East Lansing, MI —The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine extends congratulations to Dr. Jennifer Thomas, recipient of the 2011 Education Award from the American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology (ASVCP). The award was presented at the 2012 ASVCP Business Meeting in Seattle, Washington.

The ASVCP Education Award recognizes one outstanding educator each year for contributions to the education and mentorship of future veterinarians and pathologists, continuing education of practitioners, and creation of teaching materials for veterinary medical education.

Dr. Thomas is associate professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation (PDI) and serves as section chief of Clinical Pathology as well as graduate training program coordinator. She joined the MSU CVM faculty in 2002 and from 2006-2009 she served as acting chairperson for PDI. Dr. Thomas received her DVM from MSU in 1981 and returned to complete her residency and PhD after practicing small animal medicine for three years. She joined the faculty at Texas A&M in 1991, where she worked to improve the residency program and the professional curriculum. She also served as the director of the Clinical Pathology Laboratory at Texas A&M.

In addition to her significant administrative contributions, Dr. Thomas has dedicated a tremendous amount of her time to teaching. Since 1992, Dr. Thomas has lectured extensively in more than 15 courses in the CVM professional veterinary, graduate, and undergraduate curricula. Her commitment to effective pedagogy has included constructing online resources for courses, computer modules, and developing techniques for enhancing veterinary integrative problem solving.

Thomas is described as a consummate researcher, teacher, mentor, and colleague. According to one colleague, “Jenny's incredible intellect, tireless efforts, and diverse activities have had a wide impact on the veterinary profession and the specialty of clinical pathology." Former students, many of whom are now leaders in their fields, say, “Without her devotion to education and mentorship, there is a distinct possibility that I and many others would not be where we are today.”

Thomas’ colleagues on the Executive Board and the Education Committee of the ASCVP said, “Without question, Dr. Jennifer S. Thomas is extremely deserving of this award. We wish to thank and recognize her for outstanding service to our professional community.”

Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, a world-renowned institute of veterinary education, strives to develop a diverse academic community that fosters scholarly activity and encourages exemplary human qualities. The College imparts the art and science of veterinary medicine to its students, which is expanded by research, and extended to the public for the benefit of animal and human health. With more than 100 years of teaching excellence, CVM continues to prepare leaders, life-savers, and world changers to meet the challenges of Michigan, the nation, and the world.

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