Supporting efforts to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in veterinary medicine is at the core of recent rounds of scholarship awarding the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).
The Merck Animal Health Diversity Leadership Scholarship recognizes second- and third-year students enrolled in AAVMC membership institutions who have contributed to championing DEI through course projects, co-curricular activities, outreach, domestic and community engagement, research, and/or developed an early reputation for influencing others to be inclusive. Each recipient will be awarded a one-time scholarship payment of $8,000.
The AAVMC Patricia M. Lowrie Diversity Leadership Scholarship was awarded to Naomi Esquivel, a student at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, who co-founded the Illinois student chapter of the Latinx Veterinary Medical Association (LVMA) in September 2022. Esquivel is recognized for her contributions to enhancing DEI in academic veterinary medicine and will be issued a one-time scholarship payment of $6,000.
“We are thrilled to support the next generation of veterinary medical professionals through our valued partnership with Merck Animal Health,” says AAVMC CEO Andrew T. Maccabe, DVM. “These students exemplify AAVMC’s core values of diversity, inclusion, and excellence.”
For more information on the scholarship and grant programs, visit the AAVMC website.