College of Veterinary Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony for Class of 2021 held on Saturday, January 25, 2020.
Students in their third year of professional education at the College of Veterinary Medicine received their white coat in a ceremony on Saturday, Jan. 25.
The ceremony was held at the Jay and Susie Gogue Performing Arts Center on Auburn University’s campus at 3:00 p.m.
The White Coat Ceremony is a symbolic event for students transitioning their education from classroom study to the clinical phase of veterinary education. The white lab coat is a symbol of medical professionalism and marks a turning point in the education of the 115 member class of 2021.
Guests and students were welcomed by Dean Calvin Johnson. Dean Ruby Perry of Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Roslyn Casimir-Whittington, associate dean for academic affairs at Tuskegee brought greetings and congratulations to the class. The presentation of the coats was led by Dr. Dan Givens, associate dean for academic affairs for Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Alan Jones, president of the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association, and Dr. Debra Shoulders, president-elect of the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, spoke and presented the coats to students from Alabama and Kentucky. The closing remarks were given by Mr. Austin Horstman, president of the class of 2021.
Attending the ceremony were more than 800 friends, family, and guests of the students, as well as faculty members of the college.