In Honor of Black History Month, Two Scholarships for African American Students at Long Island University's College of Veterinary Medicine Have Been Established through The Brady Hunter Foundation and NYC Mayor Eric Adams' Office

Nonprofit Organization will Provide Tuition Assistance for African American Students from within Five Boroughs

BROOKLYN, N.Y., Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Seeking to foster diversity in the field of veterinary medicine, two new scholarships for African American students to study at Long Island University's prestigious College of Veterinary Medicine have been established through generous funding from The Brady Hunter Foundation, and in coordination with the office of New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

The Brady Hunter Scholarship Fund will provide 50% tuition assistance for African American students with financial need from within the five boroughs of New York City at LIU's College of Veterinary Medicine on its Brookville campus.

The first recipient is Shania Allison, currently a first-year student from Queens, who will be eligible for the scholarship for the remainder of her studies, beginning with her second year in the Fall of 2024. A second scholarship winner will be determined by the Foundation and LIU in coordination with Mayor Adams, and that student will receive a grant covering 50% of tuition expenses for the full four-year program. The parties expect to announce the second scholarship winner prior to start of the Fall 2025 semester.

"New York City's rich diversity should be reflected across every sector and industry, including veterinary medicine," said Mayor Adams. "As we close Black History Month, I applaud The Brady Hunter Foundation for their efforts to help give African American students the ability to turn their career aspirations into a reality. For Queens-native Shania Allison, New Yorkers are rooting for your success and cannot wait to be able to eventually call you Doctor Allison."

"Long Island University's College of Veterinary Medicine – which will graduate its first four-year class this Spring – was established to meet a dire and growing need for veterinarians, both regionally and nationally,' stated Dr. Kimberly R. Cline, President. "As one of only four veterinary schools in the entire Northeast, we are dedicated to providing students the clinical and research experiences that will launch their careers, and thanks to The Brady Hunter Foundation, these scholarships will help expand those opportunities for all."

"The field of veterinary medicine faces a significant lack of diversity in the profession today, with limited opportunities for African American students," noted Josh Fox, founder of The Brady Hunter Foundation. "Our scholarships will aid in empowering African American students in New York City and bring their passion and talent into animal health and welfare."

Scholarship recipient Shania Allison received a Bachelor's in pre-med Biology from St. John's University and worked as a veterinary assistant at Seaport Animal Hospital before enrolling in graduate studies at LIU. "One of my goals as a veterinarian is to help bring diversity to the practice. Often others in my community are unable to envision themselves as a veterinarian due to the scarcity of veterinarians who look like them. By illustrating to my community this dream is possible it may encourage more people to come on board," she stated.

About The Brady Hunter Foundation
The Brady Hunter Foundation is a leading non-profit organization operated by a group of philanthropists, change-makers, humanitarians and animal lovers committed to helping the voiceless and the vulnerable. They are steadfastly dedicated to protecting animals, empowering children, conserving the environment, and supporting the homeless and food insecure. On February 7, 2024, The Brady Hunter Foundation celebrated its 1-year anniversary, and during that relatively short period of time, it has supported over 60 causes through donations and robust civic engagement in over 10 countries, and has awarded several million dollars in grants, impacting the lives of tens of thousands of humans and animals on a local, national, and international scale. The Brady Hunter Foundation strives to make the greatest impact possible, one strategic partnership at a time.

About the College of Veterinary Medicine
Long Island University's College of Veterinary Medicine was approved by its Board of Trustees in 2017 and began instruction in 2020. It is one of the University's fastest growing and most competitive programs with approximately 450 veterinary and graduate students. The College of Veterinary Medicine offers hands-on learning through a unique distributed education model, featuring supervised clinical experiences across the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. Students develop multidisciplinary professional skills through the College's partnerships with more than 75 affiliates, including primary care, specialty clinics, zoos, research laboratories, shelters, veterinary industry leaders, and other universities. It is supported by the only state-of-the-art veterinary medicine learning center in the New York region which opened in 2023.

About Long Island University
Long Island University, founded in 1926, is a leading research and teaching university that continues to redefine higher education by providing high-quality academic instruction by world-class faculty, serving more than 15,000 students from its Long Island and Brooklyn campuses. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its "value added" to student outcomes, the University is ranked in the top 7% of national research universities. LIU has a network of over 285,000 alumni, including industry leaders and entrepreneurs around the globe. Visit www.liu.edu for more information.

SOURCE Long Island University