Pre-Vet Grads Earn Top Scholarship in Veterinary School at Mississippi State University

Three University of Findlay graduates were awarded the prestigious Bardsley Scholarship at Mississippi State University (MSU). Awarded to the 12 highest-performing incoming Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students, the scholarship provides students with $50,000 to be applied to their tuition annually, preferential scheduling of courses, externships, research experiences and clinical rotations, as well as additional leadership training during their time at MSU. Scholarship winners Cassandra Barber, Rachel Claus, and Grace Shields are now in their first year of the program to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.

Graduates of Findlay at MSU who currently have a Bardsley Scholarship.

According to MSU’s website, Bardsley Scholars must have demonstrated high academic performance by achieving at least a 3.75 GPA on a four-point scale in their undergraduate studies. Applicants are reviewed by a committee of MSU College of Veterinary Medicine faculty, who evaluate their extracurricular activities and demonstrated leadership potential. To retain their scholarship, students must have a 3.5 GPA throughout the entire program.

At MSU, Findlay alumni will study histology, immunology, physiology, and anatomy in a didactic curriculum designed to provide fundamental knowledge needed to function in a clinical setting. In their third and fourth year in veterinary school, they will be learning in clinical settings. Completing this advanced degree will allow students to pursue careers such as small animal emergency medicine, general care, cardiology, and anatomic pathology.

“My education at Findlay prepared me for veterinary school in a multitude of ways,” said Claus. “A lot of the material we have covered is review from Findlay courses, and because my undergraduate course work was so rigorous, I am much more proficient at effective study skills and time management than my classmates.”

Rachel Claus ’19 at a Findlay football game.

The hands-on experiences available at Findlay also contributed to alumni success in veterinary programs. “My pre-vet degree from Findlay has given me an upper hand by giving me confidence in handling both small and large animals, as well as knowing a basic level of their care by having both the handling classes and the preventative medicine classes,” explained Barber.

With top-notch facilities, supportive professors, and challenging course work, the alumni view their time at Findlay as the ultimate preparation for veterinary school. Originally drawn by the option of working with animals in their freshman year, they quickly found that Findlay offered the support and guidance they needed to realize their dreams.

“I definitely believe I made the best choice for my education by attending the University of Findlay,” said Claus. “I truly do not believe I would have been quite as successful getting into veterinary school if I had not gone to the University of Findlay. Not only did I have the coursework and experience to build a compelling veterinary school application, but I also had mentors who advised me every step of the way throughout the process.”

To learn more about University of Findlay’s Animal Science program, visit www.findlay.edu/sciences/animal-science.