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Letter from the Dean Letter from the Editor Reunion Recap Colleen Hegg – Interim Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies Alumni Award Recipients Companion Animal Theriogenology Service Brian Petroff - Interim Director of the VDL Home
Preserving Institutional Memory: Krehbiel and Derksen Publish MSU CVM History Book Leading the Leaders: An Interview with Three DVM Class Presidents
Problem-solving and Tetris: Everything You Didn’t Know About Shelter Medicine Relief Veterinarians Keep Mackinac Island Horses Moving
Fulbright Trip Advances Glaucoma Therapy, Opens Doors for Alzheimer’s Research Dr. Jane Manfredi Looks Ahead as New McPhail Dressage Chair $1 million NIFA – IDEAS grant to Transform Pig Husbandry with Artificial Intelligence
Testing During an Outbreak: The MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory’s True Team Effort Climbing to the Top and Earning Recognition for Academic Excellence
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Greetings, CVM Community —

In my previous role as director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, I had the privilege of seeing countless examples of our community living out the College’s mission. Now, as dean of the College, I have the chance to witness an even broader range of ways that faculty, staff, students, and alumni are bringing our mission to life. One of the best parts of stepping into this new role has been the opportunity to support talented Spartans who:

Learn

Within each class of veterinary students, a few exceptional individuals stand out as the people the rest of the class can turn to for guidance and support. While our class presidents can occasionally face unique challenges, they are also presented with unique opportunities. Good leadership has been on my mind quite a bit these past few months as I stepped into my role as dean of the College. As I take on this exciting new adventure, I also have taken time to reflect on the legacy of our College, which Dr. Janver Krehbiel and the late Dr. Frederik Derksen have documented in their newly published book, A History of MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

Discover

This issue celebrates three faculty members who have truly excelled in discovery: András Komáromy, a professor of comparative ophthalmology, has received a Senior Scholars Fulbright award to conduct glaucoma research in collaboration with experts at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Jane Manfredi has been appointed to the Mary Anne McPhail Dressage Chair in Equine Sports Medicine, where she will foster research that will enhance the soundness of sport horses. Madonna Benjamin is using artificial intelligence to better understand the feeding patterns of piglets to decrease preweaning mortality and ensure piglet welfare.

Heal

Jennifer Ottney, a 2004 graduate of the veterinary nursing program, has found her passion in the fast-paced nature of shelter medicine. Elsewhere, Drs. Alyssa Connolly and Colleen Turner have learned to embrace a slower-moving environment. As part of the dedicated team of veterinarians on Mackinac Island, Connolly and Turner bike to work every day to care for the horses on the island. With no cars or trucks allowed on Mackinac, the care of these creatures—and the only method of transport on the island—is vital.

Protect

As highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to appear in wild bird populations and other species of wild mammals, our team at the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is responding to the increased demand and requirements for testing. Their quick and accurate work is a testament to their commitment to protecting public health in Michigan and beyond. Meanwhile, John Drenth, a 2023 graduate of the Master of Science in Food Safety degree program, is committed to protecting against a very different threat: seafood fraud. With seafood consumption doubling in the last 50 years, issues with harvesting and production have become evident. Drenth’s investigation into how the United States and the European Union deal with these issues earned him the 2023 Mather Award.

These stories exemplify the myriad of ways that Spartans are advancing our mission. I am so proud of these remarkable individuals within our community—just as

I’m proud of the vibrant network of alumni and friends who stand behind them.

Go Green!

Dean Dodd
Interim Dean Freeman Signature

Kim Dodd, DVM, PhD, MS

Dean,
College of Veterinary Medicine,
Michigan State University