Dr. Lorraine Chalkley stands in front of a veterinary technology lab named in her honor on the Collin College Wylie Campus. Photo Courtesy of Collin College

Collin College has honored longtime Murphy veterinarian Lorraine Chalkley by naming two labs and a surgical suite after her.

Her achievements and support were recognized Sept. 21 on the college’s Wylie Campus.

“Dr. Chalkley’s longstanding commitment to Collin College and our Veterinary Technology program is making a meaningful difference in the lives of our students,” said Collin College District President Neal Matkin. “From supporting the program in its earliest days to investing in the students who will carry the profession forward, her generosity reflects an extraordinary commitment to education and service.

Chalkley supported Collin College’s Veterinary Technology program since its early years, providing laboratory space at her clinic during the program’s first year, the college said. A veterinary technology radiology classroom was previously named in her honor, and she established an endowed scholarship for second-year Veterinary Technology students.

“Veterinary medicine has brought me a lifetime of enjoyment and fulfillment, and it means so much to me to help students discover that same sense of purpose in their own careers,” Chalkley said. “I have always believed that your work should be something you genuinely enjoy and find satisfying.”

Chalkley was the first woman in Collin County to practice veterinary medicine and own a veterinary clinic. In 1980, she founded Southfork Animal Clinic in Murphy and later served as a charter member of the Murphy Animal Shelter Advisory Board.

Before becoming a veterinarian, Chalkley earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech and worked for Texas Instruments for five years. 

Her sister, Patricia “Pat” Wilson Novotny, established an endowed scholarship to provide ongoing financial assistance for Collin College Veterinary Technology students.

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