The American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) recognized three alumni and five students from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at its 57th annual meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. All received awards for their contributions to the swine industry.
Meritorious Service Award
Dr. Clayton Johnson, Class of 2008, earned the Meritorious Service Award for providing outstanding service to the AASV. His efforts included leading the AASV Early-Career Swine Veterinarian Development Program from 2022 to 2025, which allocated mentorship, communication, and leadership training for early-career practitioners. He also delivered the 2025 Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture.
Dr. Johnson also served on several AASV committees, including chairing the Student Recruitment Committee and the Pharmaceutical and Biologics Committee. Most recently, he was elected as the 2026 AASV vice-president.
“To be recognized as having contributed to the development of others is the highest compliment I’ve ever received,” Dr. Johnson said of the Meritorious Service Award.
“The American Association of Swine Veterinarians has given so much to me personally. It’s always been my goal to give back as much as has been given to me, and I take this award as a token of gratitude that I’m at least making strides in that direction.”
Dr. Johnson’s career has focused on the front lines of domestic, foreign, and emerging diseases while balancing mentorship and education. He was a recipient of the Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award for excellence in integrating scientific rigor into swine health management.
As the director of veterinary services at Carthage Veterinary Service, LTD, in Carthage, Illinois, Dr. Johnson leads a team of veterinary professionals. He also hosts “The Swine Health Blackbelt Podcast,” a weekly podcast reaching a global audience of over 100,000 listeners.
Heritage Award
Dr. Joseph Connor, Class of 1976, became the seventh recipient of the Heritage Award. This selective award to acknowledges individuals with outstanding achievements in swine veterinary medicine. Eligibility criteria include AASV membership and service to the AASV and the North American swine industry.
Dr. Connor, an AASV member for decades, served as the association’s president in 1988. He is now a member of the Transboundary and Emerging Diseases Committee.
“Our colleague, the late Dr. KT Wright, informed me in my first year in practice that to be a swine veterinarian, you had to be an active member of AASV,” Dr. Connor said of his AASV involvement. “His guidance was fortuitous as AASV has evolved into a diverse organization leading the industry transformation by incorporating programs that support both our profession and our industry.”
Other honors that Dr. Connor has received include the AASV Swine Practitioner of the Year (1995), the Allen D. Leman Science in Practice Award (2004), and the Howard Dunne Memorial Award (2023).
Dr. Connor earned bachelor’s and DVM degrees from the University of Illinois. He later founded Carthage Veterinary Service, LTD. He has contributed as a featured speaker and author of peer-reviewed journal articles, abstracts, educational manuals, and book chapters.
Past annual AASV meetings have had Dr. Connor deliver the Alex Hogg Memorial Lecture and the Howard Dunne Memorial Lecture as well.
“It is exciting to see (AASV) adapt and be involved in multiple segments of the industry,” Dr. Connor said. “The strength of the organization is our members. It is a privilege to be a member.”
Hogg Scholarship
Dr. Sara Pearson, Class of 2018, was one of two recipients honored with the Hogg Scholarship, which is given to an AASV member who has been accepted into a qualified graduate program after years of being a swine practitioner. Former scholarship recipients reviewed the 2026 applications.
Dr. Pearson is the assistant director of the Animal Care Program for Agricultural Animals at the University of Illinois and the primary veterinarian for the university’s swine farms. She is pursuing an online One Health master’s degree at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to better address challenges in swine medicine.
Student Recipients
Benjamin Rogers, Class of 2028, was one of five Illinois veterinary students to receive the AASV Foundation/Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship of $10,000.
Out of 15 veterinary students who participated in the AASV Student Seminar, Jacqueline Springer, Class of 2028, earned a $2,500 Student Oral Presentation Scholarship. Sean Dullard, Class of 2028, and Lila Minnick, Class of 2027, were also student oral presenters, and each received a $500 scholarship.
There was also an opportunity for 15 veterinary students to participate in the Veterinary Student Poster Competition. Emma Coursey, Class of 2028, received a $200 scholarship.
By Chloe Barbarise
