Dr. John McCormack, author and retired professor of Veterinary Medicine, will lecture and read from his works on March 29 at 7 p.m. in the Cordell Conference Room at Abraham Baldwin College. The presentation is open to anyone who would like to attend.
The visit is coordinated by Dr. Erin O'Neill, Division Chair in ABAC's Division of Humanities, and Dr. Mary Ellen Hicks, Associate Professor in ABAC's Division of Agriculture and Forest Resources. Hicks is a former veterinary student of McCormack.
A native of Elkton, Tenn., McCormack was raised on a small farm. He attended the University of Tennessee and received his DVM degree from Auburn University in 1960. For 10 years, he was a country veterinarian, practicing in Foley and Bulter, Ala. Since 1970, he has taught at veterinary colleges at Auburn University, Louisiana State University, University of California-Davis, and the University of Georgia. His specialty is farm animal practice. He retired from active practice in 1996 to devote more time to his writing career.
In addition to teaching and practicing veterinary medicine, McCormack has written for numerous publications. In the fall of 1995, his first hardback book, Fields and Pastures New, My First Year as a County Vet was released. His second hardback, A Friend of the Flock, Tales of a Country Vet was released in September 1997 and continues where the first book ended. A third book, Hero of the Herd, was released in September 1999. This book further continues the story started in his first two books.
"Dr. McCormack's visit is a rare opportunity for ABAC students to meet and talk to a successful author whose life work has been closely linked to the field of agriculture," O'Neill said. "His books should be of interest not only to agricultural students, but to everyone, because they contain a wealth of insightful and entertaining observations."
McCormack and his wife, Janice, live in Athens. They have three children and four grandchildren.
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