Ross '88), owner of the Lincoln Park Dog & Cat Clinic and president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association, served as master of ceremonies.

College Awards
A $1,000 cash prize and a College certificate went to the winners of the Shirley A. Seets Staff Excellence Award; the Dr. Robert and Lucy Graham Award; the Teaching, Research, Service, Resident Teaching, and Academic Professional Excellence Awards; and the Dr. Gordon and Mrs. Helen Kruger All-Round Excellence Award. Runners-up received a certificate of recognition and a gift from the College.

Dr. David Sisson, professor of cardiovascular medicine in veterinary clinical medicine, received the Kruger award signifying excellence in the College's three-fold mission of teaching, research, and service. Dr. Larry Firkins, veterinary pathobiology and veterinary administration, was a finalist in this category.

The service award for outstanding committee work, clinical service, and continuing education went to Dr. Barbara Kitchell, associate professor of oncology and director of the University of Illinois Cancer Care Clinic. Individuals can be nominated for this award by their department or, as in the case of Dr. Kitchell, who was nominated by the Eastern Illinois Veterinary Medical Association, by one of the regional VMAs. Dr. Ann Johnson, veterinary clinical medicine, Dr. Joanne Messick, veterinary pathobiology, and Dr. Allan Paul, veterinary administration/veterinary pathobiology, were finalists.

Dr. Susan Schantz, chief of the College's Pharmacology/Toxicology Division, chair of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Toxicology Program, and associate professor of toxicology in veterinary biosciences, won the research award. The award was given in recognition of the quality and quantity of publications, research awards, and outside recognition of her work. Also nominated was Dr. Jianyong Li, veterinary pathobiology.

Third- and fourth-year veterinary students selected Dr. Sheila McCullough, clinical assistant professor of veterinary clinical medicine, as winner of the Teaching Excellence Award for presenting material with enthusiasm, dedication, clarity, and creativity and for integrating subject concepts into the framework of the curriculum.

The Award to recognize teaching excellence by a resident, intern, or graduate student in training at the College for an AVMA-recognized specialty board went to Dr. Barret Bulmer. Candidates are nominated by a faculty member and voted on by the College's second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. Dr. Linda Berent, veterinary pathobiology, was a nominee.

Steve Fay, veterinary pathobiology, won the excellence award for academic professionals in recognition of outstanding performance and professional excellence at the College. Laura Curtis, veterinary clinical medicine, was also nominated.

The Graham award went to Kate Nofftz, veterinary administration. Awarded annually since 1957, this honor goes to a staff employee who has made outstanding contributions to the College. Also nominated were Shari Poruba, veterinary clinical medicine; Kathy Reinhart, veterinary pathobiology; and Linda Swett, veterinary biosciences.

The Seets award for staff excellence, created in honor of the business manager who retired in 1997 after 34 years at the College, went to Nancy George, veterinary clinical medicine, and Linda Rohl, veterinary pathobiology. The runners-up were Marie Childress and Joan Thompson, both from veterinary biosciences.

 

 

Additional Presentations
Dr. Jennifer Johnson-Ward, veterinary pathobiology graduate student, won the $2,000 Dr. Paul B. Doby Award for outstanding infectious disease research applicable to the livestock industry. Dr. Doby, who had served as chief of the Division of Meat, Poultry, and Livestock Inspection in the Illinois Department of Agriculture under five Illinois governors, died this past February.

Members of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association who graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in the past two years selected Dr. Sheila McCullough for the associationÕs Outstanding Instructor Award. It consists of a $1,500 grant to purchase equipment or materials for the award winner's field of choice.

 

Dr. Vishwanathan Srinivasan received the Diego and Mariangela Segre Fellowship, which is awarded to an outstanding graduate student in veterinary pathobiology on the basis of demonstrated excellence in academic studies and research activities. Sponsored by the Diego and Mariangela Segre Endowment, the award carried a $1,500 honorarium. Peter Rohloff was also nominated.

Dr. Paul Cooke, veterinary biosciences, was the recipient of the Pfizer Animal Health Award for Research Excellence, which is presented to a faculty member for research that shows promise of attaining or that has attained national recognition. He received a $1,000 check and a plaque. Dr. Nicole Ehrhart and Dr. Thomas Goetz, veterinary clinical medicine, and Dr. Lois Hoyer, veterinary pathobiology, were finalists.

The Dr. Norman and Mrs. Helen Levine Award recognizes research productivity and excellence among young faculty at the College. This year's winner was Dr. Lois Hoyer. She received a $500 check and a certificate. Dr. Rhian Cope, veterinary biosciences, was nominated.

 

Mitchell Ho, veterinary pathobiology, received the Dr. Joseph O. Alberts Award. Created in memory of a former head of the veterinary pathobiology department, this award, consisting of a certificate and $100 check, is presented to an outstanding graduate student on the basis of faculty nominations, an outstanding record, and a research paper.

Dr. Carla Morrow, veterinary biosciences, was the recipient of the Boley Award, established in honor of Dr. Loyd E. Boley, former head of the clinics and dean for students. The award is presented to an outstanding resident studying an AVMA-recognized specialty in the College. The winner receives a certificate and a check for $100.

 

Recognition of Service
Faculty, academic professionals, and staff members who marked anniversaries of service between July 2000 and June 2001 received a custom-designed gold pin featuring the College's logo. At 10 years of service and multiples of five years thereafter, a 2.0-mm diamond is added to the pin. College service awardees are designated CVM below. University of Illinois Service Awards, designated UI below, were also presented at the banquet.

Veterinary Administration (Admin.)

5 Years	Jessica Bengston (UI)
	Larry Firkins (CVM)
	Linda Jackson (CVM)
	Dan Lewart (CVM)
10 Years	Kerry Helms (UI & CVM)
	Herbert Whiteley (CVM)
15 Years	Beth Erwin (UI & CVM)
	Judy Mewes (UI & CVM)
	Kate Nofftz (CVM)
20 Years	Dee Bergman (UI & CVM) )
	Kevin Grice (CVM)
	Allan Paul (CVM)
30 Years	Terry Rathgeber (CVM)

Veterinary Biosciences (VB)

5 Years	Alice C. Bunick (CVM)
	Jeri A. Cochran (UI)
	Susan L. Schantz (CVM)
	Petra A. Volmer (CVM)
15 Years	Jo Ann C. Eurell (CVM)
	Thomas E. Eurell (CVM)
	Rex A. Hess (CVM)
	Sharon H. Meachum (CVM)
	Patrick A. Porter (CVM)
	David J. Schaeffer (CVM)
	Michael E. Tumbleson (CVM)
25 Years	Kenneth R. Holmes (CVM
35 Years	Walter C. Crackel (CVM)

Veterinary Clinical Medicine (VCM)

5 Years	Jim Akers (UI)
	Peter Bahnson (CVM)
	Deneen Cordell (UI & CVM)
	Nicole Ehrhart (CVM)
	Dorothy Kinard (UI)
	Tina Lamb (CVM)
	Boris Odintsov (CVM)
	Linda Otis (UI)
	Melinda Smith (UI & CVM)
	Kelly Stevenson (UI & CVM)
10 Years	Steve Haines (UI & CVM)
	Julie Hedrick (UI & CVM)
	Dawn E. Morin (CVM)
	Cliff Shipley (CVM)
	Tom Wakefield (CVM)
15 Years	Jean Fisher (UI & CVM)
	David Sisson (CVM)
	Gary Spaulding (UI & CVM)
20 Years	Gordon Baker (CVM)
	Kathleen Ellis (UI)
	Kelley Graves-Millsap (UI & CVM)
	Ann Johnson (CVM)
25 Years	James Kobel (UI & CVM)
	Randall Ott (CVM)
	David Roth (UI & CVM)
	Rebecca Strater (UI & CVM)
35 Years	Peggy Wyatt (UI & CVM)

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL)

5 Years	John Andrews (CVM)
	Melanie Cox (UI & CVM)
	E.J. Ehrhart (CVM)
	Amy Stevenson (CVM)

Veterinary Pathobiology (VP)

5 Years	Lois Hoyer (CVM)
	Jianyong Li (CVM)
	Linda Rohl (CVM)
10 Years	William Hanafin (CVM)
	Tish Lehigh (UI)
15 Years	Gail Scherba (CVM)
20 Years	Elizabeth Greeley (CVM)
	Edwin Hahn (CVM)

Retirees Honored
Joyce Amacher, Admin., 31 years
Dave Arnold, Admin., 19 years
Gary Bidner, VCM, 28 years
Dr. Tom Burke, VCM, 31 years
Dr. Wally Hoffman, VP, 29 years
John Hoffman, VDL, 31 years
Dr. Kenneth Holmes, VB, 25 years
Dr. John Losonsky, VCM, 16 years
Dr. Alan Parker, VCM, 28 years

The awards and ceremony are partially funded by donations to the College.