Class of 2006

Welcome to the February 2008 CVM alumni e-news, an electronic newsletter designed to keep you up-to-date on college and university alumni activities and news.

HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE SYMPOSIUM
The college will host the 1st Annual Holistic and Integrative Veterinary Medicine Symposium on Sunday, March 30. Continuing credits are offered for all attending veterinarians. The speakers include Dr. Kevin Haussler (equine orthopedics), Dr. Allen Schoen (integrative medicine) and Dr. Hiushing Xie (acupuncture). Registration information is available on-line at www.conferences.dce.ufl.edu/holistic.
This program is sponsored by the student holistic club, Natura Pet Products and Dr. Betsy Coville, '88.

CVM ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE
The annual CVM Open House is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 from 10 AM to 4 PM on our campus. The college opens its doors once a year with to showcase animal exhibits, rescue group info, lectures, equine treadmill demo, vet med stuff for sale – all of this and more! Save this date!

CLASS OF 1983 25TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION & SILVER SOCIETY
The Class of 1983 will celebrate its 25th graduation anniversary with a university-wide event on Saturday, April 12. The celebration includes a BBQ, Orange & Blue Scrimmage game, and Silver Society recognition event. If you are in the class of 1983 and wish to celebrate with your classmates, contact your class rep Dr. Susan Anderson.

College News

PROJECT HEAL PLANS ECUADOR TRIP FOR JULY 2008
Project HEAL (Health Extension And Learning), was established in 1998 by Dr. Traci Krueger, from our college, in connection with the Universidad Central de Quito (Ecuador), to institute a friendship between the Universities, and benefit students and isolated Ecuadorian communities. We are a multi-disciplinary group that includes medical and dental branches in addition to our veterinary group. This year, a group of 10 veterinary students will travel in July to visit remote communities and the Universidad Central de Quito. In these communities, our main objectives are to de-worm dogs, cats, small ruminants, cattle and other species, and to help the communities with basic husbandry techniques. In addition, we will visit and assist with de-worming, blood and intestinal parasite testing and neuters at the Humane Society in Quito. For great pictures and information about the students who are participating please visit our website at: www.vetmed.ufl.edu/clubs/heal.

In the past, Project HEAL received some funding from student government but we are facing the complete elimination of those funds as of next year. We are in need of additional funds to cover the remaining costs of our trip this year and in future years as well as supplies. We are reaching out to you for sponsorship of our trip. Please consider this not only a donation to a valuable cause, but also a chance to enhance the education of the students involved in the project.

Donations can be mailed to Project HEAL VetMed, P.O. Box 105603, Gainesville, FL 32610. Please make checks payable to VetMed HEAL. For more information on Project HEAL, please contact Yayanti Sonday Yayanti@ufl.edu, or Kelly Rice at kelrice@ufl.edu or visit our website. Your charitable donations will be greatly appreciated by the students participating in Project HEAL and the members of the Ecuadorian communities.

ONE HEALTH INITIATIVE STARTS NEWSLETTER
The One Health concept arose from the realization that human health and animal health are inextricably linked and that a holistic approach is needed to understand, to protect, and to promote the health of all species. Whether it is emerging infectious diseases, antibiotic resistance, globalization, natural disasters or climate change, human and veterinary medical communities must work together to successfully combat the serious health threats of the 21st century.

The One Health program has started a monthly newsletter. The newsletter is sponsored by the Florida Department of Health and many of our alumni, faculty and students are involved. The winter issue has contributions from Dr. Tara Anderson, '03, Dr. Lisa Conti, '88, Dr. Mary Echols,’84, Dr. Paul Gibbs, Dr. Danielle Stanek, '89, and Mr. Justin Sobota, '08 and president of the student chapter of the AVMA. To learn more about this initiative, subscribe to the newsletter at onehealth@doh.state.fl.us

VET MED RESEARCH & GRADUATE PROGRAM WELCOMES NEW ALUMNI
The following people completed their non-thesis, thesis and dissertations by December 2007and were awarded their advanced degrees.

Web-based non-thesis Master's in Forensic Toxicology:
Laura Ann Gwinn, Jennifer Leig Hoyer, Werner Wilh Jenkins, Kent Garris Johnson, Monte Alex Kenaston, Margarit Perez-Mena, Lisa M. Pisciotta, and Colleen E Scarneo.

Thesis-based Master’s in Veterinary Medicine Sciences: Alastair Coomer, DVM, MS (and second year resident in SACS) and Kelly Meyer, MS.

These doctoral students successfully defended their dissertations by December 2007:
Hiroaki Kamishina, Ph.D
Sarah Miller, Ph.D
Janelle Novak, Ph.D (completes DVM program May 2008)
Jose Urdaz, DVM, MPh

ALUMNI RECEPTION AT NAVC DRAWS HUGE CROWD
The annual alumni reception during NAVC took in over 200 alumni and their families. The Class of 2006 represented the largest group in attendance. There were babies, newly engaged alumni and lots of new spouses, too! Welcome to our CVM Gator Nation!

Thanks to Dr. Jeff Godwin, '80 and Dr. Paul Jansson, '81 for submitting photos of their gator vets. Photos were used in the annual alumni slide show and are posted on the web site.

The commemorative Tim Tebow Heisman Trophy poster is available at www.gatorzone.com. The posters are free, but limited.

UF CVM HOMECOMING CELEBRATION 2008
Save the Date: UF Homecoming 2008 – October 24 & 25. UF vs. Kentucky! Hotel information is posted on the vetmed homecoming Web site. Get your room reservations in today!

HIMES SCHOLARSHIP GOES OVER $100,000 GOAL
The James Himes Alumni Scholarship Fund is over the $100,000 goal. The announcement was made at the recent UF alumni reception at NAVC in January.

Dr. Link Welborn, Class of 1982, challenged the Vet Med alumni to match the previous gifts in this scholarship fund. The response was tremendous to his plea and gifts are still coming in. Thanks to all alumni who gave to the Himes Scholarship. Make your gift online today.

CLASS REUNIONS
For assistance with planning a class reunion, contact Jo Ann Winn. Reunion details are available at www.vetmed.ufl.edu/alumni.

The Class Representatives for 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998 and 2003 should start talking about class reunions for 2008.

The Class of 1988 is planning a reunion. Contact Dr. Alexis Sage for more info.

UF News

To stay abreast of what’s happening at UF, visit the mail Web site www.ufl.edu and click on Inside UF. This is a listing of all UF top news stories and news makers, calendar of events and other notables.

A Valentine for any Gator

Special edition UF champs tag