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Dr. Cash becomes new Upham Professor

Longtime anatomy professor accepts endowed chair.
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USDA grant supports food systems education

K-State professors join groups at Iowa State and the University of Arkansas
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BCI names beef veterinarian of the year

The Beef Cattle Institute honored the top practitioner at the AABP meeting.
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Helping students ‘see’ how to serve disabled clients

How does our Whispering Garden grow?

Talking in Turkey with Dr. Erickson

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Dr. Walter C. Cash, Manhattan, has been selected as the new recipient of the Dr. Roy Walter Upham Endowed Professorship in Veterinary Medicine. The Dr. Upham professorship was established in 2002, under the Kansas Faculty of Distinction program. It is awarded in the College of Veterinary Medicine to faculty who exemplify senior leadership. This is a three-year appointment and was previously held by Drs. David Biller and Howard Erickson.

Dr. Roy Upham was a native of Junction City, Kan. He graduated from Kansas State College with a doctorate in veterinary medicine in January 1943. He was a member of the track team when he attended K-State. Upham was a lieutenant colonel in the Army Veterinary Corps in the early 1950s and earned a master’s degree in food technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1960. He was the director of Food, Drugs and Dairy for the Illinois Department of Public Health from 1966-1983. He passed away in 1999.

“This is quite an honor,” Dr. Cash said. “I was born after Dr. Upham attended K-State, so I didn’t know him of course, but it is interesting that we both have common backgrounds through K-State and the state of Illinois, where I had previously been in private practice. My hope is to honor his name in educating future veterinarians.”

“Dr. Roy Upham’s vision for the future and love for his profession allowed us to create a professorship that serves as a wonderful role model for our students, colleagues and staff,” said Ralph Richardson, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. “Dr. Cash shares the same vision and respect for the profession as Dr. Upham, so we are quite pleased to announce this professorship to a very deserving educator.”

Dr. Cash was born in Wichita, Kan. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences in 1969, DVM in 1971, and Ph.D. in anatomy/physiology/pathology in 1982, all from K-State. From 1971 until 1974, Dr. Cash was in private veterinary practice in Rockford, Ill. Dr. Cash returned to K-State in 1974 as a temporary instructor, but stayed on, eventually becoming a full professor in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology. Dr. Cash has been a member of more than 15 graduate student committees and has authored or co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Cash has produced more than 20 videotapes used in his anatomy classes and served on many college and university committees.

Dr. Cash has received the Carl J. Norden Distinguished Teaching Award in 1980 and in 2000, Merial Award for Teaching Excellence in the First Year in 2005 and 2009, and Professional Performance Award in 2007. In June 2010, he received the E.R. Frank Award from the College of Veterinary Medicine and the K-State Veterinary Medical Alumni Association.

Dr. Cash is a charter member of the Sigma Chapter of Phi Zeta and a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Gamma Sigma Delta. He is also an active member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Veterinary Anatomists, American Association of Anatomists, World Association of Anatomists, Society for Neuroscience, and the American Association for the Advancement for Science. Dr. Cash and his wife, Trisha, have one daughter: Caitlin.

Dr. Walter Cash, center works with students in his anatomy laboratory. He is the new recipient of the Dr. Roy W. Upham Endowed Professorship in Veterinary Medicine.

Dean Ralph Richardson congratulates Dr. Cash on being chosen as the new Upham Professor at a ceremony in September.

Trisha Cash joins her husband at the ceremony.

Dr. Cash guides students through canine anatomy with a German shepherd in one of his classes.

Why Dr. Cash was selected

Below is a letter from one of Dr. Cash's former students, who provides some amusing anecdotes and insights in supporting Dr. Cash's nomination for the Upham Professorship. This is just one of several letters in support of Dr. Cash. Thanks to Dean Richardson for sharing this letter.

To Whom It May Concern,

I will start by saying that I can’t think of a better person, professor, and friend to award the Roy W. Upham Professorship than Dr. Wally Cash. Being a GREAT professor is not just about what you do in the classroom. It also includes what you do for your students before and after the “bell”, the role model you are at home, and the friend that you are to a student that needs one.

I went to veterinary college at Kansas State University in 2001. Coming from Los Angeles, California, it was not the easiest transition for “the city boy.” I found it difficult to fit in and make good friends, part of which may have been my own fault. Regardless, I am so thankful that I was able to meet Wally my first year.

When I was at KSU, we had what our class called “Wacky Wally Wednesdays.” It started first thing in the morning with anatomy or neurology (I can’t remember which) and by the time the day was over, I think we had five-six hours of Wally’s voice. Talk about hypnosis! No matter how much you like someone, you don’t want to hear them talk for six hours. The problem was that you just couldn’t stop listening. Wally has a tremendous amount of knowledge, and you realize quickly that you don’t want to miss out on what he has to say. I don’t think he was ever unable to answer a question. Then again, I probably wouldn’t have known if he made up the answer. No matter what he says, it sounds intelligent. Some of the jokes were “cheesy”, but when Wally starts laughing at himself, you can’t help laughing along with him. No one can forget that laugh!

In lab, he would use the cadaver juice that was on the table to draw examples of what he was trying to say. He would say, “If you think about it …” and make a picture for you. Why not? It is just another teaching aid, right?

I don’t know if he studies every summer or just doesn’t forget anything, but the man is an amazing teacher. I can’t remember ever needing his help before, during or after school and having him be unavailable. No one at KSU takes more time and has more pride for the students than Wally.

He is also a great husband and father. His life revolved around his family first (the way it should be), but made his students feel like they were first at the same time. He would go to pick up his daughter at school and bring her back to his office so that he could be available to her and his students at the same time. Somehow, it seemed that he had more hours in his day than the rest of us. He was able to be a wonderful teacher and father without ever seeming to fall short at either task.

More important to me, is the friend that Wally was for me during my four years and each year since. I used to drink coffee with him in his office every morning before the first lecture. When I started at KSU, Wally had just recently had his heart attack and was instructed to lose weight and drink less coffee. He was successful at losing the weight, but quickly decided that he would rather die early than quit drinking coffee. On the other hand, he encouraged me to drink the coffee so there would be less left for him to drink. I think that made him feel less guilty about having the full pot sitting there. He watched me start personal relationships as well as end them, and was always there for advice if I needed it. He listened to me when I had problems at home as well as problems at school. I think no matter what type of person you are, Wally is willing to be there for you if you need him. These friends are hard to find. When I got married in 2008, Wally couldn’t be there, but sent a generous gift and a typical Wally card; witty and sincere. It felt as if he was there.

He is a one of a kind and will remain a legend to those of us who were lucky enough to spend time in his classroom, lab and office. Again, I can’t think of a better recipient for this award than Dr. Wally Cash.

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A group of faculty in the CVM has recently been selected to receive part of USDA Higher Education Challenge (HEC) grant for their project, “Food Systems Veterinary Medicine for the 21st Century.” This represents a multi-institutional grant headed by Dr. Scott Hurd at Iowa State University and including the University of Arkansas. Principal investigators at KSU include Drs. David Anderson, Robert Larson and Brad White in the Department of Clinical Sciences. The overall grant is for $331,000, while K-State’s portion is $99,000.

The objective of this project is to develop a new method of teaching concepts of food animal medicine and food safety by changing the framework, curriculum and delivery mechanism of that information. These new methods will transform the mindset and skill set for veterinarian’s tasked with safely feeding the world. Dr. David Anderson, professor and section head of Agricultural Practices, explained that “A continuing and serious shortage of veterinarians to ensure a continuing supply of safe and wholesome food produced in a humane manner exists in the USA. This creates a great need for experts to work in complex farming, food production, and processing systems to help with sustainability, respond to societal changes, and maintain consumer confidence.”

Dr. Anderson explained that veterinarians have an import role in food systems. Veterinarians working in the food-supply chain must understand the implications of decisions throughout the food, environment and public health systems. He said, “By understanding the ‘systems approach’ to problem solving, students will develop a holistic view of the elements and processes working together to produce a desired result.”

HEC grants are administered through the USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. The HEC grants program encourages innovative teaching enhancement projects with the potential for regional or national impact to serve as models for other institutions. While research and extension activities may be included in a funded HEC project, the primary focus must be to improve teaching within a degree-granting program.

“Adding new learning objectives to the veterinary curriculum education is difficult because students are currently overloaded with information” said Dr. Bob Larson, professor in Production Medicine. “Students do not have time available for more courses, labs or rotations. To provide new content without increasing course load, innovative methods in this project are to 1) modify existing food animal topics to provide the current content while imparting the systems methodology and 2) to apply systems engineering teaching and learning principles to veterinary students through partnership with the engineering college.”

Dr. Brad White, associate professor in Production Medicine, added, “One focus of this project is developing materials that provide participating faculty with the tools necessary to implement systems teaching. A trainer will be established at each collaborating university who will work with selected faculty to modify some of their existing lectures. The revised lectures will include the original content while setting the information into systems based examples.”

This HEC grant will be conducted by a team of educators in food animal medicine including Drs. Matt Miesner, Shelie Laflin, Michael Apley and Mike Sanderson. These faculty provide a broad base upon which to build concepts in medicine, production medicine, herd health, pharmacology and reproduction of food animals.

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service administers grants for high priority research, education and extension, awarded on the basis of competition among projects sponsored by eligible institutions throughout the United States, to further the mission of the Department of Agriculture as the lead Federal agency for food and agricultural sciences education. The Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program advances this mission by strengthening and enhancing the nation’s higher education teaching and training programs in the food and agricultural sciences, and by assuring the production of sufficient numbers and quality of graduates to meet the national needs for scientific and professional expertise.

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Dr. Randall Norton is the 2010 recipient of the Beef Cattle Veterinarian of the Year award from the Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

The honor was presented at the 2010 American Association of Bovine Practitioners meeting, Aug. 18-21, at Albuquerque, N.M. Nearly 200 K-State veterinary alumni and students attended.

“It is an honor to see someone of such work ethic and integrity receive an award from our university,” said Dr. Dan Thomson, director of the Beef Cattle Institute.

Dr. Norton is a native of Ness County, where he was raised on the family farm. He attended Fort Hays State University before transferring to K-State to complete his pre-veterinary course work. He graduated from the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1989. He then practiced in Albion, Neb., for a year before returning to the family farm. He opened a mobile veterinary practice while farming with his father.
Dr. Norton married his veterinary school classmate, Dr. Judy Harper, in 1992. They opened Walnut Fork Veterinary Service in 1995 in Utica. Dr. Norton continues to farm, run a beef cow herd and practice veterinary medicine.

As a K-State alum, Dr. Norton has given back to his alma mater. He has served on the interview committee for potential veterinary students at the College of Veterinary Medicine. He has provided many mentorship experiences in his practice to first- and second-year K-State veterinary students.

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Dr. Randall Norton, left, accepts the honor of Beef Cattle Veterinarian of the Year from Dr. Dan Thomson, director of K-State’s Beef Cattle Institute.

A golden retriever sits quietly at the feet of her partner who is sitting in a classroom full of veterinary students. The students are getting a special lesson, not from a veterinarian or a faculty member, but from a client – the woman with the golden retriever.

Toni Eames (pronounced 'aims') has been blind since birth. She and her guide dog, Keebler, are at the head of the classroom. Toni tells students how to work with disabled clients and their assistance dogs.

“The message is the same, disabled people are the same everywhere,” Toni said to Dr. Ronnie Elmore’s class, “Practicing in a Multicultural Society” in September. “Many clients are going to be disabled, so veterinarians need to know how to react to disabled clients and empower them. Know the specific disabilities so you can make the client feel comfortable. Know if the dog is a working dog. Know all about how the dog functions. What a dog does for a living is very important for the best veterinary decision for that treatment.”

Whether it’s students or practicing veterinarians, Toni emphasizes the importance of understanding their clients’ disabilities.

“One of the things we want people to realize is that I do things differently from you,” Toni said. “For example: I can’t read print, but that doesn’t mean I can’t read. I have lots of alternatives to reading print. I can have somebody read to me, I can use books on tape, I can have my computer read to me or I can read Braille. I get the job done; I just do it differently than you.”

In addition, Toni gives different examples of what students need to know about how to work with working dogs as it relates to the disabilities of their partners.

“There was one situation at the University of Minnesota where a dog had come in — a golden retriever, who had cancer of the jaw,” Toni said. “The typical treatment was to remove a certain amount of the jaw, but one of her functions for her paraplegic partner was to retrieve items. If the typical surgery was performed, she wouldn’t be able to retrieve. Knowing that was part of her work, the surgeons were able to modify the surgery and leave enough of the jaw so she could continue to retrieve for her partner.”

Toni had previously visited K-State several times going back to the mid 1990s, originally accompanied by her late husband.

“My husband went blind in his 40s. As an anthropologist, he went back to do research in India, and realized how very hard it was to get around,” Toni said. “He had heard about seeing-eye dogs in New Jersey and didn’t know there were other schools, so that’s where he got his first dog. He later wrote a book, “A Guide to Guide Dog Schools,” and I got involved as the co-author. We married and moved to California.”

After taking one of their guide dogs to the veterinary hospital at the University of California, Davis, the Eameses were approached about talking to the students.

“As a retired professor, my husband loved it because he didn’t have to grade papers, and we had an audience who really wanted to hear what we had to say,” Toni explained. “As we got more involved, one of our veterinary friends helped get us a unique corporate sponsorship [first from Bayer, and later they got sponsorships from Fort Dodge Animal Health and now, Hill’s Pet Nutrition].”

Since then, Toni and her husband went on to visit all 28 veterinary colleges as well speak at SAVMA meetings and veterinary conferences, such as AVMA, AAHA and CVC.

Toni is also the president of the International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) a cross-disability coalition of people working with guide, hearing and service dogs. She said she will be going to Japan at the end of October for the second assistance dog conference.

Toni Eames holds her guide dog, Keebler, an 8-and-a-half-year-old
golden retriever.

Toni speaks to Dr. Elmore's "Practicing in a Multicultural Society"
class in September.

'Partners in Independence' is a book Toni wrote with her late
husband, Ed, a former anthropology professor. They met
while he was doing research on a book about guide dog
schools.

“The folks in Japan have had guide dogs for many, many years, but the concepts of hearing dogs and service dogs are newer to them,” Toni said. “We will talk about how the United States works with assistance dogs versus how the Japanese have more of a medical model. There, you have to go to a doctor who decides if you can have a service dog and what the dog can do for you rather than making your own choice.”

Toni says she’s proud when she hears that former students understood her message.

“The most rewarding thing is when a student comes up to me at a veterinary conference and says, ‘I was at K-State six years ago, and now I’m in practice. I have a hearing dog come in, and I know how to handle my deaf client.’” Toni remarked. “I’m so excited it has stuck with students. They may not remember my name, but they do remember the advice I’ve given.”

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Panel No. 13, added in September, completes the south face of this section of the Whispering Garden (between Mosier and Trotter Halls). A minimum $50 contribution gives donors the unique opportunity to honor animal companions in the Whispering Garden. Donors also receive replicas of submitted photos as keepsakes. Click here to learn more about the Whispering Garden.

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Dr. Howard Erickson recently attended the 39th International Congress of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine, in conjunction with the 3rd National Symposium of the Turkish Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine and Professional Ethics in Antalya, Turkey.

He presented his research on the Kansas City Veterinary College and the foundation of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor. Another K-State connection at the conference was Lesley Gentry, wife of Dr. Bob Gentry (CVM class of 1981), who gave a presentation on Dr. (Winifred) Mary Brancker.

“There is a lot of history in Turkey and there is a lot of veterinary history as well in Turkey,” Dr. Erickson said. “The thing that is unique to Turkey is that they have some 18 to 20 colleges of veterinary medicine – they call them faculties over there in Europe. Sixteen of these schools have a department of history and deontology, which is the study of professional ethics.”

Dr. Erickson is the past president of the American Veterinary Medical History Society. He has helped share his passion for veterinary history here at K-State.

Dr. Howard Erickson gives a presentation on the Kansas City
Veterinary College and the foundation of the Kansas City
Health Corridor at a history conference in Antalya, Turkey.

“I’ve organized an elective on the history of veterinary medicine here,” he said. “When we initiated a new curriculum last year I taught an elective on the history of veterinary medicine for the first time. There were only 15 to 16 students that signed up for it. This year I have 25 students. The curriculum isn’t set up yet so that first-, second- and third-year students can take it – it only fits for first-year students, so Dr. Elmore is trying to revise the curriculum so that first-, second- and third- year students can take each of these electives, which I think is a good idea.”

Dr. Erickson said the next meeting of the International Congress will be in the Netherlands in two years. For anyone else interested in veterinary history, it might be time to plan ahead.

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Become a friend of the College of Veterinary Medicine at its official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/KSUCVM. Share news and suggest our page to your friends.

Hometown: Scott City, Kan.

Family Information: My parents, Ron and Beth; younger sister Chelsi; older sister Robin; brother-in-law Clay; two nephews Caden and Colby; and my wonderful boyfriend Chris.

Where have you worked prior to joining the College of Veterinary Medicine? I worked for Housing and Dining in the residence halls for eight years.

What has surprised you about working in the college so far? How helpful and patient people have been while I’m learning a new job!

What kind of activities do you enjoy most in the fall season? Fall is my favorite time of year so there are lots of things to love — anything outdoors, football, barbecues, carving pumpkins and baking more, since it’s finally cooler.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life? Without question, my sisters. My older sister has always been my best friend and never fails to keep me grounded. My younger sister is kind and truly selfless and is a constant inspiration, even though she’s 14 years younger than me.

Other than purple, what’s your favorite color to wear and why do you like it?  Black. It’s simple and classic.

What’s your favorite catch phrase or an expression that you use most often? No Worries!

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Jeff Gauss is the Veterinary Medical Library's new Information Specialist

Manhattan High School had three students named as semi-finalists in the 2011 National  Merit Scholarship Program. Two of those students are the sons of College of Veterinary Medicine faculty/staff. They are Nathan Biller and David Knittel. Nathan is the son of Dr. David Biller (radiology) and Dr. Diane Mason (anesthesiology), both faculty in the Department of Clinical Sciences. David is the son of Greg Knittel who is a programmer in the Computing and Technical Support (CaTS). These students were recognized by Superintendent Bob Shannon at the U.S.D. 383 School Board Meeting on Oct 6. The students represent two of approximately 16,000 semi-finalists nationally, which is less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors. About 8,400 scholarships worth more than $36 million will be awarded in the spring of 2011 to National Merit Finalists. 

Dr. Shirley Arck was elected to be president of the Kansas State Board of Pharmacy at the September meeting in Wichita.

Dr. James W. Carpenter presented an evening seminar on “African Wildlife and Conservation Medicine” to 130 attendees at the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure, Salina, Kan., on Sept. 14.

Dr. Elizabeth Davis presented two seminars: 1) Equine Metabolic Syndrome and 2) Dealing with equine laminitis, where are we now? at the Colby (Kan.) Community College Vet Tech Program, Oct. 1.

Dr. David Anderson presented a seminar on “Bovine Surgery and Anesthesia” at the Southwest Veterinary Symposium in Forth Worth, Texas, from Sept. 25-27.

Dr. Dan Thomson presented the keynote addresses at the Chautauqua County Farm Bureau meeting, Sept. 7 and at the Osborne County Farm Bureau meeting in Osborne and Republic County Farm Bureau meeting in Belleville, on Sept. 19 and 20, respectively. The topics were about animal welfare and agriculture. On Friday, Sept. 10, he presented a five-hour Beef Quality Assurance program for the beef producers in the Emporia area. Dr. Thomson was also invited on Sept. 20 to be a guest of Congressman Jerry Moran at his "Tenth Partners and Conservation Tour" in multiple ranches and farms between Lawrence and Junction City.

Dr. Schacht received his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Heidelberg, Germany, and joined the University of Michigan in 1969 where he is now Professor of Biological Chemistry in Otolaryngology and Director of the Kresge Hearing Research Institute.

The goal of Dr. Schacht’s research is to determine the causes and help prevent acquired hearing loss. Other research efforts include biochemical and biological studies of cell communication and regulatory mechanisms in the inner ear, cell survival and apoptotic pathways in drug-induced hearing loss, noise trauma and age-related hearing impairment, and environmental factors that cause deafness.

Dr. Schacht has served on scientific review and strategic planning committees for the National Institutes of Health and is a member of the editorial boards of several professional journals. He has received numerous national and international honors for his work, including the University of Michigan’s Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award, and was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Frank Blecha welcomes Dr. Jochen Schacht as the 2010 Clarenburg Lecturer.

Alumni and Development Office announces staff news

Please welcome Christie Gabel, the new development officer for the College of Veterinary Medicine. She will be under the supervision of Chris Gruber, the director of development. Gabel, originally for Eaton, Colo., graduated from K-State in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences and industry. While a student, she competed on the K-State Livestock Judging Team and was a member of the Collegiate CattleWomen.

The office's other development officer, Megan Kilgore, has recently been selected to be the CVM's new events coordinator. She will still be working through the Alumni and Development Office and starts her new position Oct. 18. Congratulations, Megan!

We also want to announce that Cheri Ubel, the alumni affairs coordinator, will be out of the office for about six weeks. For assistance in regards to any alumni activities please contact our development coordinator, Diana Sarfani.