Members of the 2026 award-winning Rutgers Animal Welfare Judging Team pose in front of Bartlett Hall, the academic home of the Department of Animal Sciences, on the George H. Cook campus.

Students in the Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers University delivered an exceptional performance at the Spring 2026 American Veterinary Medical Association Virtual Animal Welfare Judging and Assessment Contest (AWJAC), continuing the program’s rapid rise on the national stage.

Held April 25–26, the fourth annual competition brought together students from universities across North America and Europe to evaluate animal welfare in a range of real-world settings. Participants were challenged to assess welfare conditions using scientific evidence, ethical reasoning, and effective public communication skills.

This spring also marked a milestone for the Rutgers Animal Welfare Judging Team, which welcomed 10 new members — the largest team in the program’s history. The expanded roster translated into impressive results across both undergraduate divisions.

In the Undergraduate Junior Division, Daisy Pursell captured 1st Place and earned the highest overall score in the entire competition, while Aspen Wu secured a 4th Place finish. Rutgers students also dominated the Undergraduate Senior Division, where Stephanie Tomshaw claimed 1st Place, followed by Max Wu in 2nd and Jacob Bazer in 3rd. Aditri Singh placed 5th overall, while Jahla Brown earned an 8th Place finish. Tyler Fanslow and Lyric Ames also contributed strong performances that reflected the team’s depth, preparation, and collaborative approach.

This year’s contest featured 140 competitors representing 23 universities. The virtual competition focused on free-range broiler chickens and show rabbits, requiring students to analyze complex welfare scenarios and communicate recommendations grounded in animal welfare science.

Nicholas Bello, professor and chair of the Department of Animal Sciences, praised both the team’s accomplishments and the rapid growth of the program.

“This is really amazing,” said Bello. “In just a few years, this team has become super competitive and has beaten out some of the big-time schools in judging that have been competing since 2014. To the RU Animal Welfare Judging Team, thank you so much for representing Rutgers, SEBS, and Animal Sciences. We are proud. Thank you to Dr. Taylor Ross for her leadership and winning coaching.”

Bello also recognized assistant coach and graduating Animal Sciences senior Jacob Bazer, along with senior team member Aditri Singh, for organizing preparation sessions and mentoring fellow competitors throughout the semester.

With another successful season completed, the team is already preparing for the next challenge. The Fall 2026 AWJAC, hosted by Texas A&M University this November, will feature an eclectic range of species — including bearded dragons, bucking bulls, café cats, and raptors — providing students with another opportunity to apply welfare science principles across diverse animal management systems.

The continued success of the Rutgers Animal Welfare Judging Team reflects the strength of experiential learning opportunities within the Department of Animal Sciences and the growing reputation of Rutgers students in the field of animal welfare science.

  

Alumnus and veterinarian Adam Christman, CC’00, and 2026 SEBS Convocation speaker.

The School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) at Rutgers University has announced that Adam Christman, Cook College Class of 2000, will return to campus as the 2026 Convocation Speaker—bringing with him not only a distinguished veterinary career, but a vibrant, media-savvy voice that resonates with millions.

Christman will address more than 700 graduating seniors, along with their families and guests, at SEBS Convocation on Monday, May 18, 2026, at 10 a.m. on the George H. Cook Campus, overlooking the iconic Passion Puddle.

A proud Rutgers alumnus, Christman earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science, with a minor in Spanish. He went on to receive his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine and an MBA from Aspen University.

Today, he serves as Chief Veterinary Officer for dvm360—an MJH Life Sciences® company—where he oversees content strategy and development and serves as the brand’s voice and personality across its multimedia platforms. Known for his charisma and relatability, Christman brings wit, humor and authenticity to animal health care through a wide range of channels, including hosting dvm360 Live!, The Vet Blast Podcast, continuing education webinars and live media broadcasts.

Christman has two decades of experience in private practice and shelter medicine, and pairs hands-on clinical expertise with a deep commitment to advancing the veterinary profession. He currently serves as a member and treasurer of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association, reinforcing his leadership within the field.

A national thought leader, Christman is widely recognized for his work in practice management, social media and rehabilitation. He is also coauthor of Honey, Have You Squeezed the Dachshund? A Pet Owner’s Guide for Owners Who Are Terrified of IVDD, a compassionate and practical resource for pet owners navigating canine disabilities. His insights have been featured in numerous publications and across major media platforms, including a recent live appearance on Good Morning America on April 11, as well as segments on Fox Weather and Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.

Beyond his professional achievements, Christman has built a powerful digital presence as an advocate for animal health care. With more than 1.1 million followers on TikTok and over 224,000 on Instagram, he actively engages pet parents and veterinary professionals alike—translating science into accessible, engaging and often joyful content. His ability to connect across platforms makes him especially relevant to today’s graduates, who are navigating careers in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.

Christman’s impact has earned him numerous accolades, including the 2025 AVMA Media Award, the 2024 VMX Speaker of the Year Award, the 2024 Bright Minds Veterinary Influencer of the Year, and the William Switzer Award.

Known for his belief in “laughing and dancing while learning,” Christman represents a new generation of scientific leaders, combining expertise with authenticity and purpose with personality. His return to Cook Campus is both a celebration of his accomplishments and a powerful example of where a SEBS education can lead.

For the SEBS Class of 2026, his message is expected to inspire not just professional ambition, but meaningful connection, and reminding graduates that impact is measured not only by what you know, but also by how you share it.

For more information about the 2026 SEBS Convocation ceremony, visit: https://sebs.rutgers.edu/graduation.

  

Wendie Cohick, Vice Provost and Vice Chancellor for Research, Rutgers-New Brunswick.

Wendie Cohick, Vice Provost and Vice Chancellor for Research, Rutgers-New Brunswick and faculty in the Department of Animal Sciences, is one of eight Rutgers faculty named to the 2026 class of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)  fellows. Cohick and her Rutgers colleagues were among the 500 scientists, engineers and innovators spanning 24 scientific disciplines ranging from research, teaching and technology to administration in academia, industry and government, to excellence in communicating and interpreting science to the public. Individuals are elected annually in a tradition dating back to 1874.

Wendie Cohick’s scientific life began in an agricultural research lab at Cornell University, where, as an undergraduate studying animal science, she learned to sit with questions that did not yet have answers. 

Working with dairy cows, she sensed that beneath visible physiology lay an unseen network of signals. 

“How does the body know to divert nutrients to the fetus or to the mammary gland to make milk?” she recalled wondering. “What are the long-term signals that control how the body allocates energy?” 

The search led her into endocrinology and into the emerging field of insulin-like growth factors, or IGFs. The literature was sparse, the players unknown. The field resembled a half-finished puzzle, with only a few edge pieces turned face up and most of the picture obscured. In 1996, Cohick arrived at Rutgers University’s School of Environmental and Biological Sciences as an assistant professor. Studying the cells in the mammary gland that make milk, she began determining how the pieces connected. IGF-1 proved central to normal growth and survival, but a complex system of binding proteins was needed to keep its activity in check. 

Her lab uncovered surprises. One binding protein long thought to dampen IGF-1 instead amplified its effects, strengthening the hormone’s drive toward cell growth. The finding reinforced a principle that guided her work. 

“If you don’t understand the mechanism, you can’t know whether targeting it will ultimately help patients or make things worse,” she said. 

Over time, the biological pathways she traced in cows revealed patterns that held in humans, including the intersection, or “crosstalk,” of hormone systems such as IGF and estrogen. Since alcohol consumption, a risk factor for breast cancer, increases estrogen, Cohick wondered if IGF-1 could also be involved. This shaped her studies of breast cancer and what she calls “the developmental window,” when early exposures like alcohol may influence lifelong risk. 

As her leadership expanded at Rutgers, her instinct remained constant: Understand how the pieces lock together. Whether guiding a laboratory or a universitywide research agenda, she urges scientists to look beneath the surface, to understand not just what happens, but why. Today she envisions more precise, molecularly-guided cancer treatments. 

“What happens inside cells may be invisible to us, but it holds the key to giving patients better futures,” she said. 

AAAS, the world’s largest multidisciplinary scientific society and a leading publisher of cutting-edge research through its Science family of journals, announced the newest members of the class of fellows on March 26. It is among the most distinctive honors within the scientific community. 

Wendie Cohick’s profile was written by Kitta Macpherson. For complete coverage of the 8  Rutgers faculty named to the 2026 class of AAAS fellows, read more in Rutgers Today.

  

James F. Dougherty. Photo: courtesy of Rutgers-New Brunswick Honors College website.

The Class of 2026 inductees into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni have excelled in a varied range of fields—obstetrics and gynecology, addiction prevention and treatment, veterinary medicine, football and entrepreneurship, and government and insurance industry leadership—but they all share a uniquely Scarlet bond: A significant, unwavering devotion to supporting the university where they began their journeys.

James F. Dougherty RC’74, GSNB’75 is one of five outstanding graduates selected by the Rutgers University Alumni Association (RUAA) Board of Directors and will be inducted into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni at a ceremony in April.

Dougherty earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences at Rutgers College and a master’s degree in animal science at Rutgers–New Brunswick. He is a retired veterinarian who has generously supported the university. Cofounder of Metropolitan Veterinary Associates in Norristown, Pennsylvania, he was awarded the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association’s 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served on many Rutgers committees and is vice chair of the Board of Governors.

Introduced in 1987, the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni’s first class of inductees included Paul Robeson and two Nobel Prize winners—economist Milton Friedman and scientist Selman Waksman. Since then, more than 250 alumni have been inducted, including five former New Jersey governors, Emmy Award-winning actor Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Carli Lloyd, a professional soccer star who led the U.S. team to two Olympic gold medals. 

The 2026 awardees also include Eric LeGrand SAS’14, James H. Rhodes CCAS’94, Creighton Drury RC’92, and Gloria A. Bachmann NCAS’70, RWJMS’72.

Read more at the full article which first appeared on the Rutgers University Foundation website.

  

The Rutgers Animal Welfare Judging Team with their awards at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences campus. L-R: Jacob Bazer, Courtney McCarroll, Coach Dr. Taylor Ross, Aditri Singh, and Sakhee Daga.

The Animal Welfare Judging & Assessment Competition (AWJAC) is a national, intercollegiate event that challenges students to evaluate the welfare of diverse animal species using science-based criteria. Competitors assess real-world management scenarios, score facilities, and deliver oral reasons defending their decisions. This year’s contest, hosted at Texas A&M University, featured one of the largest turnouts, to date.

After months of work, the Rutgers team of animal sciences undergraduates earned exceptional results, placing first overall in the Live Assessment and third overall as a team in the undergraduate senior division. The team handily won the Live Assessment by more than 15 points.

Rutgers receiving the Top Team in the Undergraduate Senior division award. Pictured from left to right are AVMA’s Dr. Gail Golab and Rutgers team members, Jacob Bazer, Aditri Singh, Sakhee Daga and Courtney McCarroll. Photo credit: Taylor Ross

This fall marked Rutgers’ second time attending the Fall Live, in-person contest, having first begun competing in Spring 2024. Despite being a relatively new program, Rutgers has consistently placed alongside — and often above — universities that have been competing for decades. The team looks forward to continuing to push the potential of this growing program.

Individually, Aditri Singh placed 10th overall, also earning the highest score in the entire competition in the pet gerbil scenario, followed by Jacob Bazer in 28th, Sakhee Daga in 33rd, and Courtney McCarroll in 37th, with all four team members finishing in the top half of a highly competitive division.

This year, competitors evaluated three species categories: gaboon vipers in zoos, dressage horses, and pet gerbils, in addition to an in-person live assessment of tilapia aquaculture. Preparation for the competition began early in the semester and involved intensive team practices focused on species-specific welfare science, facility analysis, ethical frameworks, and repeated oral reasons drills.

Students also took field trips to real-life facilities, attended guest lectures from industry and academic professionals, and reviewed current research to ground their evaluations in evidence-based welfare principles. During the competition weekend, students also participated in a formal networking event and attended keynote presentations from leading animal welfare scientists, further enriching their learning experience.

The team extends its appreciation to the facilities that hosted them during their preparation, the professionals who provided guest instruction, the generous donors and the Department of Animal Sciences who support their travel and training. Teaching instructor Taylor Ross served as team coach and her guidance was instrumental to this year’s success. The team is looking ahead to the Spring contest with enthusiasm and continued dedication to advancing animal welfare knowledge, scholarship and leadership within the program.

  

It’s not just all academics. The MSP Scholars also learned about the history and culture of Belize. Courtney Chin explores the Xunantunich Mayan Ruins (200-900 CE), an archaeological site in the western part of the country atop a high ridge overlooking the Mopan River.

In September 2024, the Rutgers Department of Animal Sciences, with Professor Aparna Zama as principal investigator, received a five-year, $250,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) grant for the Rutgers University Veterinary Learning and Preparation program (RU-VETLEAP).

RU-VETLEAP is designed to increase the number of Rutgers Animal Science students applying to and accepted into Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs and those entering careers in USDA mission-critical areas of food, agriculture, and human and animal health. Known as MSP Scholars, five students, all on the preveterinary medicine and research track, were selected to receive the scholarship: Courtney Chin, Cierra Edwards, Kylie Labbe, Santiago Mesa Botero and Kailah Pyron.

Kailah Pyron prepares to go cave tubing at Caves Branch to explore the huge caverns and tunnels that run through the Mayan Mountains.

In addition to academic assistance, mentorship, research training, and professional development, the RU-VETLEAP program also provides a one-time $4,000 special experiential learning (SEL) award to each scholar that can be used to fund such activities as apprenticeships, internships, externships, and study abroad programs relevant to their major. SEL covers living expenses, travel expenses, additional tuition, and/or a cash stipend.

Four out of the five MSP Scholars were able to participate in Summer 2025’s Center for Engaged Learning Abroad (CELA) Belize program, which offers students a firsthand look at local issues affecting conservation, animal health, and ecology, and their impact on global events. In the Large Animal Veterinary Practice in the Tropics course, students gained working knowledge of the husbandry, and health issues confronting farm animals including horses, sheep, pigs, and cattle in Belize. In the Wildlife Health, Ecology & Conservation course, students work with zookeepers at the Belize Zoo to learn about the many factors that affect the management, conservation, habitat and health of wild animals.

Courtney Chin holds Maya, an orange-breasted hawk, at the Belize Raptor Center, a part of the Wildlife Health, Ecology & Conservation course.

The scholars who participated in the CELA Belize program share their experiences.  

Courtney Chin (Class of 2028) is part of the Veterinary Science Club (@ruvsc), Companion Animal Club (@rutgerscompanionanimal), and SEBS Governing Council (@sebsgovcouncil), where she served as one of the Animal Science Major Representatives. She hopes to explore different fields of veterinary medicine throughout her undergraduate years and attend veterinary school after graduation. “I thought it was great to get experience with different species of animals to explore a different area of animal science,” she says of her experience in the Wildlife Health, Ecology & Conservation section. “I had a lot of fun with the people in my group, and we did things such as necropsies, body scoring, camera trapping, and enrichment.”

Kylie Labbe holds a puppy that came to a clinic in the resort village of Placencia with its mother and littermates.

Kylie Labbe (Class of 2028) is in the Society of Animal Science (@rusocietyofanimalscience) and Veterinary Science Club. In the summer, she was “shadowing” at a local veterinary clinic and at a wildlife refuge, in addition to studying abroad in Belize. Her goal is to specialize in large animal veterinary medicine. CELA Belize “was a very immersive and rewarding experience, says Kylie. “It helped reaffirm my feelings towards large animal vet medicine and the fact that this is what I want to do. I learned how to vaccinate, give dewormer, proper handling techniques, suturing, and cat neutering.” 

Santiago Mesa Botero holds a green iguana that is part of an educational exhibit called the Green Iguana Conservation Project, where they rehabilitate iguanas and educate the public about the lives of these reptiles and the important role they play in the ecosystem.

Santiago Mesa Botero (Class of 2027) is active in the Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences club (MANRRS) (@rumanrrs) and the Colombian American Student Association (CASA) (@casa.rutgers). He has been involved on the Rutgers Farm (@rutgersfarm) as a federal work-study student and with the Rutgers Office for Research-CMR, where he has developed a strong interest in laboratory animal care and medicine. He aims to become a lab animal veterinarian. “During my study abroad trip in Belize, I learned about different cattle breeds that are typically used in tropical areas, such as Brahman and Brangus cattle, which are crosses between Brahman and Angus breeds,” Santiago recounts. “I was able to learn how to conduct a physical exam on horses and body condition score them. I had the opportunity to assist in a community clinic with the Humane Society and practiced anesthetic monitoring, suturing, and assisted in a flank ovariohysterectomy procedure.”

Kailah Pyron handles a boa constrictor that was rescued from a local village and taken to the Belize Raptor Center. The snake serves as an ambassador to educate the community about boas.

Kailah Pyron (Class of 2027) has served as a teaching assistant in Animal Reproduction and contributed to research in an endocrinology lab, gaining valuable experience in hormonal studies. She works as a veterinary assistant at a North Jersey veterinary hospital, and her ultimate goal is to become a veterinarian specializing in wildlife medicine. She participated in the Wildlife Health, Ecology & Conservation course. “Studying abroad really invigorated my passion for being a veterinarian and taught me a lot about what methods are used in the field to collect data on wild animals, as well as what it’s like to sustain those animals in a zoo,” says Kailah. “I also learned about the importance of sustaining ecosystems for wildlife and the importance of educating the public on conservation efforts in order to be successful.”

The SEBS Office of Global Engagement played a pivotal role in making this immersive study abroad experience possible for RU-VETLEAP Scholars. By facilitating access to international programs like CELA Belize, the Office connects students with unique, hands-on learning opportunities that expand their perspectives and deepen their understanding of global challenges in animal and wildlife health. Through faculty partnerships and tailored advising, the Office of Global Engagement empowers SEBS students to broaden their academic journeys beyond the classroom, preparing them to become globally minded professionals and leaders in their fields.

According to Zama, “the MSP scholars had a wonderful time in Belize and have truly broadened their perspectives on different areas of veterinary science that is going to be instrumental for their future successful veterinary school applications. We are truly grateful for the continued support from USDA-NIFA as these students complete their Bachelor of Science degrees. These scholars will fulfill the mission of USDA by becoming the next generation of veterinarians that join the food and agricultural workforce.”

  

Karyn Malinowski, triple Rutgers graduate and professor of Animal Sciences, has retired after 47 years of service.

Karyn Malinowski, equine sciences extension specialist and professor, retired on June 30, after 47 years at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. She is a triple alumna of Rutgers, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree in animal sciences and a doctoral degree in zoology. At the time of her work towards her doctoral degree, the Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences Program did not even exist.

She joined the faculty in 1978 as the first female Equine Extension Specialist in the United States. Wearing many hats over the years, she served as a Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, the Associate Director of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, and Founding Director of the Equine Science Center. From 2002 to 2008, she was the also the Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

Malinowski’s research and extension programs concentrated on improving the well-being and quality of life of the equine athlete while ensuring the vitality and viability of the equine industry, both statewide and nationally.

“Dr. Karyn Malinowski has been a pioneering force in Equine Extension—not only within the state of New Jersey, but across the region and the country. Her contributions have elevated the field, opened doors for women in Extension, and strengthened the partnership between academia and the equine industry,” said Carey Williams, equine extension specialist and professor in the Department of Animal Sciences. “Her legacy is defined by excellence, innovation, and service, and the reach of her work is reflected in the many individuals and institutions she has influenced.”

Malinowski’s research on recombinant equine growth hormone provided cutting edge insights into the treatment of geriatric horses; and her research on the effects of aging have resulted in a large body of information on the care of the older equine athlete.         

Karyn Malinowski working with students at the Ryders Lane Best Management Practices Demonstration Horse Farm at Rutgers.

Her love of teaching and training is evident by the numerous mentees that she has advised over the years. Mentoring countless undergraduate and graduate students and serving as the major professor to three postdoctoral associates, two doctoral and three master’s students, Malinowski’s legacy lives on in the work of the next generation of equine scientists.

Malinowski took on the mantle of building the equine science program at Rutgers, leading the industry effort that resulted in Cook College and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station receiving $1.2 million for Strategic Initiatives in 1992 from the NJ state legislature. The equine science program received $300,000 per year, for multiple years, in no small part due to her advocacy for equine science, animal science, and the success and dependability of Rutgers’ research and extension activities.

“Dr. Malinowski has dedicated herself to better horse care through research and education. Her decades of tireless efforts to ensure the viability of the New Jersey equine industry has had a major impact on public policy in the state and nationally,” said Kenneth McKeever, professor of equine exercise physiology in the Department of Animal Sciences. “Her career is a model of excellence in all three parts of the land-grant mission: research, teaching, and outreach/service.”

Malinowski is also responsible for the Lord Nelson joining Rutgers, one of the first horses brought to campus to be used by the RUPD’s mounted patrol unit. Lord Nelson went on to become the horse used for the Rutgers Football Games, and then eventually “retired” from the university, to only be brought back as the mascot of the ever successful “Equine Science 4 KIDS!” program.

In her retirement, Malinowski plans to stay engaged with the equine industry, and after taking a well-deserved break no one would be surprised if she appeared for guest lectures or consulting, always willing to share her lifetime of experience and knowledge.

  

Professor Carey Williams was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Educator Award by the Equine Science Society on June 6 in Fort Collins, CO. Photo: Courtesy of Carey Williams.

Announcement by Laura Lawson, SEBS Executive Dean and NJAES Executive Director.

Dear SEBS/NJAES Community,

Effective September 1, Carey Williams, Extension Specialist in Animal Sciences, will serve as Interim Director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center. 

William’s research area is equine nutrition, with specific focus on how nutrition affects the performance of the equine athlete, and how pasture content affects horse metabolism of soluble carbohydrates and the gut microbiome.

As an extension specialist, she facilitates and coordinates educational programs for the equine industry in New Jesey, as well as programs in whole farm management.

Williams is an active teacher in the Department of Animal Sciences and regularly teaches Equine Nutrition and Comparative Mammalian Anatomy and oversees the equine section of the experiential learning course, Animal Handling, Fitting, and Exhibition. 

As the interim director, William will work closely with the Dean/Director of Research, Josh Kohut, the chair of the Department of Animal Sciences Nicholas Bello, and the administrative leadership of SEBS/NJAES.

Please join me in congratulating Carey Williams on this new leadership role.

  

Professor Carey Williams was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Educator Award by the Equine Science Society on June 6 in Fort Collins, CO. Photo: Courtesy of Carey Williams.

Carey Williams, equine extension specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences and associate director for extension at the Rutgers Equine Science Center, has been honored with the “Outstanding Educator Award” by the Equine Science Society.

Presented on June 6 at the conclusion of the society’s three-day biennial symposium in Fort Collins, CO, the award recognizes “an individual who has demonstrated excellence in the area of equine education, either to students or in the horse industry.”

“Being recognized by my major society that I have been a member of since my first year as a graduate student more than 20 years ago means so much! As I look at all the previous recipients of this award, I feel deeply honored to be among the ranks of the esteemed colleagues whom I’ve admired over the years,” said Williams.

In addition to her outstanding teaching of equine science at Rutgers and her dedication to students, Williams is extensively involved in outreach programs for youth and adults, nationally and internationally.

Her signature undergraduate course, “Comparative Mammalian Anatomy,” is a popular 3-credit and upper-level Animal Science elective course that she developed more than 15 years ago, and which features hands-on lab classes. She also teaches “Equine Nutrition,” available as an online course to Rutgers undergraduate students but also reaching horse owners and enthusiasts globally through the Rutgers NJAES Office of Continuing Professional Education. This innovative, online format includes a two-tiered registration system to accommodate different learning preferences and has resulted in record enrollment.

Williams also consistently instructs or co-teaches other undergraduate courses, like “Animal Evaluation and Selection” and the horse section of “Animal Handling and Fitting.” Her student evaluations are consistently among the best, with high scores for teaching enthusiasm and content effectiveness.

She is also a dedicated mentor to graduate students, serving as the Graduate Program Director for Endocrinology and Animal Biosciences since 2023 and helping establish a popular 4+1 non-thesis master’s program. She has advised several master’s and doctoral students, and mentored numerous undergraduate research students, many of whom have gone on to achieve career success.

Carey Williams teaching students from LaGuardia Community College in the inaugural USDA NIFA NEXTGEN Animal Science Discovery Program’s (ANSCId) Summer Experiential Learning Program (SELP) and Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program hosted in July 2024 by the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Photo: Courtesy of OPOC.

Nationally, Williams has demonstrated success in extension activities. She hosts or co-hosts annual state and regional programs for adults and youth, including the Annual Horse Management Seminar. Her involvement in the Junior Animal Science Symposium reaches a significant youth audience. Since 2021 she has organized the Virtual Horse Management Seminar Series, which has attracted hundreds of in-person attendees worldwide, and the widely popular “Evening of Wine and Equine,” an educational equine seminar series hosted at local wineries.

She is a strong contributor to Extension Horses, Inc., a nationally recognized and award-winning extension outreach initiative led by professionals from national land-grant universities dedicated to bringing research-based information to the public. Her extension programs effectively use a combination of in-person presentations, distance education, webinars, podcasts, fact sheets, peer-reviewed journal articles and popular press, to effectively reach her audiences.

  

Rutgers alumnus Matthew Edson (third from right), Founding Dean of Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine, meets with early admit students to New Jersey first veterinary school, which welcomes its first matriculating class this fall. Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Edson.

The announcement in 2022 that Matthew Edson, Rutgers animal sciences graduate, would be the Founding Dean of the Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine delighted his former Rutgers professors. New facilities at the school, including a specialty/referral hospital that will be open to the public, will be complete late summer 2025, and ready to welcome the school’s first cohort of 41 New Jersey residents and 34 out-of-state students.

Carol Bagnell, professor and then chair of the Department of Animal Sciences at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS), taught Matthew as an undergraduate, and was among the first to congratulate him on his appointment.

“We are very proud of you, as a 2007 graduate of our program, for providing the leadership for this very exciting initiative. It doesn’t seem too long ago that you were a student on the Cook-Douglass campus,” she wrote to Matthew. “It is very rewarding to see your success in establishing an award-winning veterinary practice and now leading this ground-breaking effort in veterinary medical education.”

Matthew Edson (CC’07), founding dean, Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Animal Science is the largest undergraduate major at SEBS and the possibilities of finding areas to partner with the Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine was very much at the top of Bagnell’s mind and succeeding leadership of the SEBS Department of Animal Sciences. Matthew is in a position to facilitate such potential partnerships as the founding dean of the vet school, and he touches on this aspiration as he shared his journey as a Rutgers animal science undergraduate to his new leadership role in veterinary medicine in the state.

What drew you to Rutgers and the animal sciences program, in particular?
I was pretty sure I was on the path to veterinary school early on, so the strength of the animal science program and hands-on nature of the experiences offered at Rutgers were a big plus. With a lot to do on the farm at home, the proximity was important as well. I think one of the biggest drivers was the connection between the school and Rutgers Cooperative Extension. I had experienced elements of Rutgers through 4-H, which gave me a good impression of then Cook College, now SEBS.

Do any classes or experiences stand out as very impactful to your post-undergrad or career choices?
Taking the 3-day “Dairy Cattle Artificial Insemination” that the animal science department offered in conjunction with Genex, an organization that provides genetic and reproductive solutions to the dairy and beef cattle industry, was a great experience. It allowed us to apply some of the book knowledge we had learned to a real-life, clinical-type experience. I also really enjoyed “Principles of Integrative Physiology” with Dr. Henry John-Alder, professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources.

Have you been back to campus since you graduated?
As an alumnus, I welcome any opportunity to share my journey in veterinary medicine and support of the students in the animal sciences program. I’ve been back on campus to speak to the pre-veterinary club a few years in a row and was also back once to judge state 4-H public presentations at Hickman Hall.

After graduating from Rutgers, you headed to the Midwest to get your degree in veterinary medicine. What was that transition like?
One of the reasons I picked Kansas State was the small town the school was in and because the folks I met there during interviews were so nice. Feeling “at home” in that respect made the transition much easier. Academically, veterinary school is certainly more demanding in some respects than undergraduate, mostly due to the volume of information and number of concurrent classes. I think the undergraduate program at Rutgers did a great job of preparing us for veterinary school. During the first year of vet school, many of the classes seemed like a review of much of the content from my program at Rutgers, which made adjusting much easier as it didn’t seem nearly as overwhelming having covered that material before.

Matthew Edson with wife Jenna, MSW graduate of Rutgers-Camden, and their dogs Frankie and Shadow.

How would you describe your journey to this point in your career?
It’s been an interesting path from Rutgers to vet school to private practice and back into academic veterinary medicine. Without the foundation from my time in the animal sciences program at Rutgers, I doubt I’d be in this position today. When I graduated from K-State, I already had plans to return home to start a practice in my hometown.  What started out as an ambulatory large animal practice (just me, my dog Cody, and a toolbox full of supplies driving my old pickup truck from farm to farm around South Jersey) has grown into a multi-location, multi-doctor, mixed animal practice. When I started to get involved with the vet school project at Rowan a couple years ago I didn’t do so thinking I’d be making a career change back into academia, but the opportunity to participate in the start of such a unique program that’s so needed in our state wasn’t something I could pass up.

When and how did you become involved in the process that led to the launch of the first school of veterinary medicine in New Jersey?
Several years ago, Rowan began to explore the idea of starting a veterinary school and reached out to the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association (NJVMA) for input. I was the NJVMA President at that time, so I was involved in those initial discussions. I’ve been able to develop a strong network of other veterinary professionals in NJ during my years in practice and my experience serving as a site visitor for the AVMA’s vet school accrediting body gave me insight on the need to establish and maintain a veterinary program, so I became more and more engaged in the project. I started as a consultant for Rowan during the feasibility study portion and after a year or so, it was decided that the project was truly moving forward. I was offered the Founding Dean position at that point and started in that role in June 2021.

Broadly, what were some of the challenges you and colleagues faced in bringing this vision to fruition?
There are endless challenges to starting a program of this scale and we’ll continue to have more as we progress. Most of the newer veterinary programs in the U.S. are distributive, meaning most of the student clinical training is provided at partner facilities outside of the school itself. We wanted to keep more of the clinical experiences in-house, which involves not only starting a school but starting a teaching hospital as well. We’re planning a hybrid program where the majority of the clinical experiences will be in our clinical facilities with our faculty with a smaller portion of the clinical experiences at outside clinical partner sites.  Keeping the cost of veterinary education affordable for students is challenging as well, but that’s something that’s always in our minds while planning every aspect of this program.

At the time, how did you view the impact of the founding of the first such school in the state?
For too long, New Jersey residents have had to compete for limited out-of-state seats and pay much more expensive out-of-state tuition rates in order to attend veterinary school. Student debt and a shortage of veterinary staff are both major issues in our profession right now.  Offering an in-state tuition option will help to reduce student debt for graduates and keep those new doctors in New Jersey when they finish their program. I think this will be a great addition for our state, both from an educational standpoint and for the clinical resources and research opportunities it will provide.

You’ve now been in the role of founding dean for several years, what are some of the early milestones and impact that you’ve observed?

The opportunity to build a new veterinary program from scratch has been the experience of a lifetime.  We’re very lucky to have an excellent team of staff and faculty here that have put in a tremendous amount of work getting the program off the ground.  In October 2024, the school received accreditor approval to admit our first class, which will begin classes this fall. We’ve starting equine and large animal clinical services throughout southern NJ, have been providing spay/neuter services for local shelter animals, and began outreach clinic services for low-income individuals and their pets in Camden.  Our STEM education center for preschool through high school students is starting operations in Mount Laurel and we’re looking forward to beginning clinical services in our hospital and welcoming New Jersey’s first class of veterinary students this fall.  It’s certainly been a busy, yet very exciting time.

Can you share broadly what’s planned for graduates who wish to enroll?
DVM students in our program should expect an integrated program in which we emphasize clinical and professional skills education from the start of the program.  We’re very focused on ensuring we prepare competent and confident new veterinarians at graduation, with equal attention given to their ability to practice clinically, their ability to communicate with clients and colleagues, and other skills including practice management and regulatory knowledge. We offer a wide range of elective courses for students to pursue individual interests including wildlife medicine, practice management, honeybee medicine, emergency/critical care, and many more.  Accelerated degree programs such as a joint DVM/MBA with Rowan’s Rohrer College of Business are available, including an accelerated program for those who have already completed a DVM degree. The application for next year’s entering class is already available through VMCAS, so we encourage anyone who is interested to apply. Admissions requirement information is available at our website at www.rowan.edu/svm for those who are interested in finding out more.