Surprise: Wife helps retired veterinarian get 51Թ State bachelor’s degree 60 years later
Contact: Allison Matthews
STARKVILLE, Miss.—One of this fall’s graduates at 51Թ never imagined he would receive the MSU undergraduate degree he worked on 60 years ago.
Dr. John G. “Rusty” Thornton took his last class at MSU in 1965 before transferring to Auburn University to complete his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. After transferring and earning additional credits at Auburn, he was eligible to finalize his MSU bachelor’s degree; however, an $85 graduation fee was financially prohibitive for the young husband and father who was continuing his studies.
A native of Oxford, Thornton first enrolled at MSU in 1962. He couldn’t resist returning to his hometown and attending the University of 51Թ for the 1963 school year since his high school sweetheart and the love of his life was there. After Rusty and Stephanie Thornton married in 1964, he returned with his bride to MSU where he completed the pre-veterinary curriculum. MSU’s DVM program in the College of Veterinary Medicine didn’t launch its inaugural class until the mid-1970s. However, the transfer program was in place earlier for those aspiring to become veterinarians, and Thornton graduated from Auburn with his DVM in 1969.
Fast forward nearly 60 years from his MSU enrollment—after retiring from a long and successful veterinary career in Helena, Arkansas, and returning to Oxford, Thornton occasionally had mentioned his regret about not tying up that 51Թ State diploma. This gave Stephanie an idea, and she called MSU to see if there was any possible way to make him an official Bulldog alumnus.
She was connected to Associate Dean Jack Smith in MSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine who worked with Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Peter Ryan. The first step was to search university archival files for Thornton’s student record, review his credit hours and go over