Twelve students from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech have been named 2017 Zoetis scholarship award recipients.

The award recognizes veterinary students with a history of academic excellence and commitment to leadership in the veterinary medicine field in partnership with Zoetis and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).

The second- and third-year veterinary student recipients, who were selected from a record number of 1,700 applicants from across the United States and the Caribbean, include:

  • Munsath Ashraf, of Clarksburg, Maryland, a second-year student in the small animal track
  • Stuart Callahan, of Mechanicsville, Virginia, a second-year student in the food animal track
  • Meghan Dau, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a second-year student in the food animal track
  • Dylan Devino, of South Hero, Utah, a third-year student in the food animal track
  • Sara Beth Dodson, of Front Royal, Virginia, a second-year student in the small animal track
  • Jennifer Malkus, of Forest Hill, Maryland, a second-year student in the food animal track
  • Kristina Peacock, of Haymarket, Virginia, a third-year student in the equine track
  • Evymarie Prado-Sanchez, of Harrison, New Jersey, a second-year student in the public/corporate track
  • Kara Schneide, of Midlothian, Virginia, a third-year student in the food animal track
  • Jason Smith, of Littleton, Massachusetts, a third-year student in the equine track
  • Julie Van Scoik, of Chesterfield, Virginia, a second-year student in the food animal track
  • Andy Xin, of Bel Air, Maryland, a third-year student in the public/corporate track

The 315 recipients nationwide were evaluated for academic excellence, financial need, diversity, sustainability, leadership, and career path. Zoetis and the AAVMC hope the award will help lessen the financial burden placed upon veterinary students.

“Partnering with Zoetis enables us to help veterinary students offset the increasing costs of a medical education while providing these students with opportunities that might have otherwise been beyond their means,” said Andrew Maccabe, chief executive officer of the AAVMC. “These scholarships offer a way for students to manage everyday expenses or study in-depth some of the most critical challenges our industry faces.”

The scholarship program operates as part of Zoetis Commitment to Veterinarians, a platform dedicated to supporting diversity and leadership among future veterinary professionals while offering financial support during their academic career. Since its inception eight years ago, the program has awarded nearly $6 million in scholarships to more than 2,700 qualifying students.

Written by Kelsey Foster, a master’s degree student in the Department of Communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

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