Each spring, the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine honors the alumni, faculty, and staff of our community who were bestowed internal and external awards and distinctions. The 2024 award recipients are listed below.
Alumni Awards
Dr. Benjamin H. Colmery III - Distinguished DVM Alumni Award, Practitioner: This award goes to an individual who has distinguished himself or herself in practice for a sustained period of time and who has added great value to the veterinary community through excellence in practice, exemplary professionalism, and outstanding service.
Dr. Richard Kociba & Dr. Albert Ramudo - Distinguished DVM Alumni Award, Non-Practitioner: This award goes to an individual who similarly has excelled in public practice with government, corporate, military, or academic entities and added significant value to the profession and to his or her organization.
Dr. Howard D. Stowe - Distinguished DVM Alumni Award, Postdoctoral: This award goes to an individual who has either received a master’s degree or a doctor of philosophy degree under the direction of a member of the College’s faculty or completed an internship or residency program at the College.
Dr. Elizabeth Carr - Honorary Alumni Award: This award goes to non-alumni member of the College community who has been both distinctive and distinguished in one or more of the College’s mission areas—teaching, research, or service. In recognition of sustained excellence and the great credit this person has brought to Michigan State University, the College officially names him or her an honorary alumnus.
Jennifer Ottney - Distinguished Veterinary Nursing Alumni Award: The recipient of the Distinguished Veterinary Nursing Alumni Award has received a Bachelor of Science degree in Veterinary Technology/Nursing or a Certificate of Completion in Veterinary Technology/Nursing from the College, and has excelled in practice, teaching, research, service, or organized veterinary medicine.
Staff and Faculty Awards
CVM Veterinary Nursing Award
Donna Averill
CVM Excellence in Clinical Service Award
Dr. Ashley VanderBroek
CVM Excellence in Diagnostic Service Staff Award
Justin Zyskowski
CVM Excellence in Diagnostic Service Faculty Award
Dr. Rinosh Mani
Krehbiel Distinguished Staff Award
Ryan Lewandowski
CVM Unsung Hero Award
Niesa Kettler
CVM Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award
Dr. Harry Cridge
Zoetis Teaching Award
Dr. Julie Starchota
Retirees
These are the staff and faculty who have most recently retired. We wish them the happiest retirements!
- Beth Lannon, Nurse, Veterinary Medical Center
- Debra Eifert, Animal Caretaker, Veterinary Medical Center
- Kari Fox, Health Information Technician, Veterinary Medical Center
- Elizabeth Casby, Secretary, Development and Alumni Relations
- Jeffery Gandy, Research Assistant, Large Animal Clinical Sciences
- Dr. Elizabeth Carr, Professor, Large Animal Clinical Sciences
- Dr. Janice Swanson, Professor, Animal Science and Large Animal Clinical Sciences
- Dr. Scott Fitzgerald, Professor, Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation
- Malgorzata Johnson, Laboratory Technologist Manager, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
- Dr. Steven Bolin, Professor, Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation
- Dr. Richard M. ("Mick") Fulton, Professor, Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation
- Dr. Suzanne Lang, Associate Dean and Professor
View last year's honorees here.
If you would like to view the recorded livestream of the ceremony, click below.