October 16, 2024
Veterinary students receive scholarship awards at bovine conference
Three Kansas State University veterinary medicine students and one faculty member received awards at the recent annual conference of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, or AABP, in Columbus, Ohio. The conference took place from Sept. 12-14.
Fourth-year students Harrell Phillips III and Sierra Shelit both received the $7,500 Zoetis Foundation Scholarship. The purpose of the Zoetis Foundation Scholarship is to identify and support superior students in veterinary school with a graduation year of 2025 who demonstrate the character, knowledge, experience, motivation and potential to become outstanding bovine veterinarians in the United States who are prepared to meet the needs of the 21st century.
Shelit also received the 2025 AABP Bovine Veterinary Student Recognition Award that is sponsored by Merck Animal Health. The purpose of this award is to support students who have an interest in dairy and/or beef veterinary medicine.
"Merck Animal Health is proud to honor these veterinary students who represent the future of cattle care," said Justin Welsh, executive director of livestock technical services at Merck Animal Health. "These exemplary students embody Merck Animal Health's mission. Now more than ever, the industry needs these bright minds who will bring their dedication and learnings to veterinary medicine."
Conrad Schelkopf, current Ph.D. student who received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in May 2024, received second place in the AABP Research Summaries Graduate Student Awards. Eduarda Bortoluzzi, assistant professor of anatomy and physiology, received the AABP Foundation Chair Dr. Gabe Middleton and AABP Foundation Competitive Research Grant Award. Bortoluzzi's research focuses on animal welfare and applied ethology of domestic animals.