Skip to main content

Taco ‘bout Appreciation! Tex Mex Food Truck Headlines PVM Faculty Staff Appreciation Event

Dean Willie Reed is joined by Faculty and Staff Appreciation event attendees
Dean Willie Reed (center) is joined by Faculty and Staff Appreciation event attendees (left-right) Mekyna Hall, laboratory research technician with the Center for Paralysis Research; Dr. Kenitra Hendrix, ADDL director; Dr. Sarah Steinbach, clinical associate professor of small animal internal medicine; Margie Veverke, ADDL accessioning clerk; and Dr. Craig Bowen, ADDL assistant director.

With summer winding down and fall classes set to begin, the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine hosted a Faculty and Staff appreciation event that featured tasty Tex Mex menus options served-up at the Mitchell’s Tex Mex Food Truck on Wednesday, August 10.  Attendees were treated to their choice of tacos, wet burritos or taco salads.  The meals were provided by the college to show PVM faculty and staff how much their dedication and hard work is appreciated.

A person is interacting with a vendor at a food truck, receiving food from the window.

Held from 11:30 – 1:30, the event not only featured great food but also opportunities for fellowship among colleagues as employees gathered near the entrance to the old Large Animal Hospital, which proved to be a perfect venue where the Mitchell’s Tex Mex food truck could park and open up for lunch-time food service.  More than 250 faculty and staff attended the event to get in on the great food and the chance to visit with colleagues on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

As people mixed and mingled while their food was prepared, Dean Reed took the opportunity to express to everyone his deep appreciation for their consistent effort and commitment to excellence throughout the year.  The festive lunchtime event served as a fitting wrap up to a busy summer marked by the return of several in-person annual programs, such as Boiler Vet Camp, which had been temporarily suspended due to the pandemic, as well as the opening of the new David and Bonnie Brunner Purdue Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex.  With the new hospital facilities up and running, the old Large Animal Hospital has been vacated, making the entrance to the old facility a convenient site for the Faculty Staff Appreciation event. 

Faculty and staff line up to get food from a food truck
Faculty and staff mix and mingle as they line-up to get their lunch Wednesday, August 10, at the entrance to the now vacated old Large Animal Hospital, where Mitchell’s Tex Mex food truck was serving meals as part of the college’s annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation event.

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

Recent Stories

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

This week we want to give a big “high five” to Craig Weiderhaft who is a phone communications and front desk representative at the Purdue University Veterinary Hospital.

Dogs across the Midwest find customized care at the Evan and Sue Ann Werling Comparative Oncology Research Center

Studying canine cancer — including personalizing treatments, honing protocols and exploring new drugs, all of which will shed light on human cancer care — is the focus of veterinary researchers at a specialized center at the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Faculty and staff contributions move Purdue Veterinary Medicine toward goal for Purdue United Way Campaign

With the 2026 Purdue United Way Campaign in full swing, Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculty and staff participation is advancing the college toward its campaign support goal. At the halfway point of the campaign, figures show the college is nearly halfway to its goal of raising $20,000.

In Memory – Dr. Raymond E. Plue (PU DVM ’68)

The Purdue Veterinary Medicine community is deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. Raymond E. Plue, who was a generous, fun-loving, adventuresome and larger-than-life alumnus. Dr. Plue passed away Saturday, October 10, 2026, in Columbia, Missouri. He was 81.

Annual Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog grows in participation and dollars raised

The numbers are in from the 2026 Dr. Skip Jackson Dog Jog and they paint a beautiful picture of a very successful event, both in terms of the number of human and canine participants and the funds raised for Purdue Veterinary Medicine’s Priority 4 Paws shelter medicine program. Beautiful weather and the enthusiasm of both dogs and runners contributed to the fun and excitement of the annual 5K run/walk, which generated numerous fun photo ops and raised significant funds for a good cause.