DoanCourtney Doan of Merrill, Mich., was chosen as the 2015-16 recipient of the Redmond ("Red") and Edna Cotter endowed scholarship through the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation Inc., at Michigan State University (MSU). The $4,000 scholarship is named in honor of Red Cotter, an inspirational dairy industry leader and respected motivator of sales and marketing executives, and his wife Edna.

Doan, the daughter of Dean and Cheryl Doan, received the award based on her academic achievements, involvement in extracurricular activities and interest in pursuing a career as a large animal (production animal) veterinarian. She graduated from MSU with a bachelor's degree in animal science in 2014 and is currently a second year student in the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Production Medicine Scholars Program. Doan aspires to become a production animal veterinarian specializing in dairy cattle and one day own her own practice in Gratiot County. Her primary interests are hypocalcemia, milk quality and calf management.

At MSU, Doan participated as an undergraduate in the MSU Dairy Challenge and the Tri-State Dairy Nutrition Conference and was a member of the Animal Science Undergraduate Research Student Association. She worked as a seasonal employee at Bebow Dairy Farm, an undergraduate research assistant for the MSU Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition and for the MSU Dairy Research and Teaching Center. Doan is a member of the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

The Redmond ("Red") and Edna Cotter endowed scholarship honors the Cotter couple and their many contributions to the dairy industry. A 1937 graduate of MSU, Mr. Cotter was employed for 43 years as a sales manager for Ralston-Purina, covering Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Upon his retirement, he served as a guest lecturer in the CANR. Edna Cotter's MSU roots stem back to the beginning: she was born on a farm on what is now the MSU Hancock Turfgrass Research Center and she graduated from Michigan State College (MSC) in the 1930's. She was a generous supporter of the Redmond and Edna Cotter Agribusiness Scholarship Fund, the MSU Intercollegiate Athletics Fund, and the Carrigan Chair for Feline Health in the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine.

The Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation awarded $95,000 in scholarships to 33 MSU students pursuing dairy industry-related programs of study for the 2015-16 academic year.

For information on making contributions to honor members of the dairy industry or to support student scholarships, please contact the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources External Relations at 517-355-0284. To learn more about the Michigan Dairy Memorial and Scholarship Foundation, contact Dr. Miriam Weber Nielsen in the MSU Department of Animal Science at 517-432-5443.
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2.3.2016