Olivier named associate dean for administration at MSU College of Veterinary Medicine

Contact: Mel Thurlow

Dr. Alicia Olivier, a professor of anatomic pathology at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, has been named the college’s associate dean for administration.

She served as interim associate dean for administration since October 2023 and as a faculty member in the Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine since 2014. She previously held a faculty position at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine from 2010-2014.

Olivier will provide support for all aspects of college administration, with a focus on faculty and staff recruitment and retention, college policies and operations and the implementation of strategic initiatives.

“Dr. Olivier brings her extensive experience as an educator, anatomic pathologist and researcher to this position, and she is committed to supporting the three important components of the MSU CVM mission: teaching, service and research,” Dr. Nicholas Frank, MSU CVM dean, said. “As an alum of our college, she understands the importance of community building and furthering the family atmosphere we have. She is an excellent communicator who maintains a high level of organization, and I know she will help MSU CVM be even more successful in the future; I feel very fortunate to have her on the CVM leadership team.”

A board-certified veterinary pathologist, Olivier earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from MSU CVM in 2005. She completed a residency in anatomic pathology and a Ph.D. in veterinary pathology at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010.

Olivier has focused on veterinary student education, veterinary anatomic pathology residency training and graduate student training. Passionate about mentorship, she has been involved in the first-year veterinary student mentorship program, as a fourth-year veterinary student advisor, faculty advisor for the student chapter of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and has served on 16 graduate student committees.

Her research focuses on translational animal models of human disease with specialization in pulmonary pathology, infectious disease, immunohistochemistry and image analysis. She is currently co-investigator on three active grants and has co-authored 75 peer-reviewed publications.

During her MSU tenure, Olivier has served as the assistant laboratory director from 2018-2024, working with leadership to support the staff and faculty in the diagnostic laboratory to maintain excellent service and turnaround time for clients of the CVM Animal Health Center and throughout the state. She has served the college on numerous standing committees including the Admissions Committee and Promotion and Tenure Committee, and as chair of the Curriculum Committee.

Olivier serves on the board of directors for the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, having been involved since 2014. She chaired the committee that founded the ACVP professional mentorship program, now in its fourth year.

Olivier is the recipient of the 2018 CVM Dean’s Pegasus Teaching Award, 2018 ACVP Mentor of the Year Award and 2021 ACVP Presidential Award. She is an ACVP diplomate and member of the American Veterinary Medical Association and Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians.

“As an MSU CVM alumna and longtime faculty member, I am proud and honored to serve as the associate dean of administration. I look forward to collaborating with students, staff, faculty and leadership to implement and facilitate initiatives and programs that continue to build on our success and excellence in education, service and research,” Olivier said.

The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine provides two full years of clinical experience with students receiving training in all species and completing more than 50 surgeries prior to graduation. Nationally recognized for its shelter medicine and aquaculture programs, as well as research in antimicrobial resistance, the college is the only college of veterinary medicine to lead a USAID innovation lab. CVM offers both B.S. in veterinary medical technology and joint DVM-PhD programs. For more information, visit http://www.cvm.msstate.edu/.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.