Alumni Awards & Nomination Forms

  • Dr. Erwin Small Award Nomination Form
  • Outstanding Young Alumni Nomination Form
  • Special Service Award Nomination Form
  • Previous Award Winners

    • Veterinary Medical Alumni Association

    2001 South Lincoln Avenue
    Urbana, Illinois 61802

    P: 217-333-2761
    F: 217-244-8887
    vmaa@vetmed.illinois.edu

    Know someone who deserves one of these awards? Nominate them today!

    Now accepting nominations for the 2027 awards.

    Meet our 2026 award winners.

    The Veterinary Medical Alumni Association has the honor of presenting the Dr. Erwin Small Distinguished Alumni Award, the Special Service Award, and the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.  Read more about the awards below.

    Contact us if you have any questions.

    DR. ERWIN SMALL DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

    The Dr. Erwin Small Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize distinguished Illinois graduates (DVM, PhD, and MS degree holders) who have excelled in their respective fields and have made significant contributions to the profession and/or college, regardless of where they reside. This honor is named after the late Dr. Erwin Small (IL ’57), professor emeritus and former associate dean of alumni and public affairs at the College. It is a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated his life to the advancement of veterinary medicine, specifically to the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at Urbana-Champaign.

    See list of previous recipients

    Dr. Paul Myer
    The 2026 Dr. Erwin Small Distinguished Alumni Award was given to Dr. Paul Myer in recognition of his significant contributions as a veterinary practice owner, mentor, and community member. Dr. Myer is a 1986 DVM graduate of the University of Illinois and is the owner of Hawthorne Animal Hospital.

    OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

    The Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes early-career Illinois graduates (DVM, PhD, and MS degree holders) who have excelled early in their respective fields and who embody the Illini spirit of “labor and learning,” through creativity and entrepreneurship in the field of veterinary medicine, regardless of where they live.

    See list of previous recipients

    Dr. Doha Shokry
    Dr. Doha Shokry, who completed her Ph.D. at the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2026, was selected for the Outstanding Young Alumni Award for her promising discoveries that could advance treatment of testicular cancer. She is a postdoctoral fellowship in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Spinella.

    SPECIAL SERVICE AWARD

    The Special Service Award recognizes an outstanding individual or organization that has made significant contributions to the advancement of the veterinary profession and/or the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine at Urbana-Champaign. This individual or organization can be a non-veterinarian or a veterinarian who holds a degree from an institution other than the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.

    See list of previous recipients

    Dr. Lindsay Trickel
    The 2026 Special Service Award goes to Dr. Lindsay Trickel, a 2014 graduate of the college, for her mentorship of aspiring veterinarians and her volunteer work with wildlife, rescued rabbits, and needy pets in Kenyan. She is employed at Veterinary Emergency Group in Brentwood, Missouri.