Texas A&M Dean Has Special Connection To University Of Florida
Dr. Eleanor Green
When the Texas A&M Aggies and the University of Florida Gators take the field, there’s one fan in the stand that will win regardless of the outcome of the game.
Dr. Eleanor Green, Carl B. King Dean of Veterinary Medicine, at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM) has a special spot in her heart for the Florida Gators, even though she confesses to bleeding maroon.
Dr. Green received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Auburn, where she was recently recognized as a Distinguished Alumnae.
“The University of Florida has been an important part of my life,” said Green. “I am a University of Florida alum (Go Gators!). I then made stops at Auburn, Mississippi State, Missouri, and Tennessee before circling back to the University of Florida for a 14 year stint as Department Chair of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and Chief of Staff of the Large Animal Hospital.” Dedicated to spending the rest of her career at her alma mater, she did not predict that Texas A&M would call, but they did. “It was love at first sight and I am thoroughly enjoying Aggieland.”
“And I am going to enjoy this Saturday for the first SEC game for Texas A&M,” says Green. “The SEC is a competitive, fun, and exciting conference. Interestingly, every school where I have been has been in the SEC conference, except – University of Missouri and Texas A&M. Well, now they are, so it is a clean sweep. From this experience, I can say the culture here in Aggieland just fits with the SEC culture,” said Green. “Texas A&M has just been named ‘The Best Gameday Tailgate’ by Southern Living magazine, so while I miss The Swamp in Gainesville, I feel very much at home in Kyle Field. With the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri, the SEC has the most veterinary schools of all conferences in the nation.”
“While I was at Florida, it was an exciting time for sports,” recalls Green. “I got to be there for two national championship football teams, two Heisman Trophy winners, and back-to-back national championship seasons in basketball. In fact, my going away gift from friends at UF was a trip to the BCS. Now in Aggieland, I’ve shared the excitement of the national champion women’s basketball team, as well as multiple national championships in equestrian and track and field. In addition to sharing a common commitment to building champions in athletics, these two tradition-rich universities also share a commitment to excellence in academics.”
Both Texas A&M and the University of Florida are land grant universities that house exceptional veterinary medical programs. Both universities have a foundation built on tradition and commitment to growing the future of the veterinary profession.
“As colleges of veterinary medical education, Florida and Texas A&M recognize the responsibility we have in educating the next generation of veterinarians,” said Green. “These students will not only go out in the world to care for animals in clinics, but also they will play a role in food safety, pharmaceutical research, public health. Every day it becomes more evident that human, animal, and environmental health are inextricably linked together, and the veterinary profession is poised to make an impact through collaborations with our human health counterparts. This approach to One Health is now key in the future development of our curriculum.”
When it comes to the players on the field, Green says she will be one of the loudest Aggie fans in the stands, as she yells for Texas A&M to win. However, for Green, it will definitely be a win-win as the blue and orange of Florida still holds a special place in her heart.
“I love college football,” said Green, “and I know that Aggies across Texas and beyond will miss the Big 12 and those historical rivalries that are such a big part of our traditions, but I can assure them that Texas A&M has found a home among kindred spirits in the SEC. I love the Gators and hope that they play well this weekend, but I’ve become a true Aggie at heart. I know that I definitely bleed maroon!”
