March 12, 2025
Veterinary college recognizes talented trio with annual teaching awards
Three faculty members have been recognized for preclinical teaching excellence in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. Lisa Pohlman, Clay Hallman and Leslie Weaver were each named as the respective top teachers for the first, second and third years of instruction, as voted on by each respective class of students for their teaching efforts in the 2023-2024 school year.
“This group of instructors has received high praise from their students who have noted how each teaches with care and respect,” said James Roush, associate dean for academic programs and student success. “The students also mention how these instructors go above and beyond to ensure a successful learning outcome. These instructors are shining examples of what students strive to be in their professional careers.”
Pohlman was chosen for the 2024 Teaching Excellence Award in the First Year Award. She earned her doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 2001 from the University of Guelph and has more than 17 years of service in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Pohlman has served twice for a total of eight years as director of the Clinical Pathology Laboratory, and she has won the second-year teaching award twice, in 2017 and 2021, as well at the Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award in 2019 and the American Society of Veterinary Clinical Pathologist’s Educator Award in 2022.
In November 2024, the Kansas State University Alumni Association presented Pohlman with the Iman Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching. Her interests include the improvement of clinical pathology laboratory methods and identification and characterization of disease in domestic species and shelter/rescue animals, as well as teaching pedagogy and educational systems as a whole.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to receive this teaching award,” Pohlman said. “It is a privilege to be recognized for doing something I love so much—making a difference in the lives of our students. I thank all the dedicated people on our teaching and support team who help me do my job well, as well as the students who always keep teaching exciting and rewarding with their enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge.”
Hallman earned his doctor of veterinary medicine degree from K-State in 2008. He completed residencies at Oklahoma State University and K-State and obtained diplomate status in radiology in 2020. He has been an assistant professor since 2020. His areas of interest are cardiovascular imaging and teaching, and he was a recipient of the college’s 2021 award for excellence in resident mentoring.
“I am honored to have been selected by the class of 2026,” Hallman said. “I thoroughly enjoyed working with them throughout the semester. They put in a lot of hard work and dedication toward the pursuit of their chosen profession. It is very fulfilling to know that you are having a positive impact on their journey.”
Weaver was named the recipient of the 2024 Teaching Excellence in the Third Year Award. She is a board-certified large animal internal medicine veterinarian and earned her bachelor’s degree in 2011 and doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 2015, both at Texas A&M University. She has a master’s degree in veterinary biomedical science, which she completed at Oklahoma State University, in addition to a food animal medicine and surgery internship and residency. She has been a clinical assistant professor at the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine since 2019.
“I am extremely honored to receive this award, as I give very few lectures in the fall of third year,” Weaver said. “I hope that I can make a lasting impact on students by making my lecture topics approachable for students with any variety of clinical interests. I get very excited about the topics I teach, and I hope that passion incites an interest in my students as well.”