Salmon Award

Salmon Award for Distinguished Alumni Service

Established by the Alumni Association in 1986, the Daniel Elmer Salmon Award for Distinguished Alumni Service honors Cornell Veterinary College DVM graduates who have distinguished themselves in service to the profession, their communities or to the College. 

The award is named in honor of Cornell's first DVM graduate, who is remembered for his pioneering work in controlling contagious animal diseases in the early 20th century. D.E. Salmon was one of Dr. James Law's first students when Cornell University opened its doors in 1868. He received the Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in 1872 and entered practice in Newark, NJ. He continued his advanced research at Cornell and in 1876 he was awarded the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. This was the first DVM degree to be awarded in the United States of America. 

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Help us honor our graduates by nominating a Cornell graduate. Nominations are accepted throughout the year until May 1. Should a nominator wish to re-nominate an alumnus/a from the previous year, a revised nomination form must be completed for the candidate to be considered.  The recipient of the award is notified by August 1.

2020 and 2021 Salmon Award Recipients
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Previous Award Recipients

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Year Received Name
1986 Arthur Gordon Danks* '33, Ellis Pierson Leonard* '34, Frederick O. Wright* '41
1987 John D. Murray* '39
1989 Stephen J. Roberts* '38
1991 Robert E. Clark* '52
1994 Richard C. Grambow* '57, Robert W. Kirk* '46, Richard A. Smith* '51
1996 Stanley M. Aldrich* '50, Louis C. Schimoler* '47
1997 John J. Brennan '52
1998 Francis H. Fox* '45
1999 Robert V. Manning* '55
2000 Robert E. Lynk* '61, Harold W. Zweighaft* '56
2001 Robert B. Hillman '55
2002 John D. Shumway* '56
2003 George W. Abbott* '45
2004 Robert F. Kahrs* CALS '52, DVM '54, MS '63, PhD '65
2008 Alexander de Lahunta* '58
2009 Fredric W. Scott '62
2010 Stephen J. Ettinger '64
2011 N. Joel Edwards* '64
2012 Jeanne A. Barsanti '74
2013 James F. Peddie '65
2014 Lila T. Miller '77 (CALS '74)
2015 Paul D. Pion '83
2016 Robert R. Marshak* '45
2017 Ann E. Dwyer '83, Donald H. Lein '57
2018 N. Bruce Haynes* '52 (awarded posthumously)   
2019 Jerrold M. Ward '66
2020 John "Jack" Lowe '59
2021 Sheila W. Allen '81 (ARTS '76)
2022 Mary Smith '69, DVM '72
* - deceased

Help us honor our graduates by nominating a Cornell DVM graduate. Nominations are accepted throughout the year until May 1. Should a nominator wish to re-nominate an alumnus/a from the previous year, a revised nomination form must be completed for the candidate to be considered.  The recipient of the award, and nominator, are notified by August 1.

Submit your Nomination Online

Paper Nomination Form (editable PDF)
1/ Download editable PDF and save to your computer
2/ Complete form and save (to ensure document is properly saving information - start filling in one field, save under different name, go back in and confirm changes have been saved).  Complete document.
3/ Email your nomination form to vet.alumni@cornell.edu 
4/ We will send you a confirmation that your nomination has been received. 

Nomination should not exceed 1000 words in total.

Nomination form and supporting materials must be postmarked and received by May 1, 2023 to be considered for 2023 selection.