Celebrating the art of veterinary excellence, faculty honored at VMCVM awards
Crab cakes, camaraderie, and calls to faculty unable to attend due to teaching and other commitments – the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine's annual Faculty Awards Ceremony balanced formal recognition with spontaneous moments of connection.
As Dean Dan Givens put it while kicking off the celebration, "The greatest asset of our college is our people," and during this special gathering, the extraordinary accomplishments of these dedicated professionals took center stage.
The ceremony showcased not just what these veterinary professionals achieve but who they are at heart – educators so dedicated they couldn't step away from teaching, researchers transforming animal health, and innovators whose work crosses from laboratory to real-world application.
Students select their champions
Each graduating class had their say in honoring faculty who made the greatest impact on their learning journey:
Toshitsugu Ishihara (Anesthesiology) earned the Class of 2025's appreciation for creating what students called "a positive, welcoming environment" – turning even the intimidating subject of anesthesia into an engaging learning experience.
Bobbi Conner (Emergency and Critical Care) won hearts in the Class of 2026 with her dynamic teaching, extra Zoom sessions, and wealth of resources that transformed complex emergency medicine concepts into accessible knowledge.
In one of the ceremony's most genuine moments, Dean Givens called Sherrie Clark during the event, connecting her live while she was teaching a lab. "I apologize sincerely for interrupting your class," Givens told her students, "but sometimes it's great for individuals to understand the outstanding individual before them." Clark, honored by the Class of 2027, couldn't attend because she was doing what she does best – teaching.
Similarly, Jessica Gilbertie, celebrated by the first-year Class of 2028, joined by phone just days after giving birth. "Thank you so much," she told the gathered crowd. "I've only been here for almost a year now, and you were very welcoming. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching you and am excited to teach you in the years to come."
Breaking new ground
The research front saw Kylene Kehn-Hall receive the 2025 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence. As Director of the Center for Emerging, Zoonotic, and Arthropod-borne Pathogens, her work on potentially devastating viruses has secured over $30 million in funding and produced 19 publications in just three years.
Innovation took center stage with Jessica Gilbertie's Grant Turnwald Innovation Award for developing BIO-PLY™, a novel treatment that disrupts bacterial biofilms while boosting immune response. Her breakthrough research has already launched a biotechnology company, Qentoros Inc., showing how academic research can quickly translate to real-world solutions.
Teaching that transforms
Giulio Menciotti earned the Dean's Teaching Award for his talent in breaking down complex cardiovascular concepts for veterinary students. Whether explaining ECG interpretation or guiding echo imaging, he consistently makes advanced cardiac medicine accessible.
Natalia Strandberg also received a Dean's Teaching Award for her remarkable ability to simplify difficult concepts in clinical pathology. Students particularly praised her legendary "acid base for dummies" lecture as a turning point in understanding a notoriously challenging topic.
Virginia Tech recognized Michael Nappier (Community Practice) and Lauren Trager-Burns (Equine Sports Medicine) with Certificates of Teaching Excellence. Nappier's "hands-on, minds-on" philosophy and Trager-Burns' technique of "bringing the clinic to the classroom" exemplify innovative approaches to veterinary education.
Service beyond expectations
Some faculty demonstrated excellence across multiple domains:
Roger Ramirez-Barrios earned both the Dean's Professional Award and the Zoetis Distinguished Teaching Award – a rare double honor reflecting his contributions to parasitology diagnostics and education. His escape room-style learning sessions and AI-assisted diagnostics have modernized parasitology education while his clinical work has significantly increased diagnostic caseloads.
Patrick Wolak
The administrative side got well-deserved recognition when Patrick Wolak, hospital administrator at the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, received the Dean's Administrative Award. Though unable to attend, he joined by phone as colleagues praised his 19 years of service and leadership in improving workplace culture.
Garry Morgan II received the College of Veterinary Medicine Outreach Award for revitalizing student engagement initiatives and developing innovative programs that strengthen leadership capacity across the college.
