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By聽Greg Cima
January 21, 2022
Corporate and nonprofit donors pledged millions of dollars in 2021 to help 快活视频 veterinary students pay for their education at the historically Black university.
Dr. Ruby L. Perry
Dr. Ruby L. Perry, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said the amount of money given by industry partners increased substantially since 2020 as these veterinary businesses and organizations saw a need to reduce inequality and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion within veterinary medicine. Their gifts will help the veterinary college extend four-year scholarships and provide other financial and career support for veterinary students.
鈥淭his level of giving has led to the college鈥檚 ability for the first time in our history to extend multiple four-year scholarships and other impactful scholarships as well as enhanced programming and student support services,鈥� Dr. Perry said.
Dr. Perry is also co-chair of the AVMA and American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges鈥� joint Commission for a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Veterinary Profession.
The biggest commitments this past year toward financial aid for Tuskegee veterinary students were $3.6 million pledged by Idexx, $400,000 from the Synchrony Foundation of the Synchrony financial services company, $250,000 from the Regions Foundation of Regions Financial Corp., $175,000 from pet food company Royal Canin, $75,000 from Merck Animal Health, and $30,000 each from Hill鈥檚 Pet Nutrition and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation.
The AVMF and Hill鈥檚 gifts follow a $45,000 endowment from Hill鈥檚, announced in September 2020, that established a new scholarship program sponsored by the AVMF and Hill鈥檚.
Jay Mazelsky, Idexx president and CEO, had said in a Feb. 2, 2021, press release announcing the Idexx pledge, 鈥淭he past 10 years have seen tremendous growth in the diversity of the pet-owning population. Ensuring all pets have access to the highest standard of care in their communities starts with advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in veterinary medicine.鈥�
鈥淭hese industry partners are actually making a significant difference to students of color,鈥� Dr. Perry said. According to Tuskegee鈥檚 veterinary college, it has educated more than 70% of the nation鈥檚 Black veterinarians since its founding.
Tuskegee veterinary students practice surgical techniques. (Courtesy of Tuskegee CVM)
Many students arrive at Tuskegee at a financial disadvantage in comparison with peers across all veterinary colleges, often coming from families that are unable to provide the same level of financial support, Dr. Perry said. The veterinary college works to help those students achieve their dreams despite an uneven playing field.
As reported in the Dec. 1, 2021, issue of聽JAVMA, the educational debt of Tuskegee鈥檚 veterinary graduates has grown by a mean of 9.7% annually during the past 20 years, according to figures from the AVMA Veterinary Economics Division. That average is the highest among graduates from all AVMA Council on Education鈥揳ccredited veterinary colleges in the U.S., who together had a mean increase in educational debt of 5.5% annually since 2001.
Recent graduates who are Black also reported having the highest average debt and the lowest percentage of their education costs covered by financial support from their families, according to AVMA data. Graduates who are Hispanic or Latino reported the second-highest debt and second-lowest financial support from family.
Those who are underrepresented in veterinary medicine by race or ethnicity accounted for 22.2% of veterinary students in 2021, according to the 2020-21 AAVMC annual data report. Tuskegee, by far, had the greatest percentage of URVM students, comprising 76.1% of its student body. Of the 227 veterinary students enrolled at the historically Black university, 134 were Black, 54 were white, 33 were Latino or Hispanic, and six were Asian. The second-highest population of URVM students at a veterinary college was at Western University of Health Sciences at 48.6%.
Dr. Perry said most students at Tuskegee鈥檚 veterinary college rely heavily on student loans for tuition, living expenses, and education-related fees. The university has already distributed about $251,000 in scholarships from the recent donations, she said.
鈥淭he scholarship funds not only help students with these expenses, but these funds also help to reduce our students鈥� debt loads and the amount of stress that鈥檚 incurred from having such heavy financial responsibility,鈥� Dr. Perry said. 鈥淚n addition to monetary awards, some of the scholarships also provide recipients with access to internship and mentorship programs at various veterinary hospitals.
鈥淭hese programs allow our students to broaden their knowledge and skill sets and provide possible job opportunities.鈥�
Overall donations to veterinary colleges appear to have remained level from 2020-21. Jeffrey S. Douglas, now-retired chief communications officer for the AAVMC, said philanthropy remained stable as a percentage of college budgets from 2020-21 at member institutions.