Sanderson granted Merck Animal Health Scholarship

To protect the health and nutrition of humans and animals alike, the world needs food animal veterinarians. To that end, three Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine students who are interested in production animal medicine were awarded scholarships by Merck Animal Health.
Most of the scholarship recipients, of which there are three each year, take part in the College’s Food Systems Fellowship (FSF) Program, which offers a concentrated focus on the food industry via summer employment with industry partners. Merck has been an important FSF partner since 2006. Since 2013, Merck has awarded three $5,000 scholarships to FSF and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students at the college annually.
“We continue to be enormously grateful to Merck Animal Health,” says Dr. Ángel Abuelo, assistant professor of Cattle Health and Wellbeing for the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences and head of FSF. “Their generous support; as well as their research, products, and services; makes a real impact on future and current veterinarians who will take care of production animals.”
“Merck Animal Health’s commitment to the science of healthier animals is directly manifested in our support for the next generation of veterinarians. Their future work will lead not only to healthier animals but also healthier humans,” said Lowell Midla, VMD, Livestock Technical Services Veterinarian for Merck Animal Health. “We are proud to partner with Michigan State University to support these future veterinary leaders, as we have done since 2013.”
Jared Sanderson of Sandusky, Michigan earned his bachelor of science degree in animal science from MSU and is currently a third-year veterinary student at the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine. He expects to graduate in May 2023.
Sanderson became passionate about cattle and the dairy farming lifestyle as a child while regularly visiting his grandfather’s dairy farm. That love, combined with experiences gained through his local veterinary clinic, led him to pursue a career in the field. He has had leadership roles in the MSU Dairy Club, MSU Dairy Challenge, MSU chapter of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Theriogenology Club. His internship experiences within and outside of Michigan have led him to develop interests in preventative medicine, employee training, farm data analysis, and feed management.
“Upon graduation, I intend to go into private practice,” Sanderson says. “I plan to build a practice with the mission of providing the latest medical knowledge and managerial skills to improve the prosperity of my clients, by ensuring the health and well-being of their livestock. I am honored to be awarded this scholarship and it will go a long way to decreasing my student debt load, allowing me the financial capability to one day become a practice owner.”
Though the COVID-19 pandemic prevented Sanderson from participating in FSF, his internships have granted him valuable experiences in speaking Spanish and observing the role of staff veterinarians.
The other students receiving the scholarsip were Monika Dziuba of Riverview, Michigan and Emmy Schuurmans of Freeport, Michigan.