MSU College of Veterinary Medicine DVM students Stephanie Dannunzio, class of 2020, and Callayn Paul, class of 2019, were awarded the Auxiliary to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Legacy Endowed Scholarship. Two students from each of the AVMA-accredited schools in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean with their own Student American Veterinary Medical Association chapters were selected to receive these $1,000 scholarships.

The Auxiliary to the AVMA is a non-profit organization of family, veterinarians, associates, and friends of the veterinary profession whose purpose is to promote the science and art of veterinary medicine through communications, education, and financial support. In 1921, the Auxiliary to the AVMA founded a veterinary student loan that successfully raised money to assist veterinary medical students. In recognition of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation’s (AVMF) relationship with the Auxiliary to the AVMA, the Auxiliary converted the existing student loan program to an endowed scholarship fund four years ago.

The Auxiliary to the AVMA Legacy Endowed Scholarship is open to students who display financial need and are in their second or third years at an AVMA-accredited veterinary medical school. Additionally, the students are members of SAVMA, maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5, and are involved with and are leaders of a university-affiliated organization as well as non-university activities.

As a key initiative of the AVMF, providing scholarships offers financial support to veterinary medical students, thus enhancing their educational experiences.

Stephanie is in the pre-clinical lecture phase of her education at the College. 

I’m interested in and would like to pursue a residency in Radiology. I also am interested in Equine medicine.

I've wanted to be a veterinarian since I knew that it was a career choice—so since I was five or six years old.  

The AVMA Legacy Scholarship will help reduce the huge burden of student debt that I have and will help make it more possible for me to continue to pursue my dreams.

All I can say is, “thank you so much.” 

Callayn recently entered the clinical phase of her veterinary medical education at the Hospital.

I am currently doing an externship near my hometown in Indiana at Cornerstone Veterinary Services, a small animal practice. My primary species of interest is equine, but I am most interested in pursuing mixed animal general practice at this time.

I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian. From my earliest memories, I have always wanted to be one. It is so neat looking back at old elementary school projects and pictures of Halloween costumes that were always dedicated to my passion of veterinary medicine from the very onset.

I am very pleased and honored to have been selected for this scholarship. It truly means a lot to me to have been selected as a recipient of the AVMA Legacy Endowed Scholarship, as it is a wonderfully generous contribution to my veterinary education.

I cannot thank the donors enough, and I truly, truly appreciate their altruism and contribution to the future of the veterinary medical profession.