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Alumni Reunion Weekend a huge success as 46 years of LSU Vet Med graduates gather to celebrate!

Generations of LSU Vet Med graduates gathered with classmates, family, friends, faculty, and staff on Saturday, October 21 to celebrate Alumni Weekend. Class dinners, tours of the school, CE events, and a huge football tailgate party brought graduates together from our first graduating class through the most recent Class of 2023. A special shout out to our celebrated milestone classes of 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2018.

An online photo album is available at the link below.

Fun facts about this year's attendees (based on registration data):

Class with the highest attendance: Class of 2003 with 17 members registered.

Oldest class: Members of the Class of 1978 were in attendance.

Youngest class: Class of 2023 had two members in attendance.

Farthest traveled: Jamie Schorling, Class of 2003, traveled all the way from Medford, Oregon to attend Alumni Weekend (2,400 miles).

We also had some parent/child veterinary pairs attend. Charlie Carville (Class of 1983) and Katie Berthelot (Class of 2003) celebrated milestone reunions exactly 20 years apart. Jackie Simon (Class of 1988) and her daughter Megan (Class of 2019) also celebrated together.

Special thanks to Ed Boldt, Class of 1984, for spearheading the effort to get the big fans in the Lameness Pavilion-it made a big difference as the day was 90 degrees!

Dean Garden gave out the alumni giving awards celebrating the Class of 1991 for the highest amount of dollars given ($320K). The award was received by Rusty Berry (left). The class with the highest participation was the Class of 1978 with 22%. This award was received by Richard Cambre (right).

Dr. Henry W. Green, III, Class of 1999, elected to the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) Board of Regents as President-elect

Dr. Green is an associate professor of veterinary cardiology and serves as associate dean for inclusive excellence at LSU Vet Med. Congratulations to Dr. Green on this highly prestigious leadership position!

Fall 2023 issue of Uproar magazine is hot off the press and heading to your mailbox

The second edition of our LSU Vet Med magazine, Uproar, has been published and is being delivered to all alumni. Keep an eye on your mailbox for your copy of this beautiful magazine, which features the stories, people, and accomplishments of LSU Vet Med.

LSU Vet Med recognized as HEED Award winner for fourth consecutive year

For the fourth year in a row, the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine has received the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. As a recipient of the annual Health Professions HEED Award—a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion—LSU Vet Med will be featured, along with 64 other recipients, in the December 2023 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. LSU Vet Med is one of only six veterinary schools in the U.S. to receive the award in 2023.

“We are truly delighted to accept this award, which recognizes our efforts to celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging,” said Oliver Garden, BVetMed, PhD, dean of LSU Vet Med. “We strive to treat everyone—our students, faculty, staff, and clients—with the utmost respect every day. We are better veterinarians and scientists when we unite and share our unique perspectives.”

LSU Vet Med’s diversity efforts are led by Henry Green, III, DVM (LSU 1999), DACVIM, associate dean for inclusive excellence and associate professor of veterinary cardiology, and Donnie Watkins, program manager of inclusive excellence.

“It is a true honor for LSU Vet Med to be recognized with the HEED award for the fourth year in a row. Our leadership, faculty, staff, and students are committed to applying concepts of inclusive excellence to all facets of LSU Vet Med and to the enormous efforts required to cultivate a viable forward-moving culture! I am particularly excited about what the future holds for us as we look to lead by example in how we engage our community with outreach and recruitment efforts, such as our Insights into LSU Vet Med program and incorporate expanded educational and training opportunities from the Office of Inclusive Excellence into every level of LSU Vet Med. What a powerful positive impact we can continue to deliver!”

Dr. Jude Bordelon, Class of 2002, has joined LSU Vet Med as a professor of small animal surgery

Our team continues to grow! Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Jude Bordelon, who has joined LSU Vet Med as a professor of small animal surgery.

Dr. Bordelon is a graduate of LSU Vet Med (Class of 2002) and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (Small Animal).

Dr. Jack Lee joins LSU Vet Med as assistant professor of emergency and critical care medicine

Our clinical team continues to grow! Dr. Jack Lee has joined LSU Vet Med as an assistant professor of emergency and critical care medicine.

Dr. Lee completed his DVM degree at the University of Tennessee. His clinical areas of interest include point-of-care ultrasound and feline emergency/critical care. His research and teaching interests include trauma resuscitation and simulation-based learning.

Nominate a classmate for the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Awards

DEADLINE EXTENDED TO NOVEMBER 10

We are now accepting nominations for the LSU Vet Med Distinguished Alumnus Awards. Graduates can be nominated in one of three categories: DVM, MS, and PhD alumni.

The Distinguished Alumnus Awards recognize exceptional individuals who have not only excelled in their chosen fields but have also demonstrated an unwavering commitment to LSU Vet Med. They serve as a testament to the enduring impact of education, showcasing our alumni who have leveraged their knowledge, skills, and experiences to make significant contributions to society.

Any graduate from LSU Vet Med who is in possession of a DVM, MS, or PhD degree is eligible for the awards. Candidates will be recognized for their accomplishments and for having made outstanding contributions to animal health, to people, to the profession, and to their alma mater. A committee will review nominations and vote on the recipients. The committee will be made up of the dean, the senior associate dean for student success, the chairs of the Alumni Committee, the chapter president of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA), and past Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.

Nominations are due by November 10, 2023 and will remain active for two years.

To nominate, please submit the name of the nominee, a letter of why he or she is being nominated, and one other letter of support (by email or regular mail) to Gretchen Morgan, Senior Director of Alumni Relations and Communications, gmorgan@lsu.edu or LSU Vet Med, Dean’s Office, Skip Bertman Dr. Baton Rouge, LA 70803. For a list of previous winners or any questions about the process, contact Gretchen via email or at 225-578-9565.

Construction projects underway at LSU Vet Med as growth plan takes shape

The first phase of a multi-step construction plan is underway as renovations to the LSU Vet Med auditorium have begun in October. The space is being redesigned as a multi-purpose learning space to fit the needs of an expanded class size.

A completely renovated food animal space will be open in November of 2023, followed by the start of construction on a new Surgical Training Center to replace the former Junior Surgery area.

To the right is a timeline of construction projects. We will include updates and photos of progress in future editions of Pulse alumni newsletter!

Upcoming events

Visit our exhibitor booth in San Diego for the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Convention November 29 - December 3

Save the Date! The annual LSU Vet Med Dermatology Conference will be held Sunday, December 3. A detailed event summary will be sent to all alumni via email.

Mark your calendars for upcoming events. Visit our website at www.lsu.edu/vetmed or click the link below for a listing of upcoming alumni events.

There are many ways to stay connected to LSU Vet Med.

The private group page for LSU alumni is here: www.facebook.com/groups/LSUSVMAlumni

The Facebook page for LSU Vet Med: www.facebook.com/LSUSVM

LSU Teaching Hospital Community Practice: www.facebook.com//LSUVTH

And of course, you can always go to our website for information and help at www.lsu.edu/vetmed/alumni/index

Contact Gretchen Morgan, Senior Director of Communications and Alumni Relations, at gmorgan@lsu.edu