The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is saddened to learn of the passing of an alumnus, Dr. Kevin T. Schultz of Dawsonville, Georgia, on August 15, 2026. He was 74.
After he earned his DVM degree at Purdue University in 1976, Dr. Schultz accepted a position in Dodge City, Kansas, at a mixed practice. He also provided veterinary care for the local zoo while there.
After working in Dodge City, Dr. Schultz completed a residency in dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania. From there, he pursued graduate study at the University of Florida where he worked on his PhD, studying microbiology and immunology and focusing on immunochemistry. After completing his PhD, he accepted a position at Harvard as a research fellow in pathology, and worked at the School of Public Health in cancer biology.
In 1987, Dr. Schultz left for a faculty appointment at the University of Wisconsin where he served as an assistant scientist in charge of the Regional Primate Research Center. A few years later, he was appointed as a professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine. He later moved to New Jersey to take a position with Merck. He served as the executive director and area head of Worldwide Animal Science Research and Development.
While at Merck, Dr. Schultz was asked to help form a new animal health company called Merial, and he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to become the chief science officer and head of Global R&D until his retirement in 2000. Dr. Schultz remained busy, however, choosing to continue his work as a private consultant with various companies until 2019. He also served as chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board for ELIAS Animal Health for more than ten years. Outside of work, Dr. Schultz loved being with his animals and enjoyed fishing and reading. He was never without two or three books nearby.
