CVMBS Cardiologist Recognized By University For Teaching Excellence
Dr. Ashley Saunders, a professor in the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences’ (CVMBS) Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences (VSCS), is one of two Texas A&M faculty members to be designated by the university as a Presidential Professor for Teaching Excellence (PPTE).
PPTE awards are conferred each year to two of the most distinguished teachers at Texas A&M University for their uncommon excellence and devotion to the education of their students. Recipients hold the designation for the remainder of their careers.
“Dr. Saunders’ passion for education and patient care go hand-in-hand. Her devotion to her students can be seen in their interactions both in the classroom and in our Small Animal Teaching Hospital (SATH), where she prepares our veterinary students for difficult and complex cases,” said Dr. John R. August, the Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine. “In doing so, she is making a long-lasting impact on our students as they prepare for their veterinary careers and on the profession.
“Dr. Saunders truly exemplifies excellence in teaching and is extremely deserving of this award,” he said.
Saunders, who also serves as the VSCS assistant department head for teaching, has received numerous teaching awards throughout her career, including the Association of Former Students’ University-Level Distinguished Achievement Award in 2016 and College-Level Teaching Award in 2015.
As a professor of cardiology, she leads fourth-year veterinary students in the SATH’s Cardiology Service and teaches preclinical classes on physiology and organ dysfunction. She introduces students to the complex world of veterinary cardiology in a way that benefits both future general practitioners and specialists.
Saunders joined the CVMBS in 2005 and quickly distinguished herself as one of the college’s top experts on cardiac changes such as congenital heart disease and heart failure management.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in veterinary science in 1998 and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2001, both from Texas A&M, and became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Cardiology) in 2005. She also earned a post-graduate certificate in veterinary education from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2017.
Saunders serves as a fellow of the Michael E. DeBakey Institute for Comparative Cardiovascular Science and Biomedical Devices, housed within the CVMBS, and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom.
PPTE recipients were formally honored on May 4 at the 2022 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference. Each recipient received a stipend award of $25,000.
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Contact Information: Jennifer Gauntt, Director of VMBS Communications, Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, jgauntt@cvm.tamu.edu, 979-862-4216
