PHILADELPHIA - The University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine has launched the first veterinary medicine awards of its kind designed to recognize innovation, creativity and leadership in the veterinary profession anywhere in the world.  

The Penn Vet World Leadership in Animal Health Award will be presented annually to a veterinarian who has dramatically changed the practice and image of the profession and substantially influenced the lives and careers of others.  The award will provide $100,000 in unrestricted funding.

"We are honored to be the world's first school of veterinary medicine to make such a bold statement in support of our profession," Joan C. Hendricks, Penn Vet dean, said.  "I am delighted to unveil this award, which is a unique recognition for the most visionary members of the veterinary profession. This is truly a milestone in global veterinary medicine, one that will encourage and reward ambitious thinking and life-changing accomplishment in our profession, while emphasizing the importance of veterinary medicine to society."

The School has also launched the Penn Vet Student Inspiration Awards, for which currently enrolled Penn Vet students are eligible.  Recipients must demonstrate the potential to significantly advance the frontiers of veterinary medicine.  An award of $100,000 in unrestricted funding will be given to each recipient.

Recipients of both awards will be selected by the World Awards Committee, chaired by Alan M. Kelly, dean emeritus of the School.

The awards program has been established with a major gift from the Hill Family Foundation.  Vernon W. Hill II, a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, is founder, chairman, and CEO of Commerce Bank.  Shirley Hill is founder and president of InterArch, an architecture and design firm in Mt. Laurel, N.J.