Merck Animal Health Announces Increase in Funding for Veterinary Student Scholarship Program

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., Nov. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Merck Animal Health (MAH) has announced an increase of $115,000 in funding for its Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. The program will provide $300,000 in scholarships to outstanding second- and third-year veterinary students in the 2017-18 academic year. This increased funding will support an additional 22 scholarships for students focusing on companion animals in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean.

The MAH Veterinary Student Scholarship was established in 2013 in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF). Scholarship recipients are selected annually based on academic excellence, financial need, leadership and area of interest within the profession. MAH provided $185,000 to the scholarship program in the 2016-17 academic year.

"These students are our future visionaries and will become the leaders of the veterinary profession," said Dr. Norman Stewart, D.V.M., livestock technical services manager for Merck Animal Health. "Through this program, we are reinforcing our long-standing commitment to education, personal development and the science of healthier animals. It also allows us to help support the cost of veterinary education, as well as recognize and celebrate the next generation of leaders."

The AVMF, the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, has supported the education and training of veterinary students for more than five decades.

"We are honored to continue our partnership with Merck Animal Health and are incredibly grateful for their increased level of financial support in the scholarship program," said Debborah Harp, CFRE, AVMF executive director. "The impact of their funding ensures that the best and brightest veterinary students will continue their education and serve our profession as the next generation of leaders."

The application process for 2017-18 scholarships will be open November 15 – December 31. Completed forms must be submitted by midnight December 31 and scholarship recipients will be notified in March 2018. All veterinary students in the classes of 2018-2019 are encouraged to apply.

Visit the AVMF website, www.avmf.org for application forms and more information.

About Merck Animal Health
For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals™, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter at @MerckAH.

About the American Veterinary Medical Foundation
The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) is the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 89,000 member veterinarians worldwide are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. For more than 50 years, the foundation has been helping veterinarians help animals with support for education, advocacy, service, and research programs and activities. Visit AVMF.org for more information.

About the American Veterinary Medical Association
The AVMA, founded in 1863, is one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world, with more than 89,000 member veterinarians worldwide engaged in a wide variety of professional activities and dedicated to the art and science of veterinary medicine. Visit www.avma.org for more information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Sharon Curtis Granskog
Assistant Director, Media Relations
American Veterinary Medical Association
Tel: 847-285-6619
Cell: 847-280-1273
[email protected]

SOURCE American Veterinary Medical Association