The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) conferred degrees to 51 new veterinarians on May 2 during its Graduate and Professional Schools commencement ceremony at the Daniel “Chappie” James Arena. Following the ceremony, graduates took the Veterinary Medicine Oath and received their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine hoods, marking their official entry into the veterinary profession and the 81-year legacy of TUCVM, the first and oldest veterinary college at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Since its inception in 1949, Tuskegee has awarded over 3,186 veterinary medicine degrees.
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Dr. Ebony Gilbreath, a 2004 TUCVM alumna and the current dean, expressed her pride in welcoming the Class of 2026 as new colleagues and highlighted the importance of lifelong learning beyond the DVM degree. She encouraged the graduates to become leaders, educators, and researchers in the field.
The keynote address was delivered by TUCVM alumna and faculty member Athema Etzioni, DVM, MS, DACVP, who inspired the graduates with a charge centered around their class motto, "All Gas No Breaks!" Dr. Etzioni emphasized the importance of valuing time and seizing opportunities.
Dr. Etzioni, a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, is a tenured associate professor and section chief of Clinical Pathology, as well as a clinician in the Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital at TUCVM. She holds the distinction of being the first black woman board-certified in clinical pathology by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.
Following the hooding ceremony, veterinary alumna Dr. Dana Fuller, president of the Tuskegee Veterinary Medical Alumni Association, welcomed the new graduates and offered a one-year free membership to the association. Dr. Fuller is also a TUCVM graduate from the Class of 2003.