Skip to main content

“Paws Up” for the PVM Food Pantry Team and Amanda Taylor – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

Today we want to give a high five to everyone who makes the PVM Food Pantry possible. A staff member reached out to say, “Everybody is so helpful with volunteering, asking what they can do to help out, and jumping in if we ever need to fill in for a volunteer who can’t do their shift. The pantry could not be open and as effective without all the wonderful volunteers. THANK YOU!” And a separate submission was also made to highlight Amanda Taylor, lead administrative assistant in Student Services, stating, “I’m really grateful for Amanda’s efforts toward making the ACE Food Pantry available to our students, faculty, and staff here at PVM. It’s reassuring to know that fewer people in our community will suffer from food insecurity due to Amanda’s leadership. Additionally, the toy drive she puts together every year around the holidays is an added bonus which demonstrates her generosity of spirit. She even makes it really easy for our community to donate by highlighting frequently requested items online for us, so we get to also feel good about our contributions.”

Fostering a healthy work environment involves expressing appreciation and gratitude. Is there someone at PVM you would like to acknowledge today? Please take a moment to submit a Paws Up nomination for that person. Any PVM staff, faculty, student, or team may be nominated by anyone in our college. It’s easy to do! Complete the simple nomination form. In doing so, you help foster a healthy work environment by expressing appreciation and gratitude. Submissions are published anonymously and may be edited for style and length. Sponsored by the PVM Wellness Committee.

Writer(s): PVM Wellness Team | pvmnews@purdue.edu

Recent Stories

Annual Purdue Veterinary Conference draws veterinary professionals from across the country for learning and fun

The 2026 edition of the annual Purdue Veterinary Conference attracted attendees from around the U.S. for three days of educational sessions covering an array of topics.  With the overall theme of “One Health: Modern Veterinary Medicine,” the conference September 23-26 on the Purdue University campus drew more than 450 veterinarians and veterinary technicians, plus faculty, staff and students. Sessions taught by a total of 65 speakers, including many Purdue Veterinary Medicine clinicians and veterinary technicians/technologists, enabled conference-goers to earn up to 23 continuing education credit hours.

Significant Gift from Jordan Smelski Foundation will fuel Purdue Veterinary Medicine research on deadly brain eating amoeba

A researcher in the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Comparative Pathobiology has received a generous gift of more than $100,000 from the Jordan Smelski Foundation for Amoeba Awareness and Mr. Steve Smelski to support research of the deadly amoeba Naegleria fowleri. Christopher Rice, PhD, assistant professor of parasitology and principal investigator of the Rice Research Group, leads a research team seeking to discover and repurpose drugs against primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but typically fatal infection caused by Naegleria fowleri.

Purdue veterinary student receives Sir John D. Spurling Scholarship awarded by AKC Humane Fund

The AKC® Humane Fund, Inc.℠ has announced the 2026 recipients of the Sir John D. Spurling Scholarship, celebrating the human-canine bond, and one of the recipients is Purdue veterinary student Tiffany Chang of the Class of 2027. Chang is one of only five students chosen for the scholarships.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Unites with Purdue United Way Campaign

With the goal of raising $700,000 by November 4 to support local nonprofit organizations that help individuals and families in Greater Lafayette, the Purdue United Way campaign took off September 23 with an official campaign launch on the front lawn of the Purdue Memorial Union. Purdue Veterinary Medicine, along with the university’s other colleges and units, will participate with the help of PVM faculty and staff ambassadors working to make it easy for people in the college to respond, whether by giving, or by indicating that they do not wish to give. As part of the PVM drive to support the campaign, Dean Bret Marsh and his wife, Polly, are contributing a match for campaign contributions from college faculty and staff. Additionally, a drawing will be held to select winners from those who contribute.

“Paws Up” – for Dr. Yasumasa Iimori – brought to you by the PVM Wellness Committee

This week we commend Yasumasa Iimori, DVM, PhD, who is a resident in Emergency and Critical Care in the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.