Guests

College Station - Three Iraqi veterinarians spent two weeks in August at the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to learn how veterinary medicine is taught and practiced in the United States. Dr. Majid Hamid Nijidi, Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Baghdad was accompanied by Dr. Majid Nassir Hussain, an assistant professor and assistant dean for administration, Dr. Ali Fuad Ibrahim, an assistant lecturer at the school, and Captain Lawrence Camacho from the U.S. Army's 1^st Cavalry Division. The request to host the Iraqi veterinarians came from the United States Military and the U.S. State Department.

Faculty and staff from Texas A&M University presented information on the student selection process and curriculum for the professional program, classroom technologies, academic departmental overviews, and provided a tour of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for their Iraqi colleagues.

"We were pleased to assist the U.S. Military by hosting the veterinary delegation from Iraq and hope that we've helped to support their efforts to advance veterinary medicine and higher education in their country," said Dr. H. Richard Adams, dean of the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

In 2003, the U.S. Military's 414^th Civil Affairs Battalion, based out of Utica, NY helped to renovate the University of Baghdad, School of Veterinary Medicine which had been used by Republican Guard soldiers as a fighting position during the war. Although the facilities were never bombed, the battles fought there and the looting that followed caused considerable damage. The school reopened on October 4, 2003 and continues to receive support from around the world in the form of donated textbooks and supplies.

"Veterinary medicine is an important component in public health, food production, and it improves our quality of life through strengthening the human-animal bond," said Adams. "It was a great privilege for the college's faculty and staff to meet and share information with our colleagues and new friends from Iraq."

Contact Information:
Angela G. Clendenin
Director, Communications & Public Relations
Ofc - (979) 862-2675
Cell - (979) 739-5718