After 15 years of providing dedicated and respected leadership for the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Dr. Laurie Jaeger (PU DVM ’84) stepped down as department head in March. She was honored at a reception March 1 in the Veterinary Medical Library that was attended by faculty, staff and students 15 years to the day after she started in the position.
The reception included a recognition program, during which Dean Willie Reed recalled the time when he was on the college’s faculty and Dr. Jaeger was a Purdue veterinary student in the Class of 1984. “And I remember, after she finished, she decided she was going to go into practice, and she did. But that didn’t last long,” Dean Reed said.
“That was not for her, and of course she then entered the college’s graduate program and got her PhD, and went on to a wonderful career on the faculty at Texas A&M University,” Dean Reed said. Then in 2007, when Dr. Reed returned to Purdue to become dean after serving in multiple positions at Michigan State University, he realized he needed to begin thinking about finding a new leader for the Basic Medical Sciences Department. The department head at the time, Dr. Gordon Coppoc, was planning to step down and move full time into the role of associate dean of the Indiana University School of Medicine and director of the IU School of Medicine – West Lafayette.
“And so I had to get busy finding a department head,” Dean Reed said. As a search got underway, Dean Reed remembered Dr. Jaeger, and contacted her about the opportunity. He recalled that she told him she would think about it. “And then she agreed to come and take a look at the job, and as they say, ‘the rest is history.’” Dean Reed went on to explain that when Dr. Jaeger started in the position in 2009, there was a lot to do to support the plans for the IU medical education program, which had been housed in Lynn Hall in a cooperative arrangement with the BMS Department, to move out on its own into a planned new structure, Lyles-Porter Hall.
In addition, Dean Reed praised Dr. Jaeger for her leadership in developing a BMS Department strategic plan, which helped guide her decision-making. He also emphasized that she successfully recruited excellent faculty and then supported their careers through mentoring and promotions. He further explained how Dr. Jaeger had worked hard with the faculty to revamp the graduate program.
“So Dr. Jaeger has been a really strong supporter of her staff, her faculty and her graduate students and I think they all are very happy with her leadership,” Dean Reed said. Noting the turnout for the reception, he added, “They’re here today because they view her as a special person – someone they care deeply about.”
Dean Reed also highlighted Dr. Jaeger’s involvement in various college activities and teaching, and her willingness to assume responsibilities across the campus. Those included chairing a task force that reviewed Purdue’s promotion process and serving on the Internal Steering Committee for the Women’s Global Health Institute. “I’m sure I haven’t captured all the things she has done but I just wanted to give you a flavor of the things that many of you may not even know about – and that she not only has been really engaged here in our college, but also throughout the university because of her administrative expertise and her experience.”
Dean Reed then emphasized that while Dr. Jaeger is stepping down as department head, she will remain on the faculty and continue to contribute to the department and college. “She has a lot of ideas about how she wants to be involved in the teaching program here at our college,” Dean Reed said. He also foresees her being involved with preparations for the upcoming AVMA Council on Education site visit in 2025, while also continuing to mentor graduate students and junior faculty. “So Laurie, on behalf of the faculty, staff, students and everyone affiliated with our college, thank you for all the years of your outstanding administrative leadership for your department,” Dean Reed said.
Dr. Jaeger then was invited to share her thoughts. “The reason I took this job was because I wanted to help people. That’s important to me, and to have an impact by assisting others in meeting their goals,” Dr. Jaeger said. “In many ways it’s been a privilege to do this. But as all of you know, whatever I’ve accomplished, it has not just been me. It has involved working with others in the college and others in the department.”
The dean then gave others the opportunity to speak and several faculty did so, praising Dr. Jaeger for providing excellent leadership for the department and for being a great mentor, even to other department heads who started in their roles after she did. Dr. Kathy Salisbury, associate dean for academic affairs, added that she is looking forward to working with Dr. Jaeger in her role as a teacher. “You probably know that Dr. Jaeger is an excellent teacher. And I’m really looking forward to working with her as a faculty member in the teaching realm,” Dr. Salisbury said.
The reception program concluded with the presentation of a recognition gift for Dr. Jaeger – a framed picture of the college’s Continuum Sculpture, mounted with a mat containing hand-written notes and signatures from well-wishers.
Succeeding Dr. Jaeger as head of the department is Professor of Basic Medical Sciences Susan Mendrysa, who was named interim department head while a search for a permanent successor is underway. Dr. Mendrysa has served on the faculty since 2005, when she was appointed as assistant professor. She then rose through the academic ranks, becoming a full professor in 2023. Dr. Mendrysa also led the effort to establish the Purdue University Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) for Translational Biomedical Sciences. The initiative fosters diversity in the biomedical sciences through a one-year program that provides in-depth research experience, graduate coursework, professional development, and career planning with the goal of helping participants develop a path for admission to a PhD, DVM-PhD, or MD-PhD program and then a successful career in biomedical research.
Dr. Mendrysa earned her PhD in cancer biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining the Purdue faculty, she served as a post-doctoral associate with the Division of Basic Sciences in the Eisenman Laboratory at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. She also previously worked as an associate research specialist in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and served as a regional project coordinator for the US Peace Corps Lesotho/US AID in Southern Africa.