Screen capture of a Zoom meeting held to formally recognize the transition of students from the third year of studies into the fourth year, where clinical rotations begin. This took the place of the White Coat Ceremony since students are not allowed to be on campus until the university's comes of out of limited operations status.

The first virtual event took place May 8 to substitute for the annual White Coat Ceremony. Since students are unable to be on campus due to limited operations status at Kansas State University, a meeting was held on the Zoom so that Dr. Elizabeth Davis, head of Clinical Sciences could formally welcome third-year students into the fourth year of studies, where the students begin clinical rotations. As part of the meeting, students recited the Pledge of Professionalism, but they will receive their white coats later, when they are able to be back at the college. You can see video from this virtual ceremony here: http://vet.ksu.edu/commencement2020/conferringofdegrees_livestream.html

The College also used Zoom to celebrate its 2020 graduating class of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students on May 15.

Graduates stand by as the virtual ceremony commences on Zoom.

A celebratory video with a full listing of all the students is posted at the 2020 Commencement Page. This video includes a greeting from Dr. Bonnie Rush, dean; keynote address from Dr. Dan Thomson, former faculty member; remarks from Dr. Alexandra Allen, the 2020 class president; faculty messages; and a video collage of students reciting the veterinarian's oath. An electronic program, in PDF format, is posted at the commencement page featuring a list of the graduating students and their respective hometowns.

Dean Rush was joined by Charles Taber, K-State provost, to greet the class of 2020 live where they formally conferred the degrees to the students. The students recited the Veterinarian's Oath together online. Video and information about the virtual commencement events are posted at the college's 2020 Commencement Page.

Dean Bonnie Rush welcomes the graduates and Provost Charles Taber confers the degree of Doctor of Veterinary on the 2020 graduates.

At the conclusion on the ceremony, a video showed each of the graduates in their regalia. Pictures were taken ahead of time so that proper social distancing guidelines could be followed instead of having the students gathered in one location.

Dr. Kate KuKanich works with a student during a "This is How we ROLE" session at the Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan. Dr. KuKanich was presented with this year's SAVMA Faculty Community Outreach Award because of her leadership in this program and participation in other community outreach programs.

Kansas State University's Dr. Kate KuKanich, associate professor of small animal internal medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine, was recognized with the association's Faculty Community Outreach Award.

The SAVMA Faculty Community Outreach Award nomination is intended for students to publicly acknowledge how a veterinarian faculty member has gone above and beyond their own professional responsibilities to make a difference in the local and/or global community as a servant leader. This recipient should be active in programs that serve the public; however, preference may be given to nominees with significant interactions with students.

"Dr. KuKanich is an excellent example of serving one's community," said Becca Tomasek, fourth-year veterinary student, who nominated Dr. KuKanich. "She serves as a mentor to many students, started the 'This is How We Role' chapter, actively participates in community events such Everybody Counts, Okt-FLU-ber Fest, and BugAPalooza, and has worked to improve accessibility at Kansas veterinary hospitals. She consistently goes above and beyond to serve and support her community, across all ages, races, ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and abilities. I can't think of anyone more deserving of this recognition."

"It is a great honor and I'm humbled to have been nominated and received this award," KuKanich said.

In lieu of a presentation at the national symposium, schools are allowed to arrange for an award reception at their own school, but due to COVID-19 and limited operations status at Kansas State University, Dr. KuKanich said the reception was appropriately postponed.

As a program participant, Becca included a description of "This is How We Role" in the nomination form, "This is a grant-funded program overseen by Purdue University," she wrote. "Dr. KuKanich established a collaborative relationship with the Boys and Girls Club of Manhattan and recruited veterinary students to partake in this endeavor. As instructor of the program, she plans weekly meetings, prepares lessons, and spends hours planning interactive activities that support the STEM lessons shared with our kindergarten through fourth-grade students, who affectionately call her Dr. Kate."

Tomasek pointed out how mentoring has also been a priority for Dr. KuKanich.

"At the Kansas Youth Leadership Forum, hosted by the Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy, she served as a mentor for teenagers with disabilities that are interested in veterinary medicine," Becca wrote. "Within Kansas State University, she has mentored talented undergraduate students in the McNair Scholars Program and socioeconomically and ethnically underrepresented students within the Developing Scholars Program, to encourage graduate and research study."

More information about the SAVMA awards is posted online.

Fourth-year student Alyson Fitzgerald checks on samples during one of the testing procedures.

The tests to detect drugs in human urine have been reported to be unreliable in dogs, so Fitzgerald sought to identify the limitations of those tests and come up with a better alternative. Drs. Steve Ensley and Scott Fritz, veterinary toxicologists, and Yuntao Zhang, senior research scientist in the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, have been her mentors for this project.

Fitzgerald assisted Dr. Zhang on the creation of an ultra performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS) method to confirm marijuana exposure in dogs.

“Dr. Zhang and I worked on a sow firocoxib project together using UPLC-MS/MS last summer, and that experience sparked my interest in advanced chemistry equipment,” Fitzgerald said. “I find it fascinating that a machine can reliably detect compounds of interest down to one-tenth of a part per billion. This project has helped develop my bench top research skills and has truly pushed the bounds of what I thought I was capable of. Veterinary school has been an immense time of growth for me in many respects, and I am grateful to be at a college where there is outstanding faculty support and dedication to students’ research interests.”

Fitzgerald said she aspires to become either a criticalist or a small animal internist after graduation, and scientific investigation is an integral part of any residency program.

“I thought this project would offer the opportunity to continue building upon skills I learned in the Veterinary Research Scholars Program (VRSP), such as method development, scientific writing and research communication,” Fitzgerald said. “This project and the research I have been involved in at the college have fostered a desire to support the scientific community as part of my future career.”

The team from the toxicology lab at the KSVDL: (back row, from left)
Dr. Yuntao Zhang, Dr. Scott Fritz and Dr. Steve Ensley. (front)
Dr. Geraldine Magnin, Alyson Fitzgerald, Jodee Webster and Paige Hess.

In addition to this project, Fitzgerald has also helped successfully develop and validate a sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method of detecting several human marijuana metabolites in canine serum and urine.

“We hope to offer a test to the public soon through the toxicology lab in the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory,” Fitzgerald said. “The manuscript for this project is in progress.”

Additionally, Fitzgerald has been heavily involved in developing a method for brain cholinesterase in several species in the toxicology lab.

Fitzgerald received an award during Phi Zeta Research Day in March for her oral abstract presentation titled, “Detecting and Quantifying Marijuana Metabolites in Serum and Urine of Dogs Affected by Marijuana Toxicity.”

While there, he gave a keynote seminar on the recent research carried out at K-State by his team, "Sequence determinants spanning -10 and -35 motifs and spacer regions implicated in unique Ehrlichia chaffeensis RNA polymerase activity with its only two sigma factors; σ32 and σ70."

As BioSangam's guest of honor, Dr. Ganta shared his view on how established scientists from India and abroad can promote interactions with new generation scientists.

"BioSangam is a true integration of biological scientists for societal development," Dr. Ganta said. "I was delighted to interact with many scientists from India and other countries who attended the conference."

Dr. Roman Ganta visits his alma mater, Adhra University.

The next stop for Dr. Ganta was the Current Trends in Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences conference, held in Kashipur, where he was invited to lecture about his recent E. chaffeensis research.

Dr. Ganta then visited his alma mater, Andhra University, in Visakhapatnam, to present "Mutagenesis in Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species aids in studying pathogenesis and vaccine development" to students and faculty.

As an alumnus of the biochemistry department, Dr. Ganta was excited to discuss extending collaborations with the university's administration to promote graduate research and education by exploring the available resources and technology in India. He also assisted in the planning of a golden jubilee celebration for next year.

Dr. Ganta is thanked for giving a presentation at BioSangham 2020.

"It was a very rewarding experience to interact with many young and energetic graduate students aspiring to be scientists," Dr. Ganta said. "It was great to see the pool of graduate students was nearly 80% women. This is a welcome change from my time at the university, nearly four decades ago, where the male-to-female ratio was the opposite!"

In previous collaborations, Dr. Ganta had established a memo of understanding between Kansas State University and Andhra University through which several students have visited K-State for graduate education. The memo of understanding also included a faculty exchange program that supported a College of Veterinary Medicine faculty member visiting Andhra University several years ago.

"It was pleasure for us to have Dr. Ganta in our midst after such a long time," said Dr. Subhashini Devi, head of the Andhra University department of biochemistry.

Dr. Ganta at the Recent Advances in Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences conference in Guntur.

The last stop on Dr. Ganta's tour was the Recent Advances in Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Biological Sciences conference in Guntur, where he served as a keynote speaker and chief guest for the valedictory function of the conference.

Dr. Ganta safely returned to the U.S. before the COVID-19 travel ban was instated. He has since self-quarantined for the recommended two weeks.

Performing a cranial nerve examination on a puppy with suspected head trauma.

This spring, I was fortunate enough to be able to return there for a fourth-year clinical externship working closely with the Nepali veterinary staff to spay/neuter street dogs as well as perform triage and rehabilitation work for sick and injured patients. Upon my return, I was warmly greeted by the staff and some of the dogs that have come to call the KAT Centre home. It was rewarding to reunite with Dr. Bidur Piya and the staff members from my previous visit, as well as meet the second veterinarian (Dr. Samir Thapa) and new veterinary technicians who have been hired as the center expands its outreach.

What started as a month-long stay was rudely interrupted by the emergence of COVID-19. My stay was shortened to only 10 days, nevertheless I was able to perform several neuter surgeries and assist with spay surgeries, as well as triage and create management plans for injured and sick animals.

Most of the Nepali dog population lives on the street, so these animals are frequently subjected to vehicular accidents, fights and numerous illnesses and dermatologic conditions. Among the highlights of my 10-day stay, I helped to manage the pain and discomfort of a puppy with a dislocated jaw and worked closely to come up with surgical plans for a dog with a ruptured calcanean tendon.

Rupesh, one of the KAT Center veterinary technicians, and me after a long day of surgery.

Unfortunately, many of the KAT Centre patients have suffered severe wound infections prior to arrival due to the transient nature of their existence. Every day at the Centre starts with careful cleaning and assessment of wounds for the inpatients. Cases may range from lacerations to large hot water or acid burns (human-inflicted) or dramatic dog fight wounds.

It is remarkable to see the level of attention and care that is paid to each dog at the KAT Centre and the dramatic changes in the dogs over the first couple days as they realize that they are in a safe place where they will be healed and cared for delicately. Arriving in Nepal and working with these dogs required a dramatic change in my definition of the “human-animal bond.”

Growing up with dogs in my house and a keen awareness of our American relationship with domestic animals, it was eye-opening to enter a culture where rabies is a very real threat and influences the ways that humans and animals interact.

It is uncommon to have privately owned dogs in Nepal, although it is becoming more common, thankfully. This does not, however, mean that there is any less care or concern for the well-being of animals within Nepali culture. The KAT Centre receives dozens of calls or Facebook messages daily from concerned citizens who have noticed behavioral changes in the dogs that live near their home.

There is an incredible level of cooperation and care undertaken to get help to these animals. Frequently, people will ride on the backs of motorcycles for miles carrying a stray dog or cat so that they can much-needed veterinary care.

Just as I was settling in, my time in Nepal was cut short due to COVID-19. As the news broke about spread of the virus, I learned I had approximately 24 hours to get out of the country prior to the international airport shutting down indefinitely. I had to choose between continuing my experience or being able to complete my fourth-year rotations and graduate on time.

Dr. Bidur Piya and Jenny, a dog with hind limb paralysis who never lets anything slow her down.

As I rode to the airport in my taxi, I couldn’t help looking out the window, realizing this could be my last visit to Nepal for the next few years. On top of my sudden departure from Kathmandu, I was disappointed to learn about the cancellation of my veterinary school in-person graduation due to concerns over transmission of the virus in the U.S. As I contemplated the unique beauty of the city, the Beatles song “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Life goes on)" came on the radio and it brought a profound sense of calm and contentment. While this may be a trying time, life does indeed go on.

Retired Dean Ralph Richardson to receive Dillingham Award in July

The Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City will honor two of the region’s leading agricultural figures on July 14 at a luncheon in the Chamber Board Room in Kansas City’s historic Union Station. The honorees will receive the Council’s highest award, the Jay B. Dillingham Award for Agricultural Leadership and Excellence.

Agricultural Business Council Chairman Greg Krissek notes the honorees are champions for agriculture in separate but very key areas in the region. The honorees are Diane Olson with the Missouri Farm Bureau and Dr. Ralph Richardson former dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and the K-State Olathe campus.

Dr. Ralph Richardson served as dean and CEO of the K-State Olathe campus for four years after serving as dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University from 1998-2015. He graduated from Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1970 and served as a Captain in the United States Army Veterinary Corps for two years. He completed an Internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Purdue University and a Residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the University of Missouri-Columbia. After a year in private practice in Miami, FL, he returned to Purdue for 22 years. At Kansas State University, Dr. Richardson was instrumental in establishing legislation that provided debt forgiveness to new veterinary graduates who serve the Kansas livestock industry. He was a member of the inaugural Board of Directors of the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor, and he facilitated the creation of numerous programs at K-State such as the Beef Cattle Institute, the Center for Vector-borne Diseases, the expansion of the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and the building of the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility. Dr. Richardson received the animal health industry’s lifetime achievement award, the Iron Paw Award in 2015, and the Association of American Veterinary Medical College’s Recognition Lecture award in 2016. Dr. Richardson has had a life-long commitment to agriculture, particularly the livestock industry. He was active in 4-H and livestock showmanship from grade school through college. Throughout his professional life he has championed the importance of safe food production, animal welfare, animal health, and public health.

“These individuals have had a positive and lasting effect on our community,” said Council Chairman Krissek. “They are strong examples of what being an advocate for agriculture can accomplish.”

The event will be held at the Chamber of Commerce Board Room in Union Station beginning at 11:30 a.m. for networking followed by lunch at noon. Visit www.agbizkc.com for more information and to register to attend.

Three-time alum and longtime bovine practitioner
Dr. Bruce Wren passes away

Dr. Bruce Wren earned his DVM in 1958, a master's in veterinary pathology in 1962 and Ph.D. in veterinary pathology in 1968. AgriLabs (now Huvepharma) named its $10,000 CE awards the Dr. Bruce Wren Continuing Education Grant in 2010. Multiple K-Staters have received this award.

Dr. Wallace “Bruce” Wren, 85, of Lenexa, Kansas, was born Aug. 1, 1934 in Muncie, Kansas, to Ethel and Wallace Wren. He passed away May 20, 2020. He grew up in Kansas City, Kan. and on the family farm in Ottawa, Kansas. Inspired by his dairy veterinarian uncle Dr. Walter Johnson, Dr. Wren graduated from K-State in 1958 and later obtained a Master’s (1962) and PhD in veterinary pathology (1968) there. In 1958 he entered the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps, Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. From 1960 on, Wren worked in a veterinary practice in Ottawa, Kansas, as well as later working in diagnostic labs including his own as well as the Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Lincoln. He also was a technical services veterinarian (livestock) for several animal health companies including Dellen Labs, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Sanofi, Rhone Merieux, Merial and AgriLabs. Upon retirement, he continued to consult in the veterinary industry.

Dr. Wren has been a member of the AVMA, AABP, AASV, AVC (district director and 2018 Outstanding Service Award recipient), AAVLD, AAIV (past president), NMC and state VMAs including Nebraska (past president), Iowa, Kansas and Georgia. From 1983-2000 he served in many roles at the Western Veterinary Conference including board member and program chair. He was a recipient of the WVC Distinguished Service Award (2013); and member of the WVC Food Animal Incentive Award committee which was renamed the Dr. Bruce Wren Food Animal Incentive Award. AgriLabs (now Huvepharma) named its $10,000 CE awards the Dr. Bruce Wren Continuing Education Grant.

Dr. Wren has been a member of the Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association (Past President), Iowa Veterinary Medical Association, Kansas Veterinary Medical Association, Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, American Association of Industrial Veterinarians, Academy of Veterinary Consultants (board member and recipient of the 2018 Outstanding Service Award), American Association of Bovine Practitioners (Honor Roll member), American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, American Veterinary Medical Association, National Mastitis Council, Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas (Board member 1983-2000; Bovine, Equine, Small Ruminant, Swine and Exotics Program Coordinator; recipient of the WVC Special Recognition award; and member of the WVC Food Animal Incentive Award committee recently renamed the Dr. Bruce Wren Food Animal Incentive Award). AgriLabs (now Huvepharma) has named its $10,000 CE awards the Dr. Bruce Wren Continuing Education Grant. He has spoken at numerous local, state, national and international veterinary conferences over the years, and his passion was continuing education for veterinarians. He served as a mentor for many.

On the personal side, Dr. Wren enjoyed all things aeronautic and had a private pilot’s license as well as taught flying lessons in Omaha, Neb. He was an avid fan of the Reno Air Races. He enjoyed traveling and worked to become conversational in Spanish to communicate with veterinarians he worked with in Mexico. He was an avid K-State fan.

Dr. Wren is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Fran. Dr. Wren is survived by four children, Mark (Shirley) Wren (Portland, Ore.), Leslie (John) Bauer (Dallas, Texas), Russell (Sherri) Wren (Lincoln, Neb.) and Geni Wren (Overland Park, Kan.), two granddaughters, Elizabeth Bauer and Emma Wren, and his brother Lynn (Marsha) Wren, as well as an extended family of nieces and nephews.

In a school paper written by granddaughter Emma Wren from Oregon (2020 K-State grad) when she was in junior high school called “You need to know Eastern Kansas if you’re going to find W.B. Wren”, Emma wrote: “You need to know how to find your way home the long way. The scenic route is what Grandpa strives for. All roads in eastern Kansas can take me to the same place if Grandpa is driving. Everything looks the same. You need to know the small differences to find your way.”

NEW - Submit nominations for Alumni Recognition Awards online

See our new online nomination form to nominate a fellow alumnus for one of our many annual recognition awards, presented at the national conferences: VMX, WVC, AVMA and the Annual Conference for Veterinarians. See full details at the link below.

https://www.vet.k-state.edu/asp/alumni-awards/awards.aspx .

In Memoriam - Recently Departed Alumni (click highlighted names for obituary)

Questions about Alumni or CE events?

Tony Ballard
Alumni and Events Coordinator
785-532-4833
tballard@vet.k-state.edu

Sarah Keatley
Event Coordinator
785-532-4528
keatley@vet.k-state.edu