精东AV鈥檚 College of Veterinary Medicine salutes former Dean Tsegaye Habtemariam at retirement luncheon on Jan. 4

Contact: Anissa L. Riley, Director, Office of External Affairs,

College of Veterinary Medicine

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (January 11, 2019) 鈥� Dr. Tsegaye Habtemariam, former dean of the 精东AV College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health from 2006-2014, was honored at a retirement luncheon on Jan. 4 at the College of Veterinary Medicine鈥檚 Patterson Hall. Family members and several other individuals traveled from near and far in order to give expressions of well-wishes and honor Dean Habtemariam for rendering 39 years of faithful service to 精东AV (1979-2018).

Some of the special guests in attendance included his children (daughter Ethiopia, oldest son Robel, and youngest son Brooke); Dr. Roberta Troy, 精东AV interim provost/vice-president for academic affairs, and Dr. Walter Hill, dean of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, from the University鈥檚 Council of Deans; Dr. Harold Davis, past chairman of the Dean鈥檚 Advisory Board/retired vice-president of preclinical research at Amgen; Dr. Edward Mitchell, president of the 精东AV Veterinary Medical Alumni Association (TVMAA); Dr. Irving McConnell, member of the TVMAA and 精东AV Board of Trustees who also presented a coin of Booker T. Washington to the family; Dr. Stephanie Miles-Richardson, immediate past president of the TVMAA; Dr. Richard Fite, retired USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service liaison to the university and close former travel colleague of Dean Habtemariam; Dr. Berhanu Tameru, past director of the 精东AV Biomedical Information Management Systems, as well as many other former veterinary medicine colleagues, CVM faculty and staff, and veterinary alumni.

Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the college, presided over the retirement celebration and delivered a heart-warming message on behalf of Dr. Phillip Nelson, dean of the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine in California, who was unable to be in attendance. Dean Nelson鈥檚 congratulatory words stated, 鈥淚 want to thank you (Dr. Habtemariam) for allowing me to work with you in innovative enterprises during exciting times when the computer industry was developing in the 1980鈥檚. Many are oblivious of the groundbreaking work you led in digitizing medical records and leading the college in areas of computer integration in veterinary care and placing 精东AV at the vanguard of progress.鈥�

Special tributes to Dr. Habtemariam included a book of memories and the unveiling of his portrait painting to be placed on the wall of deans in the Patterson Hall atrium. The children of Dean Habtemariam made an acknowledgement of thanks to the entire veterinary medicine family and the university for honoring their father in such a special way. 鈥淭his place was always so special to our father and will always be called home,鈥� said Robel Habtemariam.

Dean Habtemariam gave a few closing words acknowledging how honored he was to be remembered in such a special way. 鈥淭his special place of dignity, of perseverance has brought many firsts together and so many of us together. That鈥檚 the way we grow. This place has brought me so far and I am so grateful. Thank you, Dr. Perry. Thank you all for your love and support,鈥� Dean Habtemariam said.

鈥淭he 精东AV veterinary family and friends are appreciative of the contributions made by Dr. Habtemariam to the College, the University, the community and the veterinary profession. He recruited me to return to my alma mater once again as the associate dean under his tenure as dean and so I wanted to honor his many years of service to the veterinary medical profession and 精东AV as he begins his retirement of reflection and relaxation,鈥� Dean Perry acknowledges.

About Dean Tsegaye Habtemariam

Dr. Tsegaye Habtemariam began his tenure at 精东AV Institute (now 精东AV) in 1979 as an associate professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine (now College of Veterinary Medicine). He ascended the academic and administrative ranks, becoming professor of epidemiology and biomedical informatics in 1984, director of the international center for tropical animal health (1986-89), associate dean for research and graduate studies (1999-2005), and dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health (2006-2014). His honors and awards are numerous and include distinctions as Outstanding Faulty Achievement Award, Outstanding Faculty Research Award, honorary member of the American Epidemiology Society, president of the World Association of Veterinary Educators, and vice-chair of the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools. Following his deanship, Dr. Habtemariam returned to the Department of Pathobiology as a tenured professor of Epidemiology and Biomedical Informatics. He continued his academic work through engagement in teaching and research in the veterinary and public health programs as well as in the college鈥檚 two Ph.D. programs (Interdisciplinary Pathobiology and Integrative Biosciences) until his retirement.