University of Nebraska, Courtesy
LINCOLN — On Monday, Aug. 26, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen formally recognize the 19 University of Nebraska–Lincoln students accepted into the Elite 11 scholarship program.
Pillen first announced the program, which aims to grow the state’s veterinary workforce, in February.
Nebraska, like other ag-based states, needs large animal vets. The livestock industry contributes more than $6 billion annually to the state’s economy. The impact is especially significant on rural counties and communities, where people depend on the industry for their livelihoods. Production animal vets work with ranchers and farmers to ensure the protection and continued production of the food supply chain, but costs associated with obtaining a veterinary degree can be considerable and leave students facing years of paying off debts. This program aims to ease the financial burden of obtaining a veterinary degree for Nebraska students who commit to practicing veterinary medicine in clinics that serve large animals in the state.
The 19 students accepted into the program are from across Nebraska, and all are students in the university’s College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Of these 19 undergraduates, 11 will be selected to enter UNL’s Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine to earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in coordination with Iowa State University.
- Dix: Hannah, Keilian
- Dodge: Meg Anderson
- Hastings: Lynsie Lancaster
- Hershey: Peyton Fisher
- Hooper: Klayton Hilber
- Keystone: Presley Nowak
- Lincoln: Alannah Crabtree
- Maywood: Haydn Farr
- Naponee: Addison Pool
- North Platte: Haylie Hoatson
- O’Neill: Claire Stauth
- Oakland: Bailey Denton
- Palmyra: Jacob Wood
- Phillips: Jack Steenson
- St. Libory: Chloe Scheer
- Weeping Water: Brooklyn Ahrens
- Wellfleet: Chase Martin
- West Point: Sydney Hutchinson
- York: Emma Snider
