Merck Animal Health this week announced three $5,000 scholarships have been awarded to students who are participating in the Food Systems Fellowship Program coordinated by Michigan State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.

During the past 10 years, Merck Animal Health has provided various scholarship opportunities for more than 150 students focused on working in food animal production.

Food Systems Fellowship Program allows Merck to provide education opportunities and experiences for vet students

"We, at Merck Animal Health, recognize that food animal veterinarians are critical to our future and our ability to feed the world," said Norman Stewart, D.V.M., technical services manager for Merck Animal Health. "We are committed to investing in their futures through programs such as this – ones that provide real-world experiences and help develop the next generation of industry leaders, as well as reinforce the importance of the science of healthier animals." 

The following students are participants in the Food Systems Fellowship Program and will receive Merck Animal Health scholarships in 2015.

Lora Anderson, from Mason, Mich., is a second-year veterinary student in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University (MSU) and is pursuing a Master of Science in Public Health from MSU. Lora has extensive animal health experience, including a microbiology lab where she led the arbovirus surveillance team and served in a public health role. She also has worked on an integrated dairy farm in Costa Rica where she became proficient in artificial insemination of cattle and water buffalo. In the United States, Lora has worked in some of the largest feedlots, calf ranches and dairies in North America, as well as projects focused on animal welfare, antimicrobial resistance and genomics analysis for production potential. After graduation, Lora will work for the USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services and is interested in focusing on animal traceability, epidemiology, biosecurity and disease modeling.

Audrey Lownsbery, from Milan, Mich., is a third-year veterinary student in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University. Upon graduation, Audrey would like to work in a multi-doctor, food animal-focused practice and then plans to continue her career in a large animal practice. She also has an interest in theriogenology and plans to incorporate that into her future plans.

Jared Lyzenga, from Byron Center, Mich., is a second-year veterinary student in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University (MSU) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from MSU. Jared has worked at three dairy farms and interned for the Michigan Milk Producers Association this summer. After graduation, Jared would like to work in a large animal practice where he is able to specialize in dairy medicine.

Visit the MSU website for more information about the Food Systems Fellowship Program.