Auburn veterinary dean emeritus John Thomas Vaughan received the Distinguished Educator Award by The American Association of Equine Practitioners.
Vaughan, a 1955 graduate of Auburn and former president of AAEP and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, accepted the award in Las Vegas during the President's Luncheon at the 55th Convention Dec. 8.
"It's always a great honor to be recognized by your peers," Vaughan said. "I've been a member of that organization since 1961, and in that time I have acquired a great number of friends worldwide, so that is very significant to me. I was greatly touched."
Vaughan, who is now retired, was actively employed at Auburn for a little more than 38 years, but said he still remains active in that he makes regular calls into the dean's office.
Upon graduating with a veterinary degree specializing in large animal surgery and medicine in 1955, Vaughan immediately became a professor at Auburn. In 1970, he went to Cornell University as a professor of surgery and director of the large animal hospital.
Vaughan remained at Cornell for four years, then he returned to the deanship at Auburn in 1977 for 18 years. He retired in 1995.
"(Returning to Auburn) was a homecoming, and I like to think that my association with the students, and with the faculty, was always the high point of my professional career," Vaughan said.
Being a native Alabamian, born and reared in Tuskegee, Vaughan said returning to Auburn was rewarding.
"My mother's family has been in Alabama since 1832, and my father's family has been in Alabama since before the Civil War, so we have a great deal invested in the state of Alabama," Vaughan said. "To return to Auburn from Cornell seemed like a step down to others, but to me it was a step up."
Vaughan said the greatest reward of returning to Auburn was investing his career in his alma mater.
"(The most rewarding part of my job) is the cooperation and respect of the faculty and students," Vaughan said. "I say that because being in the administrative circle sometimes puts you at odds, and it's sometimes difficult to maintain a foot in both camps, but I like to think and, I would hope that my older associates would agree, that I always tried to put the faculty and students of the college over the concerns of the central administration that sometimes were at odds."
Sally Baker, director of marketing and public relations at AAEP, said the recipient of the Distinguished Educator Award is someone who has made a significant impact on the development and training of equine practitioners, either in an academic setting or as a mentor.
Some factors included are how many students have been impacted by the individual and that person's dedication to promoting excellence in equine practice.
"Dr. Vaughan's 40-year career in veterinary medicine has touched more students than can be counted," Baker said. "Many of his former students say that Dr. Vaughan was the mentor who most influenced their careers."
Baker said Vaughan is a "tremendous ambassador" for equine medicine.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
