Congratulations 2025 Alumni Award Winners
On Saturday, October 25, 2025 the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine hosted the annual Alumni Awards Banquet to recognize and celebrate the 2025 Rising Star and Alumni Achievement award winners. Congratulations to this year's awardees!
2025 Recipients
Alumni Achievement Award
The Alumni Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by the school. One or more alumni are honored each year for outstanding personal and professional contributions to veterinary science or one of its branches, veterinary practice, or service to humankind and the advancement of human welfare.
Dori Borjesson DVM ’95, MPVM ’95, Residency in Pathology ’99, Ph.D. ’02
Dr. Borjesson was recognized for her administrative leadership and innovation in diagnostic veterinary medicine. Borjesson is the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University (WSU) and previously served as a Professor and Department Chair in Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at UC Davis.
Mike Karle DVM ’99
Dr. Karle was recognized for his outstanding service to the school, to food animal medicine and rural practice, to supporting youth in agriculture, and to organized veterinary medicine in the State of California. He is devoted to food animal medicine, enjoys mentoring 4-H and FFA students, and has served the California Veterinary Medical Association as a Board of Governor’s member, President, Agriculture Committee Chair, and Legislative Committee member. He has also given back to UC Davis, serving on the Admission Committee and presenting to various student clubs.
Julie Smith DVM ’92
Dr. Smith was recognized for excellence through her efforts as a surgeon, educator, managing partner, advocate, and philanthropist. She has worn many hats, working for organizations such as SAGE Veterinary Centers, Sage Compassion for Animals, the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, and the American Veterinary Medical Association to name a few.
Woutrina Smith DVM ’01, MPVM ’01, Ph.D. ’04
Dr. Smith was recognized for being a globally-engaged veterinary leader improving animal, human, and planetary health; putting environmental epidemiology and One Health to work for health equity. She leads the multi-campus UCGHI Planetary Health Center of Expertise and has been part of the school’s One Health Institute since its inception.
Rising Star Award
The Rising Star Alumni Award recognizes a DVM graduate of the school who, within 15 years of graduation, has demonstrated outstanding professional achievement.
Samantha Evans Ph.D. ’13, DVM ’15
Dr. Evans was recognized for her scientific achievements and contributions to feline virology, veterinary immunology, and clinical pathology. Following veterinary school, she completed a medicine and surgery internship at Michigan State University, followed by a residency at Colorado State in clinical pathology. She was faculty at the Ohio State University for four years and is now back home in Colorado as an assistant professor of clinical pathology at CSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Nominations for 2026
Nominations are now open for the 2026 Alumni Achievement and Rising Star awards and are due February 15, 2026.