Diversity and Inclusion Certificate Recipients Honored

Diversity certificate recipients pictured

As part of the Outstanding Staff and Bravo Awards program and reception Monday, June 11, several Purdue Veterinary Medicine staff members were honored for completing the online Certificate Program for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine. Dean Willie Reed explained that the certificate program, developed in conjunction with the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, is offered through PVM’s Center of Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion in Veterinary Medicine. “Diversity and inclusion are key components of our College’s values and culture, and we are proud of these individuals for their dedication in promoting a collegial work and learning environment enhanced by diversity,” Dean Reed said.

To successfully finish the online certificate program, the honorees completed a series of online modules; gained life experiences through volunteer community service and activities, such as attending cultural events and lectures in the community or national or regional meetings focused on diversity and inclusion; and reflected on their experiences. They also submitted a capstone paper on how they will use the information gained in the program to strengthen diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine.

Congratulations to the following staff members on their successful completion of the certificate program:

Brenda Dittmar – small animal receptionist, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Jeannine Henry – instructional technologist, Department of Veterinary Administration

William “Matt” Jarvi – secretary, Department of Comparative Pathobiology

Cindy Lavignette – client liaison representative, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Nicole Rosen – Clinical Pathology Lab supervisor, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

William Smith, II – director of global engagement, Department of Veterinary Administration

Donna Tudor – diagnostic imaging technologist supervisor, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Elizabeth Wilson – small animal receptionist, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Sarah Woods – health information technician, Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Writer(s): Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Honors PVM Clinician Paulo Gomes as a Top Co-Author

Dr. Paulo Gomes, clinical associate professor of dermatology in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, recently was recognized for co-authoring one of the most widely read articles of 2025 in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. The publication is an online, open access, international, peer-reviewed journal.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week a big Paws Up goes to Gabriel Harris, who is a graduate research assistant in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences.

More Time Together

From the moment Brian met Blackie as a playful puppy at a rescue, their bond was undeniable. Over the years, Blackie became more than a pet. That is why, when Brian found Blackie unresponsive in his yard one evening, he refused to give up. Brian drove Blackie an hour and a half to the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital’s Emergency and Critical Care team.

USDA Funding Fuels Purdue Veterinary Medicine Research Seeking Answers to Costly Cattle Production Mystery

A four-year, $650,000 New Investigator Award from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) will support research led by Dr. Viju V. Pillai, a faculty member in Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology and pathologist at the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL), aimed at solving a persistent and costly mystery in cattle production.  Dr. Pillai’s team wants to answer the question of why so many pregnancies fail before they are even recognized? The project will focus on the earliest stages of fetal–maternal communication and on a little-understood family of proteins called trophoblast Kunitz domain proteins (TKDPs), whose functions in pregnancy remain largely unknown.

In Memory: Dr. Ronald P. Miller (PU DVM ’63)

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is saddened by the passing of Dr. Ronald P. Miller, of Indianapolis, a member of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s first graduating class, the Class of 1963.  Dr. Miller died February 17, 2026, at the age of 89.

In Memory – Dr. Julie Anderson (PU DVM ’78)

A Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumna and beloved veterinarian, Dr Julie Anderson, of Rockville, Indiana, will be remembered at a celebration of life open house to be hosted in her honor by West Central Veterinary Services Sunday, April 27. Dr. Anderson, a member of the Purdue DVM Class of 1978, passed away in December at the age of 71.

Popular Veterinary Nursing Symposium Features Day of Learning and Networking

Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s annual Veterinary Nursing Symposium brought more than 150 veterinary professionals to Lynn Hall recently to gain practical knowledge and insights about a diverse range of topics covering both small and large animals. Veterinary nurses (technicians and technologists), veterinary assistants and veterinary nursing (technology) students participated in the all day lifelong learning program Sunday, March 23. The attendees came from across Indiana as well as Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

“Paws Up” – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we are highlighting Dr. Heather Bornheim, who is a farm animal medicine and surgery clinician in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.

CPB’s Aryal Lab Members Recognized at 140th Annual Indiana Academy of Science Meeting

Two members of Research Associate Professor Uma Aryal’s lab in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology recently received noteworthy recognition during the 140th Indiana Academy of Science conference hosted in Indianapolis. According to the Indiana Academy of Science, since 1885, its annual conferences have served as the only multidisciplinary scientific meetings that take place in the state. The event on March 22 attracted hundreds of senior and junior scientists from Indiana and across the Midwest.