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Thursday June 24th 2021
As graduates gather in the grounds of the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater Park before the graduation ceremony, Dean Willie Reed prepares to lead the procession into the amphitheater.
Against the backdrop of the lush Indiana forest on the banks of the Wabash River, Purdue University hosted College of Veterinary Medicine on the 15th of 2021. The ceremony was held at the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater and was a fitting end to a challenging but successful academic year in which teaching one-to-one in strict compliance with the Protect Purdue guidelines for ensuring the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty.
The oath ceremony, commonly held on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, has been relocated to the outdoor venue just 5 miles northeast of campus this year to provide a safe social for graduates and a limited number of guests Allow distancing. The program was accessible to other friends and loved ones remotely via live streaming.
The weather also helped with pleasant temperatures and an overcast but not threatening sky. A total of 385 guests and 33 Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculties and staff attended in person, with approximately 300 watching live online.
Bayli Grubb, BS, RVT, gave the class answer for the Veterinary Nursing Graduates.
Prior to the start of the program, the graduates gathered on the lawn next to the facility, which is located in a 166-acre park, and were then processed into the seating area. “What a good looking group,” said Dean Willie Reed as he opened the program and welcomed everyone to the ceremony. “It is wonderful to be able to hold this event in person after an extremely unusual and challenging academic year in which our PVM family of faculty, staff and students have moved together, and with the help of everyone who is committed to the Protect Purdue Pledge have completed high-quality veterinary training such important personal and practical instruction safely and successfully. For you, the members of our Purdue Veterinary Medicine Class 2021, this was an extraordinary achievement that you will always be remembered for. “
Dean Reed went on to explain that in the more than 60 years since the college opened in 1959, no other class of DVM or Veterinary Nursing students has faced what members of the 2021 class did. “You have all worked together to meet the challenges of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and, in accordance with the Protect Purdue Pledge, have supported your own and the health and safety of others and the community by following hand washing requirements , social distancing, wearing masks and face shields, and disinfecting classrooms, laboratories and clinical areas. Through all of this, you have all done something really amazing by enabling us to recognize today our class of Veterinary Nursing Candidates and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine graduation in 2021. “He added,” If there was ever a time to celebrate then this is it! “
Graduates also heard from several guest speakers, including Dr. Erin Kosta Wilson (PU DVM 2008), President of the Purdue Veterinary Alumni Association; Dr. Hilary Christner, president of the Indiana Veterinary Medical Association; and Crystal Schaeffer, BS, RVT, President-elect of the Indiana Veterinary Technician Association.
Veterinary Nursing Program graduates take the oath of ethical conduct during the PVM graduation ceremony at the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater.
Dean Reed then paid tribute to the graduates of the Veterinary Nursing Program, stating that Purdue University is one of the few select veterinary or technology programs that offer both undergraduate and associate degrees. “The entry point into the animal caretaker’s profession is a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree, which requires completion of a rigorous curriculum accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association,” said Dean Reed. “Students who complete an additional two-year course in which they learn and develop a deeper understanding of veterinary disease, diagnostics, advanced nursing skills and team management skills will earn the Bachelor of Science Veterinary Nurse. These graduates earned the right to be identified by wearing the Purdue University Veterinary Care Pin. “
Next, Dean Reed introduced Bayli Grubb, BS, RVT, of Owensville, Ind., Speaking on behalf of the Veterinary Nursing graduates as the class representative before each of the graduates was individually recognized, starting with the associate degree graduates who either graduated from the on-campus or veterinary nursing distance learning program. Dean Reed noted that associate degrees graduates from AVMA-accredited programs are eligible to become registered veterinary technicians after passing the national veterinary technician exam.
Dr. Edris Grate gave the class answer for the DVM class of 2021.
Dr. Chad Brown, director of the Veterinary Nursing Program, then came to the podium to read the names of each of the Veterinary Nursing graduates as they took the stage to receive their veterinary nursing needle from Jordan Williams, the senior instruction technologist in the veterinary nursing program. After the recognition of the associate degree graduates, Dr. Brown introduced the Matura alumni, noting, “They have worked diligently to gain additional knowledge and understanding in medicine, diagnostics, and therapy that will enable them to fully participate in all parts of the decision-making process for patient care.”
Dean Reed then returned to the podium to introduce Holly McCalip, Instructional Technologist, who was chosen by the Veterinary Nursing students to guide them in reciting the Veterinary Technician Oath. In addition to the graduates, all animal keepers in the audience were invited to stand up and take the oath together.
Dean Reed then approached the Veterinary Doctoral Graduates. Noting that they are following in the footsteps of more than 3,500 DVM alumni who went before them, he said, “As members of the Class of 2021, you are now ready to build on that legacy and again demonstrate that the Purdue University trains the best veterinarians any pet owner can find. “
Dr. Tetyana Sofiychuk from the DVM class of 2021 demonstrated the exuberance of all the graduates after the graduation ceremony at the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater.
Next, Dean Reed introduced Dr. Edris Grate from Baltimore, Maryland, who was chosen by his colleagues to provide the class response. Then Dr. Kathy Salisbury, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, took to the podium to read the names of the members of the newest class of Purdue Vet Graduates as they walked across the stage to be hooded by Dean Reed.
After returning to the podium, Dean Reed said he had one final assignment for the DVM graduates and invited the DVM faculty and any veterinarians in attendance to perform and recite the veterinary oath with the new graduates. He explained that the oath is modeled on the Hippocratic Oath written by Hippocrates to remind those entering human medicine of their responsibilities. “The veterinary oath is a solemn promise to serve the animal kingdom and society,” said Dean Reed.
The Dean concluded the program by reminding the new graduates: “… You always have a place in the Purdue Veterinary Medicine family and I look forward to seeing you often on campus.” A gallery of professional photographs taken during of the event can be viewed and purchased online on the Lausch Photography website. Click here to view the gallery. The gallery password is “21PurdueDVM”.
Author (s):
Purdue Veterinary Medicine News | pvmnews@purdue.edu
