If you’re ready to join this inspiring pack of veterinary professionals making a difference, apply for this year’s PetSmart Charities Veterinary Scholarship program.
Angello Gutierrez (Ohio State University) – Angello is committed to providing accessible veterinary care through his experience working in the nonprofit community veterinary sector. His passion for removing barriers to veterinary care made him a successful candidate for the PetSmart Charities Veterinary Scholarship program.
Ashley Steele (Midwestern University) – Ashley founded VetCORE, an organization that provides free veterinary care to pets of people experiencing homelessness. She’s passionate about removing barriers to pet care and helping both pets and their people.
Destiny Sarno (North Carolina State University) – Destiny combines a love for pets and compassion for people through her work to help provide services for pets and their families. With the PetSmart Charities Veterinary Scholarship, she aims to make a greater impact for pets and people in communities that face challenges accessing veterinary care.
Ifra Danawala (Texas A&M University) – Ifra demonstrates a commitment to preserving the human-animal bond by helping people access care for their pets. She aims to bridge the gap in veterinary care and foster healthier families and communities.
Jesus Hernandez (Purdue) – Jesus sits on the board of the International Veterinary Student Association. His passion for animal welfare stemmed from his lived experience growing up in a community that lacked accessible veterinary care, which inspired him to focus on keeping pets together with their families by providing equal access to essential veterinary services.
Summer Lara (Colorado State University) – Summer’s Indigenous Dakota roots set her on a path to pursue veterinary medicine. The traditional value of reciprocity inspired her to want to give back by helping to increase access to veterinary care in communities like hers. She demonstrates a passion to creating trusting relationships between patients, clients and veterinarians to help remove barriers to care.
Becoming a Scholarship Winner
What is it like to find out you’ve just become one of our scholarship recipients? When Paige Palomaki was awarded the award in 2021, she was thrilled. Watch her speak about what the scholarship meant to her work.
"I believe accessible veterinary care is a public health issue, especially since the barriers people face to accessing quality vet care are likely the same barriers they face to receive quality health care for themselves,” says Paige. “I hope to take the soft and hard skills I am gaining working in the community medicine world via VeTouch into my future career."
Ready to apply? Click here to get started.
