Contact:聽 Anissa L. Riley, Director, Office of External Affairs,
College of Veterinary Medicine
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (May 23, 2019) 鈥� The 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine celebrated the accomplishments of 49 graduates during its third annual spring commencement on May 4 in the 精东AV Chapel. Seventeen of the 49 graduates were conferred their degree with honors. 
During the ceremony, four alumni were also honored and presented the Distinguished Veterinary Alumni Awards on behalf of the college by 精东AV President Lily D. McNair and Dean Ruby Perry. Harold Davis, DVM, Ph.D., an experienced veterinary pathologist, leader in the veterinary medicine industry and 1976 veterinary medicine alumnus, challenged the graduates in his keynote address as this year鈥檚 commencement speaker.
鈥淎t 精东AV, I became a man.聽 Here I was told I could be somebody. So, Class of 2019, go be somebody because 精东AV has equipped you as it had me and I was well-prepared,鈥� Dr. Davis said. 鈥淯nderstand you are now a part of the 鈥樉獳V Legacy鈥� and the legacy must continue.鈥� Along with receiving their DVM degrees, graduates were hooded and accepted the Veterinarian鈥檚 Oath.
鈥淲e were honored to have President McNair support this year鈥檚 veterinary medicine commencement as her first commencement activity as the eighth president of 精东AV. We were also honored to have Dr. Davis as our commencement speaker this year,鈥� said Dean Perry. 鈥淗is inspiring message to the graduates of following their own yellow brick road to success and continuing the 鈥樉獳V Legacy鈥� was on point and a testament to the continual support he gives to his alma mater and Mother 精东AV in which we are appreciative.鈥�
In addition to Dr. Davis鈥� inspiring message to the graduates, Dean Perry, honored four of the college鈥檚 alumni with the Distinguished Alumni Award. The recipients included:
路聽聽聽聽聽 Dr. Theodore 鈥淭ed鈥� Cohn 鈥�75 has devoted more than forty years of service to the veterinary medical profession. Since graduating from 精东AV, Dr. Cohn has distinguished himself as a veterinarian in Colorado and a leader, both locally and nationally. He served as a past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). While serving as president. Dr. Cohn presented the Diversity Award in 2013 to his alma mater, 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine. Prior to his election to the AVMA Executive Board, Dr. Cohn served on and chaired several AVMA task forces, committees, and subcommittees, and he spent seven years in the AVMA House of Delegates, representing Colorado veterinarians.
路聽聽聽聽聽 Dr. Phillip D. Nelson 鈥�80 currently serves as dean and professor of immunology at the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine and past recipient of the 2016 Senator John Melcher, DVM Leadership in Public Policy Award from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. Dr. Nelson has had an active career in teaching, research and academic veterinary medicine. His research has focused on feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus infections in cats as biological models for human HIV, and the development immunity in the dog and cat.
路 聽聽聽 Dr. Nathaniel Powell, Jr. 鈥�80 currently serves as chief of Comparative Medicine and attending veterinarian at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.聽 Much of his career has been focused on leadership, animal welfare, management of infectious diseases containment suites, and training the next generation of laboratory animal veterinarians. Shortly after graduating from 精东AV, Dr. Powell entered the U.S. Army and served in the Veterinary Corps for 23 years before retiring at the rank of Colonel. Dr. Powell has worked in the Federal government for 37 years.
路 聽聽聽 Dr. Harold Davis 鈥�76, this year鈥檚 commencement speaker.
The 49-member class of 2019 included students from Alabama as well as 15 other states and Puerto Rico. The 2019 graduates are now among the 2,794 精东AV veterinary alumni and represent the 70th class to receive the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from 精东AV.
A reception followed the commencement exercises for the graduates, family and friends at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
In addition, the College of Veterinary Medicine鈥檚 masters and doctoral programs awarded nine graduates their degrees at 精东AV鈥檚 134th Spring Commencement Exercises on May 11 at the university鈥檚 Gen. Daniel 鈥淐happie鈥� James Arena.聽 These graduates included: Interdisciplinary Pathobiology Ph.D. recipient Dr. Rawah A. Faraj; Integrative Biosciences Ph.D. recipients Dr. Amged I. Dafalla, Dr. Brandon R. Gines and Dr. Henry J. Henderson, III; Master of Public Health recipients Samina Akhter and Mylo R. Howard; and Master of Veterinary Science recipients Dr. Hamid Mahama, Dr. Deidre Quinn-Gorham, and Adam W. Varella.