PVM Golden Anniversary Class Members Share Memories at Reunion Events

Members of the DVM Class of ’72
Members of the DVM Class of ’72 gather for a nostalgic group picture after donning white coats provided as part of their Golden Anniversary Class Reunion dinner at the ballroom of the Courtyard by Marriott in Lafayette.

Alumni in Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s tenth Golden Anniversary Class, the DVM Class of 1972, received special recognition when they gathered for their class reunion dinner during the week of the 2022 Purdue Veterinary Conference.  The special reunion event was held in the ballroom at the Courtyard by Marriott in Lafayette, Indiana, on Wednesday, September 21.

The evening’s festivities began with a reception and entertainment by the Purdue Musical Organization’s Ba Na Na performing group. Dinner was followed by an opportunity for class members to share their recollections from their time as veterinary students at Purdue as well as their life experiences during the 50 years that have transpired since they graduated.

Dr. Janet Houghton
Dr. Janet Houghton shares with her classmates in the 50th Reunion class.

The reunion dinner was the first of several special occasions during which the 50th Anniversary class was honored.  The next day, Thursday, September 22, the class members convened at the Alumni and Friends Celebration, when each class member was presented with a 50th anniversary medallion.  Then on Friday, September 23, class members had a chance to tour campus by bus and gather at the Joy Matson Multipurpose Room in the new David and Bonnie Brunner Small Animal Hospital to have lunch and hear a presentation by Dean Willie Reed about college initiatives and future plans. Immediately after lunch, the class toured the David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex, including the Equine and Farm Animal hospitals. Class members then had time to stroll through Lynn Hall and reminisce about their days traversing the hallways and taking veterinary classes.

Congratulations to the Golden Anniversary Class – the Class of 1972!  Click here to view photos of the Golden Anniversary Class dinner taken by photographer Ed Lausch. Use the password: 2022PVM

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

Recent Stories

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

Behind the scenes, Alicia Williams has been making PVM a kinder, stronger place.

Purdue Veterinary Medicine Computational Biologist Uses Big Data, AI and Math to Find Patterns in Cancer

With recent advances, cancer research now generates vast amounts of information. The data could help researchers detect patterns in cancer cells and stop their growth, but the sheer volume is just too much for the human mind to digest. Enter Nadia Lanman, research associate professor in the Department of Comparative Pathobiology, whose expertise in computational biology helps researchers at Purdue University distill solutions from the sea of numbers.

Purdue to Host Fourth Annual Antimicrobial Conference in February

With leadership by the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, the Fourth Annual Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) will be held at Purdue University West Lafayette February 25–26, 2026. With multidrug-resistant infections on the rise globally, this event brings together experts and practitioners across the spectrum of human, animal, and environmental health to address one of today’s most urgent public health challenges.

PVM Well-represented by Humans and Animals During Annual Homecoming Celebrations

Every fall, Boilermakers from near and far return to the campus in West Lafayette for the annual ritual known as Homecoming. And Purdue’s Homecoming events also attract plenty of non-alumni who are Purdue fans, patrons, prospective students, or clients of the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital. During this year’s Homecoming weekend October 24-25, Purdue Veterinary Medicine engaged with attendees in multiple ways, with the help of some furry companions.

Purdue University and Akston Biosciences Bring “First Dose of Hope” in New Cancer Immunotherapy Trial for Dogs with Urinary Bladder Cancer

The Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, in partnership with Akston Biosciences Corporation, has initiated the enrollment of dogs with urinary bladder cancer in a clinical trial of a pioneering immunotherapy. The strategic partnership between Purdue and Akston was announced in August after the underlying technology was developed at the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR).

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

Today we share appreciation for Beth Laffoon, MS, RVT, and Holly McCalip, BS, RVT, who are both instructional technologists in the Veterinary Nursing Program.

MMAS Symposium Brings Participants Face to Face with Specialists and Species from Parrots to Pocket Pets

Thanks to Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Exotic Animal Club and dedicated faculty, staff and students, nearly 100 in-person and on-line participants got a chance recently to gain valuable knowledge and insight about the Medicine of Mammalian and Avian Species. The two-day educational event known as the MMAS Symposium is a biennial conference, and the 2024 edition held in Lynn Hall November 9 and 10 featured an impressive program that included 22 lectures and several hands-on labs, organized into two tracks focusing on avian and mammalian species.

Veterinary Boilermakers Take Part in Purdue One Health Alumni Reunion

Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine faculty, staff and students turned out for Purdue University’s first One Health Alumni Reunion, which was held on the West Lafayette campus November 14-16. They joined more than 150 Boilermakers from a variety of medical professions who came together to network and participate in timely discussions with Purdue President Mung Chiang, First Lady Kei Hui and fellow alumni.