News from the College of Veterinary Medicine
Alumni Affairs Office

Welcome to the CVM e-news for May 2006

COMING SOON

Celebrate with us as the college officially opens Deriso Hall, the new home for Food Animal Reproduction and Medicine Services on Wednesday, May 17 at 4 PM with a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house.  The funds for this new facility were made through a bequest in honor of Dr. Paul Nicoletti who did remarkable work with the cattle industry in the 1960s.

Eighty-eight students will walk across the stage on Saturday, May 27 and be awarded Doctorates of Veterinary Medicine.  The Class of 2006 Commencement starts at 2 PM in the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.  An interesting note about this class:  Liz Yelvington will earn her DVM degree and join her father, John Yelvington, Class of 1981, in the family practice.  Liz is our first legacy graduate.

Aloha!  The college will host an alumni reception during the AVMA conference July 15-19, 2006, Honolulu, Hawaii. The Alumni Reception is scheduled for Sunday, July 16 at 6:30 PM in the Renaissance Ilikai Waikiki, Harbor View Suite.  If you are going to AVMA, stop by and visit with your UF friends and faculty.  For more information, contact Genevieve Perez at perezg@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu or 352-392-4700 x5200.

College Web site has job position bulletin board
Are you looking for a new CVM graduate to join your practice?  Take a look at the Vet Med job position bulletin board on our Web site.  Each Friday, job positions are posted and e-mails are sent to our senior students to advise them of the positions available.  This service is free.  If your practice would like to post an open job position, contact Amy Word at worda@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu. 

CVM Golf Classic raises funds for scholarships
The bond among Gators lasts longer than a lifetime.

The University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine has celebrated the life of former student, Melanie Meador Penn, for more than 10 years after she passed away shortly before her graduation.

The 14th Annual CVM Golf Classic, dedicated to the memory of Penn, was held on April 1 at the Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club. The tournament successfully raised $17,000, and the proceeds benefit the Melanie Meador Penn Memorial Scholarship Fund and college programs. A scholarship in Penn's name has been awarded annually since 2000.

"She was definitely one of those classmates that everybody liked," said Dr. Chris Sanchez, her former laboratory partner from freshman year. Sanchez and the other students from the Class of 1995 dedicated the Golf Classic to Penn in 1996.

We thank our sponsors and all those who participated in the 14th Annual Golf Classic. We hope you will all spend the year practicing your putting and driving skills and join us on the greens for the next tournament!

The Class of 1981 celebrated their 25th anniversary reunion last month. The weekend activities included a reception, tour and refreshments at the college, BBQ, Orange and Blue football game, and Silver Society event.  Classmates who came to UF included, Bob Bloomer, Karl Brock, Karen Davis, John Dee, Wayne Diamond, Lynn Duffy, Richard Dunn, Lucille Gauggel-Cruickshank, Dennis Golden, Shane Henry, Robert Hess, Dale Kaplan-Stein, Jo Moorer, Mike Ponte, Wallace Randell, Lynn Richardson, Kenneth Simmons, Jim Thompson, and Janice Mahler.

We appreciate Dr. Lynn Richardson traveling the furthest (California) to join his classmates.  These alumni were inducted into the Silver Society and received a silver medallion, certificate, and Silver Society pin. The Spring Weekend Reunion and Silver Society is sponsored by the UF Alumni Association.

Alumni Awards
The annual Distinguished Awards recipients will be honored at commencement on May 27, 2006.  This year’s honorees are: Alumni Achievement: Dr. Neil Shaw, Distinguished Service: Dr. Larry Dee, and Special Service: Dr. E.T. York.

Alumni Council Meeting
The Alumni Council met Saturday, April 15, to discuss college affairs.  Meeting minutes will be posted on our web site for your review.

Julio Ibanez, Class of 1980, was named president and Dan Martin, Class of 1986, president-elect. Rich Kane, Class of 1984, is past president.

Tell us what you are doing
We have added a section on our Alumni Affairs Web page called “Tell us what you are doing.”  We are interested in hearing about your present practice, life and more.  We have posted replies on our Web site.

Question of the month:
What advice would you offer to our new graduating doctors?
Reply to CVM.Alumni.Affairs@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu
We will compile these answers and share with our seniors.

Class Reunions
Need help planning a class reunion?  Contact the Alumni Affairs office for assistance. Reunion plans in the works are Class of 1986 and 1996.  Class of 1982, your silver anniversary awaits you next year.

Speaking of legacy, alumni interested in their children attending their alma mater are invited to attend Alumni Legacy seminars.  The seminars focus on the admissions process for freshmen and transfer students. Seminars are intended for all alumni parents, but are especially useful for parents with children in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades.  The Alumni Association offers these seminars around the state.  If you are interested in this information, contact the Alumni Association.

For more information about these programs and how to join the UF Alumni Association, go to www.ufalumni.ufl.edu.

For more information on other activities at the College of Veterinary Medicine, see our Alumni Affairs Web site at www.vetmed.ufl.edu/alumni

Zoë Haynes
Senior Director of Development and Alumni Affairs
haynesz@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu

Jo Ann Winn
Special Events Coordinator
winnj@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu

CVM
2015 SW 16th Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32608