Zoetis and the American Association of Bovine Practioners (AABP) care deeply about the future of large-animal veterinary medicine. That’s why 12 fourth-year veterinary students from across the country were recently presented $60,000 in scholarships at the 50th Annual AABP Conference in Omaha, Nebraska.
Made possible by the annual AABP Foundation – Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship program, each student received a $5,000 scholarship and a travel stipend to the conference. Since 2009, this scholarship program, a joint effort between the AABP Foundation and the Zoetis Commitment to Veterinarians initiative, has helped encourage and support careers in large-animal veterinary medicine.
2017 AABP Foundation – Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship applicants entering their senior year of veterinary school were evaluated on academic performance, essay submission, and involvement in bovine medicine and related extracurricular activities. The recipients are:
• Maxwell Beal, Kansas State University
• Ben Bennett, Kansas State University
• Sarah Cook, Louisiana State University
• Kevin Gavin, Washington State University
• Lora Gurley, Michigan State University
• Joseph Hammes, University of Minnesota
• Cade Luckett, Texas A&M University
• Ethan McEnroe, University of California, Davis
• Michelle Mitchell, Purdue University
• Delaine Quaresma, University of California, Davis
• Brian Schnell, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Lauren Thompson, Texas A&M University
For Kevin Gavin, scholarship recipient and veterinary student at Washington State University, the scholarship means more than helping relieve financial pressure from costs of veterinary education.
“This scholarship will reduce the financial burden of my final year of veterinary school significantly, which will allow me to spend more time gaining as many valuable educational experiences as I can before graduation,” he said. “It is very important for students to see how veterinarians take scientific concepts that are researched and taught in universities and apply these concepts to real-world situations. The only way to do this is to spend time with veterinarians and on farms, allowing students to understand the concepts firsthand.”
Roger Saltman, DVM, MBA, group director of Cattle and Equine Technical Services at Zoetis, who has helped present the scholarships during the conference for the last seven years, said he sees this program continue to give back and strengthen the cattle industry.
“By investing in these students who are the future of veterinary medicine, these scholarships will help us realize the important goal of providing the best care possible for cattle,” Dr. Saltman said. “Support, not only through scholarships, but through research and development, philanthropy, mentorships, and continuing education, helps to enhance educational experiences and, in turn, aids in ensuring a well-trained and economically viable veterinary profession.”
