September 28, 2021
Contact:
Kawana McGough, Communications, Public Relations and Marketing Bureau
Anissa Riley, College of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. David Brooks presents a gift from Lumbee Veterinarians to Dean Perry.
Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) announced that Alumnus Dr. David E. Brooks and the Lumbee Veterinarians in honor of the college’s pioneer, Dr. Ellis Madison Hall, received a gift of $ 5,000.
The gift from Brooks, a 1978 alumnus, is to advance the heritage and mission of the college on behalf of the Lumbee Veterinarians.
“Words will never express the gratitude I have for Dr. Hall, who I will always consider one of my role models in the veterinary industry and the father of Lumbee vets, ”said Brooks.
“Not only has he changed my background, but has also changed the path of many Lumbee Indians in this nation by introducing the world of veterinary medicine and the vast opportunities in the veterinary profession. His guidance enabled me to successfully obtain a DVM and open a clinical practice, ”he continued.
Additionally, the Lumbee and Brooks tribute to TUCVM is particularly significant as Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the college, regards Hall as her mentor and credits him for introducing her to the field of veterinary radiology.
“The death of Dr. Hall was the loss of another giant who shaped the lives of so many Tuskegee University veterinary graduates. Dr. Hall was a remarkable man and an excellent teacher. He was especially noted by everyone who knew and loved him because of his philosophy of life, “Remain in the will of his Master and do the right thing,” emphasized Perry.
The late Dr. Ellis M. Hall is a 1956 alumnus, first African American veterinary radiologist, professor emeritus, and retired faculty member, credited as the “Father of Lumbee Vets” for his efforts to serve the Lumbee Indians. Hall’s 1973 recruiting trip to Pembroke State University enabled Indian Lumbee students to be accepted into the Tuskegee University Veterinary School, where Brooks was among the chosen ones.
Brooks is also considered a pioneer, being the first Lumbee Indian and the first and only Lumbee Indian to own and operate a clinical veterinary practice for over ten years. Brooks is a co-founder and main donor of the Dr. Ellis Hall Fellowship for Native Americans at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University (endowed since 2005).
History of Lumbee Vets:
- Dr. Davis E. Brooks, Tuskegee University class, 1978
- Dr. Curt Locklear, Jr., Tuskegee University class from 1979
- Dr. Michael Deese, Tuskegee University class from 1989
- Dr. Terry Clark, Tuskegee University class from 1989
- Dr. Jacqueline Locklear, North Carolina State University, born in 1990
- Dr. Lora Cummings, North Carolina State University, born 1999
- Dr. Sonya M. Chavis, North Carolina State University, born 2013
- Dr. Melissa Chavis, Tuskegee University class of 2014
- Dr. Isaac Martinez, Tuskegee University Class of 2016
- Dr. Ben Mitchell, Tuskegee University class 2017
- Dr. Sarah Oxendine, North Carolina State University, born in 2017
- Dr. Jana Hunt, Tuskegee University Class of 2018
- Dr. Taylor Locklear, North Carolina State University, born in 2020
- Dr. Austin M. Deese, Tuskegee University, born 2021
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