Addressing shortages of rural veterinarians and increasing overall access to veterinary education is central to the new scholarship program at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Recently funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) with a nearly $250,000 grant, the Rural and Underrepresented Scholarship for Hopeful Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Students (RUSH DVM) program aims to bridge the gap among populations entering the DVM program.
“With these scholarships, we can recruit, engage, retain, mentor, and train committed underrepresented scholars resulting in DVM degrees at K-State College of Veterinary Medicine,” says Callie Rost, DVM, associate dean of admissions. “This program will contribute to the reduction of the disparity among underrepresented and underserved populations entering the DVM program, which will better reflect U.S. demographics and help the U.S. remain globally competitive as a leader in animal health and food production.”
The grant was funded through NIFA’s Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program, which targets to increase the diversity of the food and agricultural workforce and to advance education achievement by providing competitive grants to higher learning institutions.
“Mentoring and shadowing opportunities will be made available to participants as well as opportunities for outreach and training,” Dr. Rost says. “Students participating in the RUSH DVM program will graduate with a lower debt load, and the program will foster economic opportunity in their futures.”
The RUSH DVM program will provide scholarships until 2027. For more information, click here.