Gifts in Action

At their 30-year reunion, the Class of 1979 presented the College with an endowment fund of over $29,000. The scholarship fund was created in memory of classmate Dr. Janis Audin, who passed away in April 2009.

Classmate Dr. Rick DeBowes, professor and associate dean at Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, said “Janis epitomized the essence of class in her interactions with classmates, faculty, staff, and clients. It is no surprise that she significantly impacted the veterinary medical arena in her professional life, one that, sadly, was all too short.”

In 1985, after several years in small animal practice, Dr. Audin joined the editorial staff of the American Veterinary Medical Association. She later became publications director and editor-in-chief of both the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Journal of Veterinary Research. She received the College’s Erwin Small Distinguished Alumni Award in 2006.

Dean Herb Whiteley noted that “Dr. Janis Audin’s quiet but unmistakable impact was felt throughout her long tenure at the helm of two publications that reached a majority of US veterinarians. She continually sought to improve access to and quality of information on both veterinary research and professional governance.”

Classmate Dr. Robbie Dann pictured with Dean Herb Whiteley.

Commemmorating their 40th wedding anniversary -- and their 40-year class reunion-- Drs. Sam and Nancy Lerner have generously endowed a scholarship for Illinois veterinary students. 

In gratitude for their education, the Lerners established the Drs. Sam and Nancy Lerner award, which will go to students exhibiting good character and academic achievement and who have submitted a proposal for research to benefit domestic dogs or cats. 

The Lerners feel that students might sometimes overlook thei importance of research in veterinary medicine.

In addition to giving back to the College and promoting veterinary research, the Lerners also were motivated by the desire to create a legacy that would help society as a whole.

In memory of their beloved cat, Pascoe, Harris and Lynn Hatcher of Springfield, Ill., have created a fund to assist patients who don't have the means to pay for emergency veterinary care.

The Hatchers' experience with Pascoe, and with the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital, inspired them to help pet owners in need.  Six-year old Pascoe was diagnosed with advanced stage cancer involving multiple organs.  The Hatchers opted for an experimental surgery, the only course of action that could have saved their cat.

The Pascoe Memorial Fund will ensure that other cat owners with financial need will be able to take advantage of the full range of available treatment options.  The fund will eventually grow to more than $50,000.