The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at the University of Prince Edward Island has won a national award from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) for its popular Community Workshop Series.

AVC’s Community Workshop Series was awarded a silver medal for Best Community Outreach Initiative at the CCAE’s national Prix d’Excellence awards ceremony in Quebec City earlier this month. The series, which began in 2008, features public presentations focusing on the health and well-being of animals.

“We are very pleased to receive this prestigious honour,” says Dr. Don Reynolds, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College. “Awards such as this one are a testament to the knowledge and expertise that AVC brings to the Atlantic provinces as the veterinary school serving the region.”

Reynolds also praised the AVC faculty, clinicians and staff who support the program by sharing their knowledge and time with the public.

“Our dedicated experts provide members of the public with a unique opportunity to increase their knowledge about animal health and welfare through programs such as the Community Workshop Series.”

This is the third time that an AVC initiative has received a national award from the CCAE. In 2008 and 2010, the College’s popular Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp won the CCAE’s gold medal for Best Community Outreach Initiative.

The CCAE is a volunteer-led organization that promotes excellence in educational advancement. Its membership is made up of universities, colleges, institutes and independent schools from across Canada. The CCAE’s Prix d’Excellence awards program is assessed by CCAE colleagues and external judges.

Photo: Janice MacWilliam, Special Events Assistant at AVC, displays the CCAE Prix d’Excellence Silver Medal award for Best Community Outreach Initiative awarded to AVC for its Community Workshop Series.