During this year’s American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Annual Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, five veterinary students were the inaugural recipients of $5,000 scholarships through the Merck Animal Health/AAEP Foundation scholarship program.

The following five students received the awards during the Dec. 7 Frank J. Milne State-of-the-Art Lecture during the AAEP Convention:

Sarah Colmer, University of Pennsylvania
Leanne Fowler, University of Tennessee
Alaina Kringen, Iowa State University
Elisabeth Leahy, Michigan State University
Brenna Pugliese, Tufts University

The Merck Animal Health/AAEP Foundation scholarship program is designed to reward second- and third-year veterinary students dedicated to equine medicine for their academic excellence, leadership in their school and AAEP student chapter, and their long-term goals. This scholarship program is open to AAEP student members who are active within any of the AAEP’s 40 student chapters at colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Caribbean.

“Through this scholarship program, we are reinforcing our longstanding commitment to education, personal development and the science of healthier animals,” said Brett Whitehead, equine business unit head, Merck Animal Health. “It also allows us to help support the cost of veterinary education, as well as recognize and celebrate the next generation of leaders. Every year, Merck Animal Health collaborates with numerous educational and veterinary organizations to ensure the advancement of animal health, and we are proud to partner with the AAEP Foundation on this initiative.”