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Officials at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) announced Paula Monroe-Aldridge as the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Alumnus award. Representing the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, Monroe-Aldridge will be formally honored during the Alumni Awards luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 26, at noon in the Calcagno Family Ballroom. All alumni and friends of the college are invited to attend. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under. To purchase a ticket or for more information, please contact the NEO Development Foundation office at 918-540-6115. NEO’s homecoming festivities Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015. This year’s homecoming theme is “NEO Superheroes in Disguise.”
A graduate of Keifer High School, Monroe-Aldridge began her collegiate education at NEO, where she received an Associate of Science degree in Applied Biology in 1991. She then transferred to Oklahoma State University (OSU) and completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Animal Science in 1993, while simultaneously attending veterinary school. In May of 1996 she completed her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from OSU and received the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) Senior Student Award for displaying superior proficiency in feline medicine and surgery.
Since her graduation, Monroe-Aldridge has completed postgraduate training in Emergency and Critical Care, Feline Medicine, Feline Ultrasound, Advanced Feline Dentistry and Oral Surgery. She is currently working toward a specialty in Feline Medicine. Monroe-Aldridge currently serves as an Associate Veterinarian at River Trail Animal Hospital. In her time of employment, she oversaw the hospital’s AAFP requirements and earned the hospital’s title as the first Gold Level Feline Friendly Practice in Oklahoma. In addition, she was recently elected to sit on the board of directors for the AAFP and has resided as chair of the AAFP’s Welfare Committee since 2011. She also currently holds a seat on the AVMA Welfare Committee.
Professionally, Monroe-Aldridge has been active in many veterinary organizations including: the previously mentioned AAFP and American Veterinary Medical Associations (AVMA); Veterinary Information Network (VIN); Tulsa County Veterinary Medical Association (TCVMA); American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA); and International Veterinary Academy of Pain Management (IVAPM). In 2007, Monroe-Aldridge was named “Veterinarian of the Year” by Tulsa’s Humane Society. She has also been featured in the “Women in Business” and “Pet Issue” editions of the TulsaPeople magazine.
In addition to her professional achievements, Monroe-Aldridge has volunteered countless hours in the Tulsa-metro area. She serves on the advisory committee of the Tulsa Community College Veterinary Technician and provides non-profit veterinary services to the St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, including: rehoming patient pets and providing visitation to hospice patients. She has also lectured to St. Francis’s hospice staff on zoonotic disease potential. Her volunteer experience also includes participation in several national Spay Days, where she volunteers her surgical skills to provide at and no cost spays and neuters in Tulsa, and providing volunteer veterinary services for the Humane Society of Tulsa.
In her private life, Monore-Alrdrige resides in Chouteau, Oklahoma with her husband, Jeff. NEO employs Jeff as a math instructor. “It is a privilege to honor Paula Monroe-Aldridge as one of our outstanding graduates,” said Executive Director of the NEO Development Foundation, Jennifer Hessee. “Paula has developed a very successful veterinary practice and still finds time to give back to her community and profession, fulfilling every criteria of the award. She is very deserving of this recognition.”
