More than $455,000 given to 92 students since 2009



ZoetisFor the fifth year, Zoetis and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) Foundation have collaborated to provide financial support to veterinary students pursuing careers in large-animal veterinarian medicine.

Scholarships worth a total of $75,000 to help offset tuitions costs for 15 veterinary students were awarded at the AABP Annual Conference held Sept. 18 to 21 in Milwaukee.

"This is just the beginning of the support the AABP Foundation-Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund provides for the future generation of veterinarians," says M. Gatz Riddell Jr., DVM, executive vice president, AABP. "Our continued partnership with Zoetis on this program will continue making a difference for our young veterinary students."

Fifteen veterinary students were honored from across the United States. Each student received a $5,000 scholarship and attended the conference with paid travel and lodging.

The 2013 scholarship recipients are: Thomas Cully, Cornell University; Megan Foy, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Daniel Haeflinger, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Alea Hoffman, Washington State University; Janelle Hoffman, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Chelsea Holschbach, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Lauren Malenke, Colorado State University; Brandon Miller, Purdue University; John David Nicholson, Texas A&M University; Amanda Plunkett, University of California, Davis; Ryan Rademacher, Oregon State University; Henry Reinart, Michigan State University; Tera Rooney Barnhardt, Kansas State University; Travis Vlietstra, Iowa State University; and Chad Wall, Cornell University.

Providing large-animal veterinarians support from the start
Jake Geis received an AABP Foundation-Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship in 2012. The 2013 graduate of Iowa State University has joined a South Dakota practice that allows him to focus a majority of his time on beef cattle. The scholarship and the support of Zoetis and AABP have helped establish his career, Geis says.

"With a veterinary career, the learning is never over. This scholarship allowed me to focus more on veterinary medicine and less on my financial debt load," says Geis.

The scholarship fund is a component of the Zoetis Commitment to Veterinarians™ platform, which offers support through training and education, research and development, investing in the future of the veterinary profession, and philanthropy.

Veterinary students in their first or second year are supported through another component of the Commitment to Veterinarians platform in the Zoetis Externship Program. During this four-week externship students experience excellence in veterinary practice firsthand and acquire skills they will apply when practicing veterinary medicine after graduation, says Doug Braun, DVM, veterinary segment manager, strategic initiatives marketing, Zoetis.

"We recognize some of the best teachers are those effectively providing services to their clients while managing the business of veterinary medicine in their practices. Not everything can be taught in the classroom," Braun says. "Not only are we providing financial support, we make sure that these students are given access to additional educational resources and opportunities to network with other veterinarians who have been in practice for several years. We feel these can lead to a successful career in a robust veterinary community."

Zoetis 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 select Zoetis cattle products from Feb. 1 to April 30, 2013. Participating partners were able to direct funds to any local FFA chapter(s) or the AABP Foundation-Zoetis Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund.

About Zoetis
Zoetis (zo-EH-tis) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on a 60-year history as the animal health business of Pfizer, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented by diagnostic products and genetic tests and supported by a range of services. In 2012, the company generated annual revenues of $4.3 billion. With approximately 9,300 employees worldwide at the beginning of 2013, Zoetis has a local presence in approximately 70 countries, including 29 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries. Its products serve veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals in 120 countries. For more information on the company, visit zoetisUS.com.

Zoetis is the proud sponsor with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibitions and the American Veterinary Medical Association of the mobile educational exhibit Animal Connections: Our Journey Together. Families visiting the exhibit will explore the vast bonds between people and animals and learn about the important role veterinarians play in protecting animal and human health. For more information, visit http://www.zoetis.com/animal-connections-tour.

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9.24.2013