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

Class of 2008 Commencement
The UF CVM Class of 2008 Commencement Ceremony is Saturday, May 24, 2008, at 2 PM in the Curtis H. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. A reception will follow at the Touchdown Terrace Club in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Eighty five new doctors will receive their diplomas and take the Veterinarian’s Oath. This is the 28th class to graduate, bringing the total of alumni to 2,218.

Kevin Fitzgerald, PhD, DVM, is the commencement speaker. Dr. Fitzgerald stars on Animal Planet’s Emergency Vets  program. He practices exotic medicine at Alameda East Animal Hospital in Denver, Colorado.  For more information on Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, see the Animal Planet Web site.

Future Army vet, Greg Reppas, will be commissioned as a major with the US Army Veterinary Corps prior to the commencement ceremony.  Read more about Greg at INSIDE UF

Dr. Dan Martin, chair of the Alumni Council, will present the Distinguished Awards at the Commencement Ceremony. The recipients for 2008 are:

Alumni Achievement – Dr. Rob Boswell, Class of 1985
Distinguished Service – Dr. Cheryl Chrisman, Professor Emeritus
Special Service – Dr. Gary Ellison, SACS Surgery
Outstanding Young Alumni – Dr. Michael Porter, Class of 1998

A complete list of past award recipients is posted on the Alumni Affairs Web site.

Continuing Education Programs
The UF CVM will host two continuing education programs this summer.

CE in the Jungle, a remake of Party in the Jungle, is a continuing education program and a cocktail reception with animals at Jungle Island, Miami.  Veterinarians will receive 6 CE credits for completing this course.  CE in the Jungle will be held Sunday, June 8, 2008 at Jungle Island (formerly known as Parrot Jungle) in Miami.  For more information and registration, see DOCE web site.

Referring Vet Appreciation Day is Saturday, June 28, 2008 at the Hilton, UF Hotel and Conference Center in Gainesville.  The program includes seminars, demonstrations, and the two-hour Florida pharmacy CE requirement.  It will also provide an opportunity to meet and get to know some of CVM’s new faculty and to renew acquaintances with some of the old.

The Florida Fund is Calling You
The CVM spring phone campaign has started calling alumni to let them know what is going on at UF CVM.  Don’t be surprised if a student or faculty member leaves you a message.

The Florida Fund is also the recipient of the Florida License specialty tag fund.  The UF License tag out sells all other college car tags in Florida.  By purchasing a UF License  Gator Nation car tag for an additional $25 each year, this amount is donated to the Florida Fund for undergraduate scholarships.  What a perfect way to give back to your college and students.

UF CVM Career Center
The UF CVM maintains a career center Web site for alumni and new grads seeking jobs.  Hospitals and clinics are also urged to post job opportunities.  It’s a win-win situation.

We receive info quite frequently about clinics for sale.  Of note, Gowen Animal Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida is for sale, as is a clinic in Pinellas County Florida.

More info is posted on the Web site

Graduate students complete degree programs
The UF CVM Office of Research and Graduate Studies announces the following spring graduates:

Two doctoral students successfully defended their dissertations by May 2008:
Kathy Seino, PhD, and Katy Tripp, PhD.

Thesis-based Master of Veterinary Medicine Sciences:  Arthur Wong, MS, and  Abel Ekiri, MS.

Web-based non-thesis Master of Veterinary Medicine Sciences with a concentration in Forensic Toxicology:  Brianne Akins, MS; Katie Ann Duncan, MS; Herman Haring, MS; Thomas Hester, MS; Thomas Ladun, MS; Carolyn Presses, MS; Marc Rumpler, MS; Ada Simon, MS; Elizabeth Smigh, MS; Sharene Young, MS; Candice Krauthauser, MS; and Rahmeh Tadrus, MS.

CLASS OF 1983 25TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION & SILVER SOCIETY
The Class of 1983 celebrated its 25th graduation anniversary with a university-wide event on Saturday, April 12. The celebration included a BBQ, Orange & Blue Scrimmage game, and Silver Society recognition event. 

Photos from the day are posted at Silver Society photo gallery. Vet Med presentation photos are #30-35.

Alumni Council Spring Meeting
The UF College of Veterinary Medicine Alumni Council held its Spring Meeting Saturday, April 26, 2008 at the college.  Meeting minutes will be posted on the college’s Web site soon.

Dean Glen Hoffsis presented the outgoing chair, Dr. Julio Ibáñez, ’80, a recognition plaque for his service.  A letter from Dr. Ibáñez is posted on the alumni affairs Web site.

Dr. Dan Martin, ’98, was selected as the new chair and Dr. Destiny Prezzano, ’05 is chair-elect.
 
The alumni council is composed of 1-2 representatives from each class since 1980.  These class reps are asked to attend two meetings each year and keep college communications going with their classmates.  An alumni council members’ list is posted on the Alumni Affairs Web site.  

The next Alumni Council meeting will be held in conjunction with UF Homecoming weekend October 25, 2008.

Professional Coating Ceremony
The Professional Coating Ceremony for the Class of 2010 was Thursday, May 1, 2008 in the University Auditorium on Campus.  Eighty-nine students received their white clinic coats embroidered with their names and class year.  Many of our alumni and faculty participate as a coat presenter in this important ceremony.

Alumni coat presenters included, Armon Blair, Beverly Brimacomb, Cynda Crawford, Jennifer Day, John J. Dee, John Dyer, Brenda Ernest, Amara Estrada, Patti Gordon, Clinton Greene, Ray Henley, Tim Holloway, Natalie Isaza, Ramiro Isaza, Laurie Jones, Craig Kirk, Erica Lacher, Calvin LeClear, Andrew Mercak, Cheryl Nelson, Becky Nielfeldt, Elizabeth Olson, Molly Pearson, Wallace Randell, Carlos Risco, Richard Sammy, Thomas Sessa, Ray Sujdak, and Ted Yoho.  Thank you for participating in this ceremony~

BEAT THE CATS – BEAT Kentucky
The UF Homecoming Weekend Celebration is October 24 & 25, 2008. UF vs. Kentucky! Hotel information is posted on the vet med homecoming Web site. Get your room reservations in today!  Save the Date postcards will be mailed this summer with registration beginning in September 2008. 

Masters’ and PhD students are also invited to come back for homecoming celebrations.

Several classes are planning reunions for that weekend, too!

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 of 1988 is planning a reunion at the Key Largo Grand Resort July 2008.  Contact Dr. Alexis Sage for more info or visit the Alumni Affairs Web site.

The Class of 1993 is planning a reunion. Contact Dr. Neil Shaw for more info.

The Class of 2003 is planning a reunion.  Contact Dr. Francesca Griffin if you are interested in helping.

UF News

To stay abreast of what’s happening at UF, visit the main Web site www.ufl.edu and click on Inside UF.  Posted May 5, 2008, UF reduces spending by $47 million in response to state budget reductions.

This is a listing of all UF top news stories and news makers, calendar of events and other notables.

Running low on orange and blue?
Are you running low on orange and blue? Don’t have that “get up and go” like you used to?  Join a Gator Club, an affiliate organization of the UF Alumni Association, that connects and engages alumni and friends worldwide. There are nearly 100 gator clubs in the US and several foreign countries.  Gator Clubs host a variety of activities and programs ranging from social gatherings to watch football or basketball games, perform community service projects, host Gator speakers, provide local scholarships to UF students and generally recharge the ole’ Gator battery.

Gator Clubs are located in Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.  Even if you are far away from Gainesville, you can still have an infusion of orange and blue.
 
For more information on a Gator Club in your area, please visit
http://www.ufalumni.ufl.edu/gatorclubs/

Gator Nation Network