The 12th annual “Celebrating Excellence: Fall Awards Program for the College of Veterinary Medicine Faculty and Staff” will take place Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held in the Atrium of the Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana.

Chris Beuoy, director of communications for the College of Veterinary Medicine, said he was enthusiastic about this year’s ceremony.

“This is the annual internal awards program for our faculty, staff and graduate students,” Beuoy said. “The recipients are nominated. A committee then makes selections. The teaching award is based on a polling of our professional veterinary students.”

Lou Ann Miller, a 17-year staff employee who manages the Electron Microscopy Service Lab, is this year’s Robert and Lucy Graham Staff Excellence Award winner. Robert Graham, the veterinary college’s first dean, established this staff employee award. Miller will be awarded a certificate and $1,000.

“I was rather surprised to get it,” Miller said. “There are a lot of really good people who really put their all into their job. They are willing to work odd hours or come in on their days off to put in nights and extra time. It’s really an inspiring place to work.”

Elena Gorman will be receiving the Dr. Walter E. Hoffmann and Dr. Ann L. Johnson Resident Teaching Excellence Award, a newly-established award as of 2004. Faculty members selected graduate students as candidates. Second-, third- and fourth-year students then voted on the nominations.

Dr. Anne Barger, University clinical pathologist and fellow award winner, nominated Gorman for the award.

“I nominated her because she’s gone above and beyond the requirements of her residency as far as teaching,” Barger said. “So she really goes out of her way if anybody asked her to teach a lab or give lectures. She’s happy to do so and does a really good job.”

Planning to finish her residency in June, Gorman said that it was all worth the work.

“I was thrilled,” Gorman said. “It really is an honor. There are a lot of residents here, and they are all phenomenal. So the fact that I got it is really an amazing boost of confidence. It’s a really good acclamation that you’re doing your job. Residencies are tough, and it’s nice to feel appreciated sometimes.”

Gorman will be using her award money to pay her way to the annual pathology meeting in Boston. She called it a reinvestment into her field.

Barger joined the ranks as this year’s Dr. Gordon and Mrs. Helen Kruger Service Excellence Award. She was nominated for her clinical service, continuing education and committee work.

“My appointment is divided into service, teaching and research,” Barger said. “The service part is specifically to help out local veterinarians in the area and to the college itself.”

Motoko Mukai, graduate student, learned that she had won the J.O. Alberts Award, created in memory of a former Veterinary Pathobiology Department head, about a month ago for her published work in the scientific journal Biology of Reproduction.

“I am so thankful to my advisers,” Mukai said. “If it weren’t for them I would probably not have gotten to this point. And it feels like all that work has been rewarded. I am very happy about it.”