Dr. Kelsey A. Hart (PhD ’10), DVM, DACVIM (Large Animal), has been recognized with the 2026 Distinguished Graduate Award, an honor presented to alumni of M.S. and Ph.D. programs who demonstrate excellence in research, teaching, service, and professional achievement. 

Hart currently serves as Professor of Large Animal Internal Medicine and holds the Hodgson Chair of Equine Studies at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Since joining the UGA faculty following the completion of her Ph.D. in Endocrine Physiology, she has built a career defined by impactful research, dedicated teaching, and clinical excellence. 

A graduate of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, where she earned her DVM in 2004, Hart went on to complete a residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine in 2008 before pursuing her doctoral training at UGA. Her clinical interests span large animal endocrinology, neonatology, and neurology, and her research centers on immune-endocrine interactions during illness and the diagnosis and treatment of equine sepsis and endocrine diseases. 

Through her contributions to advancing veterinary medicine and mentoring future veterinarians, Hart exemplifies the spirit of the Distinguished Graduate Award and the lasting impact of graduate education at the University of Georgia. 

Dr. Hart will be formally recognized during the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine’s Annual Conference & Alumni Weekend, April 17–18, 2026.