Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine recognizes hospital employees

BLACKSBURG, Va., July 6, 2007 – Three employees of Virginia Tech's Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Teaching Hospital were recently recognized for their contributions to the hospital.

• Jill Kormendy of Christiansburg, Va., has been with the hospital as an administrative assistant since 2001. Commonly known as the one to go to when no one else knows what to do, she was honored for her willingness to always maintain “a positive attitude and go the extra mile.”
• Laila Kirkpatrick of Blacksburg, is a clinical laboratory technician in the hospital’s Laboratory Services unit. Kirkpatrick “is extremely knowledgeable and well rounded and has used her organizational skills to make Central Lab Receiving more than merely a starting point,” wrote the individual who nominated her for the award.
• Christy Lowry of Christiansburg, serves the college as a veterinary services support technician in the Communications unit. According to her appreciative co-workers, Lowry is always friendly, helpful and smiling while demonstrating accuracy and meeting important deadlines.

All three women received a plaque and monetary award in appreciation of their outstanding dedication to the hospital and to the college. This year, 21 employees were nominated and for the first time in the history of the award, there was a three-way tie.

Individuals are nominated for this award by their peers based upon criteria that include a professional attitude, excellent skills and performance, a willingness to help and cooperate with coworkers, and superior efficiency and organization. Faculty, staff, and students working in the teaching hospital then vote on the nominees to determine the winner.

The Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM) is a two-state, three-campus professional school operated by the land-grant universities of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and the University of Maryland at College Park. Its flagship facilities, based at Virginia Tech, include the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, which treats more than 40,000 animals annually. Other campuses include the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Va., and the Avrum Gudelsky Veterinary Center at College Park, home of the Center for Government and Corporate Veterinary Medicine. The VMRCVM annually enrolls approximately 500 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and graduate students, is a leading biomedical and clinical research center, and provides professional continuing education services for veterinarians practicing throughout the two states. Virginia Tech, the most comprehensive university in Virginia, is dedicated to quality, innovation, and results to the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.

• Christy Jackson
• 540-231-5396
• vtnews@vt.edu