Vet Gazette

Dean Tornquist, Rebecca Camden, Erika Akerman, and Dr. Jennifer Warnock.

The CVM awards ceremony on May 28th celebrated a record amount of scholarship money, and it included several new scholarships from friends, old and new.

Long time supporter, and advisory board member, Rebecca Camden, created her second scholarship for the college with proceeds from the sale of her book, Dachshunds of Justice. This scholarship goes to a student who has demonstrated exceptional communication and outreach skills; Erika Akerman, past president of SCAVMA, received the award this year.

Also new this year is the Kermit and Mildred Peterson Scholarship created by their daughters to honor their parents. Kermit Peterson was the Oregon state veterinarian from 1953-1959, and head of the Department of Veterinary Medicine (under the College of Agriculture) from 1959-1970. Laurel Anderson received the award this year.

Susan Carl and Brittany Graham.

Frank and Susan Carl are life-long animal lovers, and created the Ben Carl Scholarship in memory of their beloved dog, Ben. This award goes to an Oregon resident and was given to Brittany Graham this year.

The Tualatin Kennel Club has long supported the college through scholarship money, and recently created another scholarship in memory of their founding member, Margaret Copeland. Kelsey Scanlan received the award this year.

Also new this year is the Andres Family Scholarship for students interested in large animal medicine who plan to practice in a rural area. First-year student Daniel Hansen received the award this year.

The OSU Vet Med Class of 1989 created the Lynn Aszman Memorial scholarship. Twenty-one alums created the fund at their 25th reunion, in honor of their classmate who died in 2009. “A reunion seemed like the perfect time to honor her life. What better way than a scholarship?” says Yvonne Wikander. “My goal was to raise $1000. We raised $3600! Now we can offer 3 scholarships in her name. Amazing!” This year’s recipients were Reese Douglas, Kendal Zwang, and Karen Fowler.

Gabby Wallace accepts the Otto and Helga Spring scholarship from Dean Tornquist.

Gabriel Wallace received the Otto and Helga Spring scholarship for her good grades and interest in alternative medicine. Each year, the award goes to a second-year student who is an Oregon resident.

A big ‘Thank You’ to all our scholarship donors. In the United States, the average veterinary student graduates with about $150,000 of debt. Scholarships are critical to helping alleviate some of that burden.

The Class of 2015 is putting four years of fundraising to good use. Their graduation gifts to the College of Vet Med include a donation to the Olive Britt Hope Fund that helps low-income pet owners get treatment at the hospital; and purchase of a centrifuge and refractometer for the large animal hospital.

They are also buying six cat scales for the small animal hospital exam rooms and silverware for the senior student lounge.

A big ‘Thank You’ to the Class of 2015 for your thoughtful purchases!

Thank you to the many kind donors who support our students through contributions to scholarships. They are helping the next generation of veterinarians get a good start on their careers. This year, CVM is awarding a record number of scholarships: 396!

Every year, OSU College of Veterinary Medicine gets more than 800 applicants for our 56 openings. This means our students are exceptional people, so we are happy to report that every student who is in good academic standing, and who completed the scholarship application, will receive support this year. More than $300,000 in scholarships will be awarded!

Jax before surgery (left) and after surgery (right).

Jax is a high energy dog, and he needs plenty of exercise. Thanks to Dr. Jennifer Warnock, he is now able to go for long walks pain-free.

Jax was born with a complex, multiapical, angular limb deformity in his front leg. It caused severe lameness and secondary elbow arthritis. Last year, Dr. Warnock corrected Jax’s deformity by removing a wedge of bone to straighten his left ulna. She then stabilized it with a TPLO plate and a String-of-Pearls (SOP) plate. An SOP plate allows the surgeon to more easily contour the plate to multiple planes (see radiograph).

Jax’s bone healed very quickly. Although the rapid healing lead to some bone fusion, which limits his range of motion, it did not cause major issues.

At first, Jax was hesitant to use his left front leg. It took him a couple of months to get used to the new orientation of his elbow and wrist, but regular sessions on the underwater treadmill helped. Now he is eight months post-surgery and walking normally.

Jax cannot participate in high-impact activities, and has some arthritis, but he really enjoys his daily walk. The surgery also helped his owners: Now that Jax is able to burn all that energy, he is a calmer, happier dog.

For nearly three decades, Zelda Zimmerman worked for the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine, first as a graduate research assistant, and most recently as an assistant to Dr. Morrie Craig. She also earned two masters degrees from OSU.

Zimmerman passed away Thursday, May 14, at her home in Philomath, Oregon. A Memorial Service in Corvallis will take place on Friday, May 29th at 11 am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 501 NW 25^th Street, Corvallis. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Olive Britt Hope Fund at College of Veterinary Medicine. The Hope Fund provides assistance to low-income folks who need medical treatment for their pet.

Like most people working in the college, Zimmerman was an animal lover. “Zelda was an exceptionally kind person and was loved and respected by all those who knew her,” says her good friend, Dr. Linda Blythe. “She leaves behind many wonderful memories of her life with us.”