Assistant Dean Gary Beard accepts the first-place check from Dr. Catherine McClelland of Hill's Pet Nutrition.   August 24, 2005   Auburn Wins Hill's SEC Challenge   The College of Veterinary Medicine followed the Auburn Tigers' 2004 Southeastern Conference football championship by winning the 2004-2005 Hill's Veterinary SEC Challenge, announced this summer during the American Veterinary Medical Association meeting in Minneapolis.   Auburn won this competition among SEC veterinary colleges by having the highest percentage of its graduates make a gift to the college during the year. According to Director of Development Sam Hendrix, 991 of the college's 4,100 addressable alumni made gifts during the year that ended on June 30, for a total of 24 percent.   "In alumni giving circles, that's a pretty good average," Hendrix said. "Alumni contributions make a tremendous difference in the quality of educational experience we can provide."   Auburn's percentage has increased in each of the two years that Hill's Pet Nutrition Company has sponsored this competition. Auburn garnered 21 percent the first year, up from 18 percent in the previous year. The competition is based on percentage of alumni giving, not on total amounts of money.   "The purpose of the competition is to call attention to the need for alumni support at all of the colleges based at SEC universities," Hendrix said. "Each college has benefitted from increased alumni giving since the Hill's Challenge began two years ago."   For its first-place finish, Auburn received a $7,000 check from Hill's, with the money to be used to support student leadership training and other student endeavors.   Return To News