Dean Smith's portrait: traditional and trendy
A portrait of Dr. Donald F. Smith, ninth dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and professor, has been hung in the Atrium of the Veterinary Education Center. Presented to Smith by the Alumni Association at the New York State Veterinary Conference Awards Banquet in October 2008, the portrait pays tribute to Smith's 10-year deanship that began in 1997.
The hanging of Dr. Smith's portrait is in line with tradition: a portrait of every former dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine adorns the walls of the college complex. However, Dr. Smith's picture breaks with tradition in two important ways: at his request, it is a photograph, while the others are oil paintings. In addition, historically, the portraits only showcase the outgoing dean. In Dr. Smith's case, he is pictured with his dog, Beau.
Smith is a member of the National Academy of Practices, the first board-certified clinician to serve as dean of Cornell's Veterinary College, and is currently a member of the College's faculty.