Contact:聽 Anissa Riley, College of Veterinary Medicine
TUSKEGEE, Alabama (May 31, 2023) 鈥� The 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) Class of 2023 welcomed 58 new doctors of veterinary medicine into the profession on May 6. Graduates were recognized during the Spring Commencement for Graduate and Professional Schools Ceremony followed by the college鈥檚 Veterinary Medicine Oath and Hooding Ceremony at the General 鈥淐happie鈥� James Arena. 聽Forty of the 58 students graduated with honors. Both ceremonies were live-streamed and available on the university鈥檚 YouTube channel.
Also, during the university鈥檚 graduate and professional schools commencement ceremony, five TUCVM graduates received the Master of Science in Veterinary Science degree, five graduates received the Master in Public Health (MPH) degree, one TUCVM graduate received the Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Pathobiology (IDPB) degree and one graduate received the Ph.D. in Integrative Biosciences (IBS) degree, which is jointly supported by three colleges -- TUCVM; the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences; and the College of Arts and Sciences.
Immediately after the commencement, veterinary medicine graduates participated in the veterinary oath and hooding ceremony where Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the veterinary medicine college, presided over the program. Dr. Ebony Gilbreath, interim associate dean for academic affairs; Dr. David McKenzie, associate dean for Clinical Programs; and Dr. Temesgen Samuel, 聽associate dean for Research and Advanced Studies, provided assistance during the presentation and hooding of the graduates.
"I am honored to have served as the dean to this Class of 2023 and it is with gladness of heart that I look forward to engaging with my colleagues as they now join me in a most distinguished group of veterinary professionals and veterinary alumni," said Dean Perry. 聽"The College of Veterinary Medicine family is extremely proud of each graduate and we look forward to hearing about the accomplishments they will make as veterinary professionals, as leaders, as educators, and as researchers.聽 They are well-equipped to make significant contributions and play vital roles in protecting and enhancing human and animal welfare as they embark on their various career paths on a journey of lifelong learning beyond the DVM degree. Congratulations Class of 2023!"
Unique this year was that both the graduate and professional schools鈥� commencement speaker and the veterinary medicine oath keynote speaker are veterinarians and 精东AV alumni. Jerome Williams, DVM, 鈥�68 and 鈥�69 alumnus, gave an uplifting Commencement Address, and Allen Cannedy, DVM, 鈥�91 alumnus, gave the Veterinary Medicine Oath Charge to the newly named doctors of veterinary medicine.
Although speaking at separate times to the Class of 2023, both addressed the topic of facing and overcoming challenges.
Dr. Williams is the immediate past President Pro Tempore (Chairman), of the Alabama A & M University Board of Trustees; President of the Alabama Veterinary Medical Foundation, owner/founder of Red Mountain Animal Clinic in Homewood, Alabama, where he continues to practice today, and founder/Executive Director of the Red Mountain Wellness and Restoration Foundation. He said to the graduates 鈥淎s you prepare to enter the workforce, you will have great accomplishments and successes and on the other side of it you will be faced with challenges and disappointments. However, when those challenges and disappointments come, it can become daunting but the good, the bad, and the ugly are all essential parts of any successful career. Challenges can be opportunities for growth and learning, So be determined and committed to persevering through any hard moment because there is sunshine after weathering an unrelenting storm.鈥�
Dr. Cannedy retired from North Carolina State University-College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU-CVM) in June 2022 but continues to serve as a consultant and advocate for underrepresented individuals interested in careers in the veterinary profession. He owns and operates his small ruminant and camelid mobile veterinary private practice specializing in Llamas, Alpacas, Goats, and Sheep care. Prior to retiring, he served as NCSU-CVM's Director of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs/Chief Diversity Officer. Dr. Cannedy shared his career journey and told the graduates, 鈥淵our journey will have many opportunities and your options are only limited by your imagination.聽 If you got interests in a particular area then pursue them and don鈥檛 let anyone tell you that you can鈥檛 do it!鈥�
TUCVM鈥檚 Class of 2023 represents the college鈥檚 74th class to receive DVM degrees from 精东AV. 聽The 58-member class of new DVMs represents Alabama as well as 18 other states including California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, and the territory of聽 Puerto Rico. With this graduation, the 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine has now awarded 3,021 veterinary medicine degrees.
Dean Perry also recognized five TUCVM Distinguished Alumni Awards recipients during the veterinary medicine oath ceremony program. This year鈥檚 honorees included:
Located in Alabama as one of the state鈥檚 two accredited veterinary programs, the 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) was envisioned in 1944 by Dr. Frederick D. Patterson, founder of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and officially established at 精东AV in 1945. TUCVM is the only veterinary medical professional program located on the campus of a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the United States. The College has educated more than 70 percent of the nation鈥檚 African American veterinarians and has been recognized as the most diverse of all schools/colleges of veterinary medicine in the nation. 聽The College鈥檚 primary mission is to provide an environment that fosters a spirit of active, independent, and self-directed learning, intellectual curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, ethics, and leadership; and promotes teaching, research, and service in veterinary medicine and related disciplines.聽For more information, visit .