PVM Graduation Celebration Recognizes Award Recipients

May 22, 2020

The virtual Graduation Celebration hosted by the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in lieu of traditional commencement exercises included the recognition of recipients of faculty, resident, intern, and student awards.  Typically the awards would have been presented at the Graduation Gala on the eve of commencement, but due to the changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the award recognition was incorporated into the college’s virtual celebration that was streamed via Facebook Live Saturday, May 16. 

As part of the program the names of the awardees were scrolled across the screen, with special mention of the following faculty/resident/intern awards:

Deana Reed and Dr. Callahan hold up his award plaque as VCS faculty applaud in the background
Dr. Trey Callahan, small animal medicine and surgery intern in the Purdue Veterinary Hospital, was awarded the Katie McCallister Award for demonstrating extraordinary compassion and empathy toward both patients and their families.
  • Katie McCallister Compassion Award – Dr. Robert “Trey” Callahan, small animal medicine and surgery intern
    Established by Dr. Robert and Sandy McCallister and their family in memory of Katie, their beloved Sheltie, this award recognizes a resident or intern who demonstrates extraordinary compassion and empathy toward both patients and their families, possesses excellent communication skills that promote a sense of trust and confidence, and serves as an excellent role model for both students and peers in providing quality and compassionate care for their patients.
  • Dr. Ann L. Johnson & Dr. Walter E. Hoffmann Resident Teaching Award – Dr. Sissy Hong, third-year resident in neurology
    Established by a Purdue Veterinary Medicine alumna, Dr. Ann Johnson (PU DVM ’75), and her husband, this award recognizes outstanding teaching by a resident in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. 
  • Elanco Veterinary Nursing Outstanding Teaching Award – Dr. Mindy Anderson, visiting assistant professor of basic medical sciences and instructor in the Veterinary Nursing Program
    Selected by a vote of the veterinary nursing students, this award recognizes excellence in teaching in the Veterinary Nursing Program.
  • Weedon Faculty Recognition Award – Dr. Jim Weisman, assistant dean for student affairs and clinical associate professor
    Selected by a vote of the members of the DVM Class of 2020, this award recognizes the individual faculty member who has made the greatest contribution to their success during their four years in veterinary school.

Additionally, recipients of the following Veterinary Nursing Student Awards were recognized:

  • Eber H. Allen Leadership Award – Sarah Summerlot, AAS, and Samantha Thompson, AAS 
    Sponsored by the Northeast Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, this award is presented to veterinary nursing students who exhibit outstanding leadership and professionalism, which has resulted in advancing a positive image of the Veterinary Nursing Program.
  • Highest Academic Achievement Award – Jennifer Davis, AAS
    Sponsored by Harry and Freida Latshaw, this award recognizes the student who has excelled academically and has earned the highest grade point average in the associate degree program.
  • Outstanding Veterinary Nurse Award – Megan Allan, BS, RVT 
    This award, sponsored by Harry and Freida Latshaw, is awarded to a fourth-year veterinary nursing student who exhibits both outstanding academics and excellent clinical skills.
  • Veterinary Nurse Highest Technical Proficiency Award – Sarah Summerlot, AAS 
    Sponsored by Connie Han and Cheryl Hurd, this award recognizes a student for outstanding technical proficiency in clinical rotations in the Purdue Veterinary Hospital.

Recognition also was given to the following recipients of DVM Student Awards:

Dean Reed hands the certificate to Dr. Hong as supporters clap in the background
Dean Willie Reed presents Dr. Sissy Hong with her award certificate as the 2020 recipient of the Johnson and Hoffmann Teaching Award. This award is presented annually to a resident in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences in recognition of outstanding teaching.
  • American College of Veterinary Surgeons Award – Dr. Danielle Keating, Large Animal Surgery, and Dr. Julie Mosher, Small Animal Surgery
    This award is given to students who demonstrate academic and clinical proficiency in surgery, as well as aptitude and interest in surgery.
  • IDEXX Award for Proficiency in Clinical Pathology – Dr. Sofia Lopez-Valle 
    This award recognizes a student who demonstrates a strong understanding of clinical pathology and its practical application to clinical cases.
  • Comparative Ophthalmology Award – Dr. Levi Smith
    Established by veterinary ophthalmology alumni, this award is presented to a student who demonstrates excellence in academic performance, research, or service in comparative ophthalmology.
  • American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology Award – Dr. Cassandra Ceckowski 
    This award is presented to a student who excels in clinical dermatology.
  • Veterinary Cancer Society Award for Proficiency in Clinical Oncology – Dr. Eric Boone 
    This award recognizes a student who demonstrates proficiency in the care of veterinary oncology patients and aptitude in clinical oncology.
  • American College of Veterinary Radiology Award – Dr. Brooke Unruh 
    This award is presented to a student excelling in comparative radiology and diagnostic imaging.
  • Shelter Medicine Program Award – Dr. Samantha Swartzentruber
    This award recognizes a student who exemplifies compassion for shelter pets, excellent interaction with shelter clients, and proficiency in shelter medicine.
  • Indiana State Poultry Association Award – Dr. Nick Newsome 
    This award honors a student with high proficiency in avian medicine.
  • American Animal Hospital Association Award for Proficiency in Primary Care – Dr. Danielle Lower 
    This award is presented to a veterinary student with proficiency in primary care.
  • American College of Veterinary Pathologists Award for Excellence in Veterinary Pathology – Dr. Levi Smith 
    This award recognizes an outstanding veterinary student who demonstrates exceptional proficiency and interest in anatomic and/or clinical pathology.
  • American College of Theriogenologists Clinical Proficiency Student Award – Dr. Brooke Unruh 
    This award honors a DVM student who exemplifies clinical proficiency in theriogenology.
  • Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Award for Clinical Proficiency in All Species – Dr. Julie Mosher, Small Animal; Dr. Brooke Unruh, Large Animal; and Dr. Sarah Bohac, All Species 
    This award recognizes proficiency in small animal medicine and surgery, large animal medicine and surgery, or in all species.
  • American Association of Feline Practitioners Award – Dr. Samantha Swartzentruber
    This recognition is awarded to a student demonstrating highest proficiency in feline medicine and surgery.
  • Indiana Association of Equine Practitioners Award – Dr. Caitlin Smith, First Place; Dr. Danielle Keating, Second Place; and Dr. Hailey Everett, Third Place 
    This award recognizes three students who exhibit the highest proficiency in equine medicine and surgery and display the highest degree of professionalism.
  • 15th District of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association / American Association of Bovine Practitioners Excellence in Bovine Veterinary Medicine Award – Dr. Trey Gellert
    This award is presented to a student who has demonstrated exceptional proficiency and interest in bovine production medicine and surgery.
  • Central Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Award – Dr. Anne Marshall 
    This award honors a student with outstanding client communication skills.
  • G. Edward Cummins Compassionate Care Award – Dr. Anna Sacco
    This award was established by Elaine and Stephen Fess to recognize a student exemplifying clinical training and compassion for animals and clients alike.
  • Bastien Award – Dr. Jessica Linder 
    This award was established by John and JoAnn Bastien and is presented to a student exemplifying empathy and exceptional care to canine patients.
  • Veterinary Clinical Sciences Award for Exceptional Clinical Proficiency by a Clinical Year Student – Dr. Melissa Tilley
    This award, sponsored by the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, recognizes a student who demonstrates excellence in patient care, knowledge of medical principles of disease, teamwork, and improvement in clinical proficiency.
  • American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Certificate of Clinical Excellence – Dr. Eric Boone, Small Animal; Dr. Kylie Roman, Small Animal; and Dr. Megan Swasey, Large Animal
    This recognition is awarded to two students in small animal and one in large animal.
  • Indiana Horse Council Award – Dr. Danielle Keating 
    This award honors an Equine Club member who provided the greatest exposure to, participated in activities of, and heightened awareness of the Indiana equine industry for other veterinary students at Purdue during the preceding academic year.
  • 12th District of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association Award – Dr. Sara Canada
    This recognition is awarded to a student who demonstrates excellence in academic performance, research, or service in veterinary public health and preventive medicine.
  • Class of 1983 Award – Dr. Christina Smith 
    This award, established in honor of a Class of 1983 alumna, Dr. Madelynn Allen, is presented to a student who has overcome obstacles or persevered despite difficult circumstances in pursuit of the DVM degree.
  • Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association Senior Leadership Award – Dr. Kylie Roman 
    This award honors a student selected by classmates for demonstrating leadership through involvement in school activities, service to community, and engagement with the veterinary medical profession.

Congratulations to all of the award recipients!

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.