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!

    Nominations for the 2025 awards ceremony must be submitted by July 4, 2025, for consideration.

    Ceremony Details

    This year’s ceremony will be held at the University of Illinois Philanthropy Center during the annual Fall Conference for Veterinarians.

    Date: September 18, 2025
    Time: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. with awards presentation at 5:00 p.m.
    Location: 303 St. Mary’s Road | Champaign, IL

    Meet our 2024 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. Timothy Fan
    Dr. Timothy Fan has been selected to receive the Dr. Erwin Small Distinguished Alumni Award. In more than 25 years at the college, he has greatly elevated Illinois as a cancer research innovator. He was a founding member of the campus Cancer Center at Illinois, where he currently serves as associate director for translational research and development.

     

     

    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. Sarah Wright
    In her current role as associate editor for the AVMA Journals, Dr. Wright has developed a podcast and other social media strategies to bring research findings to the attention of veterinary practitioners. She also supports veterinary organizations in aquatic animal medicine and amphibian/reptile practice in raising awareness through social media.

    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

    Rebecca Kamerer
    Rebecca Kamerer, CVT, has been a member of the oncology service since 2004. She is being awarded in recognition of her organization and adaptability while managing the oncology clinical trials team in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital.