SAVMA Scholarships and Grants

Animal Welfare-Human Animal Bond Committee

Congratulations to our grant winners! We had a wonderful applicant pool to choose from for our first annual Animal Welfare - Human: Animal Bond grant competition. The committee wanted to award students and groups that are working hard to promote the human:animal bond and/or animal welfare at their school and in their community.

The Ohio State University has been awarded $500 to put towards their shelter medicine program for the homeless. The application was submitted by Katie Flood. The Shelter Medicine Club's mission is to introduce veterinary students to the field of shelter medicine and to increase student awareness of the various roles veterinarians can play in animal welfare organizations. They also work to raise awareness of issues pertaining to homeless animals, pet overpopulation, and the human animal bond; as it is essential for keeping animals out of shelters. The club is dedicated to community service. They have participated in many activities, including fundraising for animal shelters, holding annual microchip clinics, and even traveling to New Orleans to assist with the continuing post-Katrina relief efforts.

The Paws for People program at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine was awarded $250. The application was submitted by Deb Linder. Paws for People is a volunteer-run program that had its official launch at TCSVM in May 2005. Paws for People is an animal assisted activity and therapy group that provides matching services between facilities and volunteer teams. Paws for People prepares suitable volunteers and animals for visitation to various hospitals, libraries, and assisted living communities for therapeutic purposes. All participants must undergo a certification process through Delta Society in conjunction with the Paws for People program. Delta Society's Pet Partner program was chosen to register the teams because of their willingness to evaluate multiple species, and their rigorous evaluations and experience in both animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapies.

The Willed Body Donation Program at Washington State University was awarded $250. The application was submitted by Laurie Johnson. In the spring of 2006, Laurie took a Leadership Course whereby she developed a proposal to implement a Willed Body Donation Program at her school based on HSUS guidelines. The proposal has been adopted by the Veterinary Comparative Anatomy Pharmacology and Physiology (VCAPP) department and her hope is that the program will be underway by the summer of 2007. She is currently designing a brochure on euthanasia and a body donation consent form that will be available to clients.

The Animal Welfare - Human Animal Bond committee would also like to congratulate our other grant applicants on their dedication to the human animal bond as well as animal welfare. Keep up the great work and remember to apply next year!

• Ryan Smith from Western University of Health Science College of Veterinary Medicine. Determining accuracy of the Pain Gauge.
• Sue Jacobson with The Palouse Area Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) program which is a community service activity of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University.
• Laura Miller from Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine's Sponsor-A-Dog program.
• Tara Ghormley, annual Cat Care Conference at Colorado State University.
• Heather Kivitko of Ohio State University - an independent study in international animal welfare in Medina Del Campo, Spain assisting in the medical care and rescue efforts of Spanish greyhounds (Galgos).
• Gwendy Reyes-Illg - Willed body program at University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.
• Kelly Carlsten & Katie McDermott - Pet Hospice Program at Colorado State University.

Committee on Communications

The COC is proud to recognize distinguished faculty who have left an indelible impression on students at their respective veterinary schools. The Teaching Excellence Awards (TEA) acknowledges the accomplishments of such professors annually for both Clinical Sciences and Basic Sciences. Students submitted an application in which seven questions were posed about that professor, and then a judging committee of eight SAVMA Delegates convened to evaluate these submissions and determine a winner for each category.

The Committee on Communications would like to congratulate all nominees and thank all students for their written submissions. These professors clearly have made incredible differences in their students' education. The winners will be formally recognized at the 2007 AVMA Convention in Washington D.C.

The COC would like to distinguish both the following nominees and the students who submitted the applications:

Clinical Sciences

• Winner: Dr. Robert Callan, Colorado State University, Department of Clinical Sciences
  • Submitted by Sara Ahola and Mandy Thoet (also winners of best written submission)

Other Clinical Sciences Nominees

• Dr. Anna Dee Fails, CSU, Department of Biomedical Sciences; Submitted by Kristen Holmes
• Dr. John Bonagura, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine; Submitted by Jessica Slack
• Dr. Patricia Talcott, WSUCVM; Submitted by Maci Keithly and Emily Wynne
• Dr. Shawn McKenna, Atlantic Veterinary College, Submitted by Leslie Sklena
• Dr. Tim Evans, University of Missouri Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; Submitted by Erick Lutzeier, Lacy Hobbs, Loni Taylor
• Dr. John Rossmeisl, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine; Submitted by Katie Lipresti
• Dr. Sylvia Bedford-Gaus, Cornell University; Submitted by Corinne Lemay, Anna Sweetman, Rose Vinti, Carrie Deshaies

Basic Sciences

• Winner: Dr. Stephen Hines, Washington State University CVM, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology
  • Submitted by Maci Keithly and Emily Wynne (also winners of best written submission)

Other Basic Sciences Nominees

• Dr. Lloyd Fleisher, North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine; Submitted by Amanda Ardente
• Dr. Nancy Gartland, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine; Submitted by Ashleigh Walker
• Dr. James Lok, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine; Submitted by Kristen Nau
• Dr. Thomas Craig, TA&MU College of Veterinary Medicine; Submitted by Mary Anne Wegenhoft, Charles Collins
• Dr. Martha Moon-Larson, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine; Submitted by Stacie Boswell, Mike Hickey

Economics, Finance, and Management Committee

The EFMC offers two annual awards to help business clubs at veterinary schools promote business education for students. The University of Missouri won the 2007 Start-Up Award of $500. The Ohio State University won the Club Excellence Award of $750. The EFMC offers a $100 award to the best essay describing a student's involvement in promoting the development of business skills in the veterinary profession. The author's eligibility depends upon experience in starting a business, a business club, or collaborating with curriculum planners at their veterinary college to implement business courses into the veterinary curriculum.

Download application form

Essays due by June 1, 2007 and award will be announced after the 2007 AVMA Convention. Please send completed essay and contact information to Stephanie Schneider at sschneid@vet.ksu.edu or 2417 Purcells Mill, Manhattan, KS 66502.

Emerging Issues Committee

Congratulations to the winners of the 2007 Essay Contest!

• 1st place: Jananne Mathison, North Carolina State University
• 2nd place: Jessica VanHook, Ohio State University
• 3rd place: Kara McMillan, Oklahoma State University

International Veterinary Student Relations Committee

The IVSRC promotes the advancement of veterinary education and animal welfare throughout the world. The committee facilitates individual, cultural and educational exchanges through the recruitment of veterinarians and veterinary students to participate in international student exchange programs. The committee also distributes information about the activities of the International Veterinary Student Association and encourages local chapters to be involved in international activities.

Congratulations to the 2007 International Exchange Scholarship recipients:

• Emily Howe from the University of Pennsylvania, and
• Jessica Venable from Colorado State University

They were each awarded $500 for international exchanges. We would also like to offer congratulations to the 2007 Chapter Award winner, St. George's University. They received a $500 award for starting up a new IVSA chapter.

Multicultural Student Outreach Committee

The MSO offers ten Diversity Grants of $100 each to support vet students and vet student organizations in their efforts to promote Diversity and/or Multiculturalism in the profession and their veterinary college.

Download application form

Native American Project Committee

The NAPC offers up to six $500 stipends each year for externships completed on Native American Reservations. Externships must be at least two weeks in length, and the stipends are awarded in a reimbursement fashion. All externships that meet these requirements are eligible, however SAVMA has a long standing relationship with the Navajo Nation in Arizona.

This position enables students to assist with implementation of veterinary programs offered on the reservation and provides them with the opportunity to experience some of the cultural aspects of Navajo life. For more information regarding the externship and stipend, please visit the Native American Project.