Two AASV members have already benefited from scholarships supporting their efforts to achieve board certification in the American College of Animal Welfare (ACAW). Will you be the next?
Recognizing the need for swine veterinarians to be leaders in the field of animal welfare, the AASV Foundation continues to accept applications from AASV members seeking board certification in the ACAW. Applicants must have a DVM or VMD degree and at least 5 years of continuous membership in the AASV.
To apply, the applicant must submit a curriculum vitae, an ACAW-approved program plan, and three (3) letters of reference (one of which must come from the applicant’s mentor). There is no submission due date, but there is a limit to the amount of funding available each year. A selection committee reviews applications as they are received.
The scholarship will provide annual reimbursements for actual expenses related to the ACAW program, including travel, course fees, and textbooks, with a maximum reimbursement amount of $20,000. Reimbursement will not cover lost income. An incentive payment of $10,000 will be issued upon successful and timely completion of the ACAW Board Certification.
For more information, contact the AASV office by phone, 515-465-5255, or email, aasv@aasv.org.
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation is pleased to offer the Hogg Scholarship, established to honor the memory of longtime AASV member and swine industry leader Dr Alex Hogg. Applications for the $10,000 scholarship will be accepted until January 31, 2020, and the scholarship recipient will be announced on Sunday, March 8 during the Foundation Luncheon at the AASV 2020 Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.
The intent of the scholarship is to assist a swine veterinarian in his or her efforts to return to school for graduate education (resulting in a master’s degree or higher) in an academic field of study related to swine health and production. Twelve swine practitioners, recognized at aasv.org/foundation/hoggscholars, have been awarded this prestigious scholarship since it was established in 2008.
Dr Alex Hogg’s career serves as the ideal model for successful applicants. After twenty years in mixed animal practice, Dr Hogg pursued a master’s degree in veterinary pathology. He subsequently became a swine extension veterinarian and professor at the University of Nebraska. Upon “retirement,” Dr Hogg capped off his career with his work for MVP Laboratories. Always an enthusiastic learner, at age 75 he graduated from the Executive Veterinary Program offered at the University of Illinois.
Hogg Scholarship Application Requirements
An applicant for the Hogg Scholarship shall have:
- Three or more years of experience as a swine veterinarian, either in a private practice or in an integrated production setting
- Five or more years of continuous membership in the American Association of Swine Veterinarians
Applicants are required to submit the following for consideration as a Hogg Scholar:
- Current curriculum vitae
- Letter of intent detailing his or her plans for graduate education and future plans for participation and employment within the swine industry
- Two letters of reference from AASV members attesting to the applicant’s qualifications to be a Hogg Scholar
The scholarship application requirements are also outlined on the AASV website at www.aasv.org/foundation/hoggscholarship.
Applications and requests for information may be addressed to:
AASV Foundation
830 26th Street
Perry, IA 50220
Tel: 515-465-5255
Email: aasv@aasv.org
How’s your vision?
As AASV heads into its next 50 years, the AASV Foundation Auction Committee is “Creating the Vision” for another outstanding auction fundraiser. Auction Co-chairmen Drs John Waddell and Rodney “Butch” Baker are encouraging AASV members to set their sights on the future by supporting the foundation’s mission to ensure the future for swine veterinarians and AASV for the next 50 years.
The auction proceeds are a major source of revenue to support foundation programs that include scholarships, swine research grants, travel stipends for veterinary students, swine externship grants, tuition grants at the Swine Medicine Education Center, ACAW board certification efforts, and more.
Take a look at the items up for bid at www.aasv.org/foundation and make plans to bid on your favorites. With the ClickBid mobile bidding app, you won’t need to be in Atlanta to participate: you can make bids on your phone or mobile device from anywhere! Keep in mind that monetary donations are also welcome and will count towards the total auction proceeds.
It’s easy and fun! And, most importantly, you’ll be supporting the foundation – and the future of swine veterinary medicine – with every dollar you spend, since all the auction items have been donated.
The auction items will be on display in Atlanta on auction day, Monday, March 9. It will be “all-in, all-done” for the silent auction at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time but be sure to stay for the exciting live auction following the AASV Awards Reception later that evening. We are counting on your support!
Debt relief scholarship available to young practitioners
For the second year, the AASV Foundation will award a $5000 scholarship to an AASV member engaged in private practice who is between 2 and 5 years post-graduation from veterinary school and who carries a significant student debt burden.
The scholarship was initiated with a $110,000 contribution to the foundation by the Conrad Schmidt and Family Endowment. Dr Schmidt, a charter member of AASV, explained, “Together, Judy and I noticed that many new DVM graduates interested in swine medicine begin their professional life with heavy educational debt obligations. It is our desire to help AASV members who have dedicated their professional skills to swine herd health and production. We hope that this endowment will grow over time to assist in reducing the educational debt load of AASV members as they begin their professional journeys.”
The Schmidts also expressed their hope that the contribution will prompt additional donors to join them in the effort to reduce the debt load of young veterinarians by endowing similar scholarships for other sectors of the profession such as corporate practice, technical services, and academia.
Applications are being accepted through January 31 for the scholarship to be awarded during the AASV Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. The application form is available at aasv.org/foundation/debtrelief.php. The following criteria will be used to select the scholarship recipient:
- Joined AASV as a student enrolled in an AVMA-recognized college of veterinary medicine.
- Attended the AASV Annual Meeting as a student.
- Maintained continuous membership in AASV since graduation from veterinary school.
- Is at least 2 years and at most 5 years post-graduation from veterinary school.
- Has been engaged in private veterinary practice, 50% or more devoted to swine, providing on-farm service directly to independent pork producers. Veterinarians who work for production companies, pharmaceutical companies, or universities are not eligible for this scholarship.
- Has a significant student debt burden.
For more information, contact the AASV Foundation by email, aasv@aasv.org, or phone, 515-465-5255.
Up to $60,000 research funding available; proposals due January 17
As part of its mission to fund research with direct application to the profession, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation is accepting research proposals to be considered for funding in 2020. Proposals are due January 17, 2020 and may request a maximum of $30,000 per project. Up to $60,000 will be awarded across two or more projects. The announcement of projects selected for funding will take place at the AASV Foundation Luncheon in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, March 8, 2020. Awardees will be notified in advance.
Proposed research should fit one of the five action areas stated in the AASV Foundation mission statement (see sidebar).
The instructions for submitting proposals are available on the AASV Foundation website at aasv.org/foundation/2020/research.php. Proposals may be submitted by mail or email (preferred). A panel of AASV members will evaluate and select proposals for funding, based on the following scoring system:
- Potential benefit to swine veterinarians/swine industry (40 points)
- Probability of success within timeline (35 points)
- Scientific/investigative quality (15 points)
- Budget justification (5 points)
- Originality (5 points)
A summary of the research funded by the foundation over the past 13 years is available at aasv.org/foundation/research.
For more information, or to submit a proposal:
AASV Foundation
830 26th Street
Perry, IA 50220-2328
Tel: 515-465-5255;
Fax: 515-465-3832
Email: aasv@aasv.org