The Dean's Update
Dear Friends,
Thank you once again for reading Pegasus Press, our monthly newsletter from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University. We have several interesting and informative features in our March edition, but please take a moment to look at the Kudoboard that was presented to Dr. Skip Jack at his recent career celebration. It is inspiring to see how far his reach has extended in our field, and we are grateful he will still be walking these halls after his official retirement.
I’m pleased to announce that our Mississippi Veterinary Research and Diagnostic Laboratory System has received full accreditation through 2029. Anyone who has ever undergone an accreditation process understands the massive amount of work required. I want to thank everyone involved with this process, especially Joey Kellum.
I am also very happy with the ongoing efforts of the CVM Alumni Council. Recently, the Council hosted a meet-and-greet at a local Starkville restaurant where alumni and current DVM students had a chance to meet and interact. One of the missions of the Council is to provide alumni mentors to our students, and I’m pleased to say they are accomplishing that mission. The Council has grown to more than 30 alumni mentors with over 80 students participating. Considering the relative youth of this organization, those are impressive numbers. Thank you to Council President Dr. Taylor Lyne (the subject of a recent episode of our podcast the Vet Med Cast!), other members of the council, and all the others who have helped facilitate this initiative.
Thank you again for reading and subscribing to Pegasus Press. We hope you like the new design of the newsletter and will continue looking forward to it appearing in your inbox each month.
All the best,
Dr. Nicholas Frank - Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine
Vetting the Future: Josh saldana
Josh Saldana is a veterinary student at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine who checked a major item off his bucket list by taking a life-changing trip to Uganda to study abroad last summer. When asked what made him choose this destination out of any other place he could have traveled around the world, Saldana shared that it has been his lifetime dream to go to Africa.
dr. caroline betbeze-ivy recieves endowed professorship
Endowed professorships play a vital role in advancing academic and clinical programs and providing long-term support for faculty, students, and patient care. Dr. Caroline Betbeze-Ivy, associate clinical professor of ophthalmology, recently received an endowed professorship, a milestone that will have a lasting impact on veterinary ophthalmology at Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
cvm alumn named president of the american association of swine veterinarians
Dr. Locke Karriker (MSU Class of 1999) was installed as president of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians March 4, 2025, during the association’s 56th Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California. He succeeds Dr. William Hollis, who has been acting president in the absence of Dr. Angela Baysinger, who passed away in March 2024. Hollis is now the immediate past president. Dr. Rebecca Robbins has ascended to president-elect. The newly elected vice president is Dr. Chris Rademacher.
Dr. Chloe Bening Recognized as an Emerging Leader by the American Quarter Horse Association
Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine intern Dr. Chloe Bening has been recognized as an Emerging Leader by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), a distinction awarded to young professionals making a significant impact in the equine industry.
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The Vet Med Cast
This month on the Vet Med Cast, the official podcast of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Mississippi State University, Wade talks with Alumni Council President Dr. Taylor Lyne and animal rehabilitation specialist Dr. Wendy Byrd of the Animal Emergency and Referral Center.