OSU College of Veterinary Medicine Honors 2025 Distinguished Alumni
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Media Contact: Bailey Horn | Marketing Specialist | 405-744-6728 | bailey.horn@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine recognized four exceptional alumni during its 2025 Distinguished Alumni Luncheon on Oct. 30.
Interim Dean Dr. Jerry Ritchey presented the awards, which honor graduates who have made significant contributions to veterinary medicine and their communities.
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are Dr. David VonTungeln, Class of 1983; Dr. Jeffery Hall, Class of 1987; and Dr. Meredyth Jones-Cook, Class of 2002. Dr. Trey Kraft, Class of 2020, received the Recent Graduate Award.
A fifth-generation farmer, rancher and veterinarian, VonTungeln has spent more than four decades serving Oklahoma’s agricultural community. The first veterinarian hired at the USDA Grazinglands Research Laboratory, he advanced livestock health and sustainability research. VonTungeln has held numerous leadership roles, including with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, and is known locally for his community service — including donating thousands of loaves of homemade bread to those in need.
Internationally regarded veterinary toxicologist Hall has built a career advancing diagnostic medicine, mineral nutrition and toxicology. After completing his DVM at OSU, Hall earned advanced specialty training and a Ph.D. at the University of Illinois. Board-certified since 1993, he was the first to identify Easter lily toxicosis in cats, a finding that influenced clinical practice nationwide. Hall has served as a professor, researcher, advisor and rodeo coach, and currently works in cattle technical services while continuing to educate veterinarians across the country.
Jones-Cook is recognized for her expertise in food animal medicine and her dedication to educating future veterinarians. After graduating from OSU and working in mixed-animal practice, she completed a large animal internal medicine residency, served as a large animal internist at OSU, and then as faculty at Kansas State University and Texas A&M University. Jones-Cook has published extensively and regularly lectures at veterinary conferences. Passionate about mentorship, she founded the Cowgirl Continuing Education Retreats to support women in large animal medicine and today serves as a professor of livestock medicine at Texas Tech University.
Recent Graduate Award recipient Kraft is the managing partner of Animal Health Center in Paris, Texas — a clinic founded by his father more than 30 years ago. A dedicated community and professional leader, Kraft serves on multiple veterinary boards and committees and is president of the OSU CVM Alumni Society. Known for his work ethic and commitment to lifelong learning, Kraft has quickly established himself as a rising leader in the profession.
“Each of these individuals represents the best of the long orange line of Oklahoma
State College of Veterinary Medicine graduates,” Ritchey said. “Their impact on animal
health, veterinary education and research, and their communities has been extraordinary.”
For more information about the Distinguished Alumni Awards and the OSU College of
Veterinary Medicine, visit the college’s website.