More than $380,000 given to 77 students since 2009


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For the fourth year, Pfizer Animal Health and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Foundation have joined forces to provide financial support to veterinary students pursuing careers in large-animal veterinarian medicine.

"In the past four years, the AABP Foundation - Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund has awarded $385,000 in scholarships to 77 veterinary students. That's an incredible amount of support for our future generation of veterinarians," says M. Gatz Riddell Jr., DVM, executive vice president, AABP. "Our continued partnership with Pfizer Animal Health on this program is helping make a difference for our young veterinary students."

Fifteen veterinary students from across the United States were recognized as 2012 recipients of the AABP Foundation - Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund at the AABP Annual Conference held Sept. 19 to 22 in Montreal, Quebec. Each student received a $5,000 scholarship and attended the conference with paid travel and lodging.

The 2012 scholarship recipients are: Travis Allen, Washington State University; Kathryn Bach, University of Pennsylvania; Brooks Butler, Kansas State University; Rebecca Domenigoni, Western University of Health Sciences; Dallas A. Duncan, University of Illinois; Jacob Geis, Iowa State University; Tim R. Gibbs, Washington State University; J. Oliver Irons, Auburn University; Caleb Jenkin, Auburn University; Jonathan Klemme, Texas A&M University; Lindley Reilly, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Eric J. Rooker, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Judd Sims, University of Florida; Emily Waggoner, University of Georgia; and Amanda Wagner, The Ohio State University.

Supporting large-animal veterinarians from the beginning

Claire McPhee received an AABP Foundation - Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship in 2011. The 2012 graduate of North Carolina State University focuses on milk quality and large-animal medicine at Udder Health Systems in Bellingham, Wash. The scholarship and the support of Pfizer Animal Health and AABP have helped advance her career, McPhee says.

"Receiving the scholarship decreased my financial debt and provided greater flexibility in finding a job that was a good fit for me," McPhee says. "Pfizer Animal Health also helped my career by offering externships and educational resources that wouldn't have otherwise been available to me."

"Pfizer Animal Health supports future veterinarians at every stage. Externships provide students with hands-on experiences that can't be taught in the classroom," says Doug Braun, DVM, veterinary segment manager, Pfizer Animal Health Strategic Initiatives.

"In addition to financial support, we also make sure students have access to educational resources and are given the opportunity to network with other veterinarians. We feel these can be key to a successful career in veterinary medicine," Braun says.

Pfizer Animal Health supports the scholarships through its FFA and AABP Foundation Support Program, a unique partnership with veterinarians, animal health suppliers and dealers. The program offered a 1% rebate on Pfizer Animal Health cattle products from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2012. Participating partners were able to direct funds to any local FFA chapter(s) or the AABP Foundation - Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund.

The AABP Foundation - Pfizer Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund is a component of Pfizer Animal Health's Commitment to Veterinarians™ platform, which offers support through training and education, research and development, investing in the future of the veterinary profession, and philanthropy.

About Pfizer Animal Health

Pfizer Animal Health, a business unit of Pfizer Inc., is a global leader in the discovery, development, manufacture and commercialization of animal health medicines and vaccines, with a focus on both livestock and companion animals. For more than 60 years, we have been committed to enhancing the health of animals and bringing solutions to our customers who raise and care for them. To learn more, visit www.pfizeranimalhealth.com.

09.24.2012