Several Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty were among the honorees introduced when Purdue University leaders recognized outstanding faculty members and announced the 2026 winners of premier university awards during the Office of the Provost’s annual spring Faculty Honors Ceremony and Celebration. The program on May 6 in the Purdue Memorial Union ballrooms included the presentation of the prestigious Morrill Award and Charles B. Murphy Award, both of which were won by PVM professors.
Purdue Morrill Award – Dr. Deborah Knapp
Provost Patrick Wolfe announced that Dr. Deborah Knapp, Distinguished Professor of Comparative Oncology, the Dolores L. McCall Professor of Comparative Oncology and director of the Evan and Sue Ann Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center, was one of just two winners of Purdue’s Morrill Award this year. The award is the highest honor that Purdue confers on a faculty member and recognizes those who best exemplify the spirit of the land-grant university through excellence in teaching, research and engagement.
Dr. Knapp was recognized for advancing the land-grant mission through integrating high-impact translational research, exemplary clinical teaching that prepares the next generation of clinicians and scientists, and meaningful engagement that delivers tangible benefits to animal and human health. Her nomination for the award emphasized that she is internationally recognized for her pioneering research in translational and comparative oncology, and has driven transformative improvement in canine cancer prognosis while informing parallel advances in human oncology, bridging animal and human health in a way that delivers measurable public benefit.
As a clinical educator, Dr. Knapp was praised for preparing residents and doctoral students in the College of Veterinary Medicine through evidence-informed, experiential training that produces skilled, service-driven medicine, and cultivates competent clinicians committed to promoting the public good in the communities they serve. Additionally, she was commended for her community-partnered outreach that ensures her research is community informed, practice changing, and directly responsive to public needs.
Upon receiving the award, Dr. Knapp shared, “This is absolutely an incredible honor.” Referring to the numerous colleagues, friends and family in the audience, she added, “…to share this celebration with so many people here who have touched my life is even more special.”
Dr. Knapp went on to explain how she is fortunate to have multiple “homes” at Purdue that figure prominently in her research, from the Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center, to the Institute for Cancer Research, as well as several teams of researchers that cross disciplines, departments, and universities. She specifically mentioned the canine immunotherapy team, and the cancer computational modeling team as examples.
Dr. Knapp also said the Morrill Award is special because it embodies the spirit of the land grant institution. “All of my post high school academic education, training, fellowships, and my entire faculty career have taken place at land grant institutions, including the last 35 years on faculty at Purdue…At land grant institutions we have the chance to work on real-life problems, and not just work ‘at them’ but conquer them one step at a time.”
Dr. Knapp further shared that her passion is cancer research, “…and within cancer research, it’s comparative oncology work that involves studying naturally-occurring cancer in pet animals to learn new information to help people as well as animals facing cancer.” Dr. Knapp went on to explain, “I have had the chance to lead a team that we have built from a foundation set by three visionary researchers in the late 1970s, two of which are here today, Drs. Ralph Richardson and Gordon Coppoc. I do not think I am exaggerating when I say we are the best in the world at what we do in comparative oncology.”
Dr. Richardson served on the Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty and as head of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences before becoming dean of the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine and later retiring. Dr. Coppoc, Purdue Professor Emeritus of Veterinary Pharmacology, served on the faculty and as head of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences before being appointed as director of the Indiana University School of Medicine – West Lafayette and associate dean of the Indiana University School of Medicine.
Dr. Knapp also emphasized that land grant institutions give scholars the chance to teach and train the next generation, with opportunities for people from all backgrounds. “In summary, this is one of the greatest honors I could have imagined, and it’s a tribute to family, friends, colleagues, and the call of the land grant mission at Purdue.”
Charles B. Murphy Award – Dr. Melinda Anderson
The recognition ceremony also celebrated the five 2026 winners of the Charles B. Murphy Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, including Mindy Anderson, PharmD, BS, RVT, clinical associate professor of basic medical sciences and assistant dean of veterinary technology programs. The Murphy Award is Purdue’s highest undergraduate teaching honor, presented to faculty members who go above and beyond to deliver students a world-class education.
Dr. Anderson contributes an average of 140 teaching hours annually in the Veterinary Technology and DVM programs of the College of Veterinary Medicine. Students praise Dr. Anderson as a wonderful instructor who really cares about her students and their learning; takes the time to reach out to her students and explain information in a way that is understandable; and is enthusiastic and effective as an instructor.
Dr. Anderson earned both her bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and her associate’s degree in veterinary technology at Purdue – the latter in 2003, after which she worked in private practice and then served as chief instructional technologist in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital for 11 years. She then went back to school at Purdue to make a career switch to pharmacy, earning her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2018, and also completing the one-year Wasson Veterinary Pharmacy Residency program. She joined the Basic Medical Sciences Department faculty in 2019 and then was named assistant dean for the Purdue Veterinary Technology Program in 2025. She also received a significant honor as a new Diplomate of the International College of Veterinary Pharmacy.
Dr. Anderson’s role as clinical associate professor of basic medical sciences involves delivering high-quality pharmacology education to second- and third-year veterinary technology students and second-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students. In addition, as assistant dean, she provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for a team of nearly 30 personnel including instructors, administrative assistants and academic advisors as they support over 1,000 distance learning and 140 on campus veterinary technology students. She focuses on ensuring academic excellence, student success and program growth through collaborative leadership and educational initiatives.
The Murphy Award is presented annually in the spring semester. This year marks the first time that a Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty member has received the award since 2008, when Dr. Robert “Pete” Bill, then professor of veterinary pharmacology and now professor emeritus, was honored as a Murphy Award recipient.
Purdue Engagement Awards – Drs. Andrea Pires dos Santos and Sandy San Miguel
Also honored at the awards ceremony were two PVM faculty members who received significant Purdue awards for engagement.
Dr. Andrea Pires dos Santos, associate professor of veterinary clinical pathology and director of the Cytology Resource Center, was honored as the recipient of the university’s “Engaging Rising Star Award.” The award recognizes faculty who demonstrate exceptional promise in integrating community engagement into teaching, research, and outreach to achieve meaningful societal impact. Dr. dos Santos received the award in recognition of her efforts devoted to high-impact international collaborations that advance wildlife conservation, global health, health equity, and translational biomedical research. She also leads the study abroad program “Pathobiology of Native Brazilian Wildlife: A One Health Approach,” which provides immersive training for Purdue veterinary students while strengthening global partnerships.
Dr. Sandy San Miguel, associate dean for engagement and professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences received the Christian J. Foster Award, which is the highest honor Purdue bestows upon faculty who exemplify excellence in contributing to K-12 engagement in STEM education in Indiana. Dr. San Miguel was praised for her exceptional dedication to fostering meaningful community partnerships and her leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment to engagement that not only reflects the true essence of this award but also reflects the depth of her personal dedication and the core of who she is. A nominator wrote, “Her community engagement initiatives have had a meaningful impact on K-12 students at both the state and national levels.”
Dr. San Miguel is recognized for her role in the evolution of a series of community partnerships involving the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine and Evaluation and Learning Research Center, public schools, and community organizations. For example, she has developed and led programs in which Purdue veterinarians, veterinary students, and evaluation experts collaborate with teachers and community leaders to foster career exploration and address educational disparities through educational programming for children.
These efforts further evolved into an alliance of veterinary “superheroes” in academia, practice, research, government, and industry who are committed to engaging with under-resourced communities to provide access and support for youth who aspire to careers in the veterinary profession. To date, more than 990 role models in 25 states and two countries deliver in-person veterinary lessons to children.
Promoted Faculty
The Provost’s Faculty Honors Ceremony and Celebration also included the recognition of newly promoted faculty members, approved in April by the Board of Trustees, including several in the College of Veterinary Medicine. The promotions are effective with the start of the 2026-27 academic year August 17, 2026, except as otherwise noted.
Congratulations to the following promoted Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty:
To Associate Professor
- Wendy Beauvais, associate professor of comparative pathobiology
- Sriveny Dangoudoubiyam, associate professor of comparative pathobiology
- Adam Kimbrough, associate professor of basic medical sciences (July 1, 2026)
To Clinical Associate Professor
- Timothy Bolton, clinical associate professor of veterinary clinical sciences (July 1, 2026)
- Amanda Darbyshire, clinical associate professor of comparative pathobiology (July 1, 2026)
To Clinical Professor
- Christopher Fulkerson, clinical professor of veterinary clinical sciences (July 1, 2026)
To Full Professor
- Marxa Figueiredo, professor of basic medical sciences (July 1, 2026)
- Michael Wendt, professor of basic medical sciences (July 1, 2026)
