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Friday, May 21, 2021
As the graduates gather in the grounds of the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater Park ahead of the graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 15, Dean Reed prepares to lead the procession into the amphitheater.
Against the backdrop of lush Indiana forests on the banks of the Wabash River, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine hosted a carefully planned and orchestrated personal oath ceremony on Saturday afternoon, May 15, to recognize the veterinary medicine graduates and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine The ceremony took place at Tippecanoe County Amphitheater and was a fitting end to a challenging but successful academic year in which personal instruction was conducted in strict accordance with Protect Purdue guidelines to ensure the health and safety of students, staff and faculty.
The oath ceremony, commonly held on the Purdue University campus in West Lafayette, Indiana, was relocated to an outdoor venue just five miles northeast of campus this year to provide safe social distancing for graduates and a limited number of guests enable. The program was remotely accessible to other friends and relatives via live streaming.
The weather helped too, with pleasant temperatures and cloudy but not threatening skies. A total of 385 guests and 33 Purdue Veterinary Medicine faculties and staff attended in person, with 300 watching live online.
Bayli Grubb, BS, RVT, gave the class answer for the veterinary medicine graduates.
Before the program began, the graduates gathered on the lawn next to the facility, which is located on 166 acre park, and were then made 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 faculties, staff and students came together. have safely and successfully completed the personal and hands-on instruction essential to high quality veterinary education. For you, the members of our Purdue Veterinary Medicine Class of 2021, this has been an extraordinary accomplishment that you will always remember. “
Dean Reed stated that in the more than 60 years since the college opened in 1959, no other class of DVM or Veterinary Nursing student has faced what the 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 health and safety, and that of the community, by following the requirements for Hand washing, social distancing, wearing masks and face shields, and disinfecting class, laboratory and clinical areas. Through all of this, you have all done something truly amazing in enabling us to recognize our candidates’ degrees for the 2021 Veterinary Nursing and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine class today. “He added,” If ever there was time to celebrate, 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 recite the oath of ethical conduct during the PVM graduation ceremony at the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater.
Dean Reed then moved on to the part of the ceremony when the Veterinary Nursing Program graduates were recognized by stating that Purdue University is one of the few select Veterinary Nursing or Technology programs that offer both undergraduate and associate degrees. “Entry into the veterinary nursing profession is a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree, which requires a rigorous curriculum accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association,” said Dean Reed. “Students who complete an additional two-year training 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 have earned the right to be identified by wearing the Purdue University Veterinary Nursing pin that they receive when they come on stage, as their names are called. “
Dean Reed next introduced Bayli Grubb, BS, RVT, of Owensville, Indiana, speaking on behalf of the veterinary medicine graduates as class responders before each of the graduates was recognized individually, starting with the associate degree graduates who both completed the on-campus program or the Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning Program. Dean Reed noted that after passing the national veterinary technician exam, graduates of AVMA accredited programs are eligible to become registered veterinary technicians.
Dr. Edris Grate gave the class answer for the DVM class of 2021.
Dr. Chad Brown, director of the Veterinary Nursing Program, then came on the podium to read the names of all of the Veterinary Nursing graduates as they came on stage to receive their veterinary nursing pen from Jordan Williams, Senior Instructional Technologist at the Veterinary Nursing Program. After the associate degree graduates were recognized, Dr. Brown introduced the high school graduates, noting, “They have worked diligently to acquire the additional knowledge and understanding of medicine, diagnostics, and therapeutics 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, Educational Technologist, who was chosen by the veterinary medicine students to guide them in reciting the veterinary technician’s oath. In addition to the graduates, all of the veterinarians in the audience were invited to stand up and recite the oath.
Dean Reed then approached the Graduates of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program. Finding they are following in the footsteps of more than 3,500 DVM alumni who have gone before them, he said, “Now, as members of the Class of 2021, you are ready to build on this legacy and demonstrate again, that Purdue University trains the best veterinarians a pet owner can find. “
Next, Dean Reed introduced Dr. Edris Grate of Baltimore, Md., Vor who was chosen by his peers to provide the class answer. Then Dr. Kathy Salisbury, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, took to the podium to read the names of all the members of the newest class of Purdue veterinary graduates as they walked across the stage to be under cover by Dean Reed.
Dr. Tetyana Sofiychuk of the DVM class of 2021 demonstrates the exuberance that all graduates feel after graduation at the Tippecanoe County Amphitheater.
Upon returning to the podium, Dean Reed said he had one final assignment for the DVM graduates and invited the DVM faculty and all of the veterinarians in attendance to join the new graduates in reciting the vets’ oath, modeled on the Hippocratic one Oath written by Hippocrates to remind those entering human medicine of their responsibilities. “The vets oath is a solemn promise to serve the animal kingdom and society,” said Dean Reed.
The Dean closed 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 on campus often.”
Special thanks go to the planning committee for the graduation ceremony of Dr. Jim Weisman, Amanda Taylor, Pam Phegley and Susan Xioufaridou and the following volunteers who helped with the ceremony: Mattison Floyd, Ashli Selke, Holly McCalip, Tanya Finkbiner, Josh Clark, Ben Shepard, Rebecca Hoffman, Deb Burrow, Carol Zink, Megan Brashear, Jeannine Henry, Jennifer Smith, Tami Lind and Dr. Sanjeev Narayanan.
A gallery of a selection of photos from the graduation ceremony is being prepared and information on how to access it will be provided at a later date.
Author:
Susan Xioufaridou and Kevin Doerr | pvmnews@purdue.edu
