Dr. Michael J. Blackwell is the recent recipient of the 2021 Senator John Melcher, DVM Leadership in Public Policy Award from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).

“The AAVMC’s annual series of professional awards recognize outstanding veterinary medical educators who excel in various areas of academic veterinary medicine,” said AAVMC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe. “Their dedication, achievements and contributions serve as a model of excellence for their colleagues and inspire new generations of veterinarians. We look forward to honoring Dr. Blackwell during our 2021 annual conference.”

Established in 2007, the Senator John Melcher, DVM Leadership in Public Policy Award is presented to current or former faculty, staff, or students at an AAVMC member institution to recognize leadership in public policy that advances veterinary medical education and success in advocating for veterinary medical education on a national or international scale. The award is sponsored by The Animal Policy Group.

After retiring from a decades-long career with federal government, Dr. Blackwell became dean of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UT-CVM), where among other forward-thinking initiatives, he developed a partnership with the Department of Public Health that allows veterinary students to earn a Master of Public Health degree while completing their veterinary degree. It was his vision to establish Veterinary Social Work as an allied profession that attends to human needs at the intersection of veterinary and social work practice, benefiting students, staff, faculty, and clients. Dr. Blackwell retired from the veterinary college in 2008 and currently serves as director of UT’s Program for Pet Health Equity (PPHE), a program within the College of Social Work that exists to improve access to veterinary care for pets and their families not adequately served by the current system. PPHE promotes and facilitates national collaborations and public policy development, to remove barriers to veterinary care.

In 2020, he received the 2020 Avanzino Leadership Award for his dedication to the human-animal bond and working on a national level to improve access to veterinary care to those with

His newest award will be presented during the AAVMC’s 2021 Annual Conference and Iverson Bell Symposium.

Click here for the full news release from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges:  https://www.aavmc.org/news/aavmc-names-recipient-of-2021-senator-john-melcher-dvm-leadership-in-public-policy-award/