The Veterinary Medical Library in Lynn Hall provided the setting for a crowded reception held at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in honor of Dr. Willie Reed at the conclusion of his long tenure as dean. The event on Thursday, June 27, attracted a throng of well-wishers, including Purdue administrators, faculty, staff, students and Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumni.
The reception was co-hosted by Dr. Kathy Salisbury, associate dean for academic affairs and the newly named interim dean of the college, and Lee Ann Happ, a long-time staff member who has served under multiple deans and currently holds the position of PVM principal operations administrator.
“It is a very bittersweet day as we send off our Dean to enjoy the next phase of his career,” Dr. Salisbury said as she began the reception program. She and Lee Ann then shared highlights of the long list of accomplishments achieved during the dean’s 17-and-a-half years of service.
“Willie’s goal was to leave the College in a better condition than it was in when he arrived,” Lee Ann said. “It is clear he has done that and so much more. Willie Reed has left a lasting legacy on this College that will not be forgotten. Thank you, Willie, for 17½ years of absolute excellence!”
Dr. Salisbury then invited reception guests who wanted to share their thoughts and stories about the dean to do so and many attendees took advantage of the opportunity, including professors emeriti, faculty, staff, alumni and Provost Emeritus and former Purdue Agriculture Dean Jay Akridge, who served in both capacities during Dr. Reed’s service as College of Veterinary Medicine dean. Dr. Akridge recalled how as provost, he recognized that Dean Reed faithfully attended every event, whether it was celebrating faculty, staff or students, “…because he cared about our students and our faculty and staff, and I think that was another important characteristic. He is just a consummate professional.”
Also on hand were Drs. Sue and Craig Wardrip, who both are members of the DVM Class of 1978. “And I want to say that Willie and Dorothy have provided the face of veterinary medicine for this college very effectively for a very long time and we’re proud to have had him here as our leader.”
Following the remarks from guests, Dr. Salisbury turned toward a large veiled object by the podium and explained that the creation of a portrait is a long-standing tradition of the College of Veterinary Medicine when a dean steps down. “You can find portraits of the College’s first five deans hanging right here in the library. What you are about to see now will join them,” Dr. Salisbury said. She then explained how PVM Professor Emeritus David Williams, a medical illustrator, had reached out to an artist named Patrick Earl Hammie, Professor of Studio Art at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to see if he would be interested in painting a portrait of Dean Reed.
“Prof. Williams had seen some of Patrick’s paintings exhibited here on campus some years ago and really admired his work. Patrick replied that he would be honored and agreed to create an oil on linen painted portrait of Willie, which we will be installing here in the library later this summer,” Dr. Salisbury said. Patrick and his wife, Jess, were at the reception and after Dr. Sailsbury introduced them, she invited Patrick, to speak.
“This has been such a joy and a pleasure and an honor to hear some of the stories that you all shared and the tears and the feelings that have come out,” Patrick shared. He then asked, “How do you capture an essence in an image? How do you wrap some of these stories, these histories…in a moment that we can celebrate and continue to live with long after?” Patrick went on to explain, ”Those are some of the questions I had, that its so good to hear echoed and reaffirmed today, because when I met Dean Reed for the first time, now two years ago, and we had a great sit down with him and Dorothy and David Williams, that warmth came through. Without knowing all of this history, I could feel it in his presence, in his thoughtfulness, in his earnestness as he shared some of his stories with me.” Patrick concluded by saying, “I kept that with me as I moved beyond our time together into painting this portrait that I hope will continue to carry some of those stories forward for you all and the community to come.”
Then Dean Reed joined Patrick and together, they unveiled the portrait, resulting in a hearty round of applause. Next, in a twist of custom, in contrast to retirement ceremonies when Dean Reed read a letter from the Provost announcing that a retiring faculty member had received the designation of professor emeritus, this time Lee Ann read aloud the letter from the Provost announcing that the Purdue Board of Trustees had approved Dr. Reed’s designation as Dean Emeritus.
Dean Reed also was presented with a commemorative recognition gift featuring the image of the Continuum Sculpture engraved on glass, before he was given the opportunity to make closing remarks. “I don’t know where to start. What a wonderful day,” Dean Reed said. “I will always carry this memory, always. Thank all of you for coming today. It means so much to me that you would be here, and I thank all of you who made wonderful comments. I’m a little embarrassed standing here now after listening to all that, but you’ve given me something that I will hold forever. So thank you so very much.
As Dean Reed recalled the first time he came to Purdue, while traveling from Alabama through Indiana to a summer job in Michigan in 1977, he emphasized a key theme that knitted together the multiple decisions he made over the years that kept him at Purdue. That summer a pathologist at the company where he was working told him that Purdue would be the greatest place to study pathology. “And he came down here with me and introduced me to people and I met some very wonderful people,” Dean Reed said as he remembered that visit to Purdue. “And I went back and finished my fourth year of veterinary school, and applied to a number of programs and chose Purdue and I tell the story all the time, why did I choose Purdue? It was because of the people – the way they treated me that very first day.”
Dean Reed then explained how later, when he finished his advanced degree program at the College of Veterinary Medicine, and decided he wanted to stay in academia, he was asked to consider an open position at the college, and he applied and was offered the position. “And why did I take the job? Because of the people.” Eight years later, he left for a great opportunity at Michigan State University, but then, “I came back and it was because of the people,” Dean Reed said. He added that he stayed 17-and-a-half years, even though he had many opportunities to look at jobs and potentially leave, and again, it was because of the people.
And that’s a message that surprised none of the guests but is loved by all of them. Congratulations Dean Reed!
