Education through Service Scholarship

TUVAA's International Alumni-Student Service Program is currently raising scholarship money to help send 14 clinical year veterinary students to Ecuador this coming Spring. This program provides “Education through Service”.  These students will gain valuable primary surgical experience while they sterilize the street dogs of Cotacachi in collaboration with Amici Cannis Hospital and their alumni mentors. Global experiences such as the holistic sterilization program at Amici Cannis introduce students to a different perspective of veterinary medicine. Now more than ever, cultural competency is an essential soft skill that cannot be learned within the United States alone— this program is an investment in diversity, and an investment in our future veterinarians.  We provide scholarships for this service opportunity so that finances are not a barrier in the life-changing experience.

The International Alumni-Student Service Program was established in 2018 to benefit communities in need, students, and participating alumni. Program founders identified three international locations (Ecuador, India and Kenya) which struggle with canine overpopulation and access to veterinary services. The program provides sterilization surgeries and improved preventive care of dogs at the program sites; the students gain surgical and clinical experience; concurrently, their alumni mentors make a substantial contribution to the University through their impact in the students’ education.

This crowdfunding campaign will provide partial and full scholarships for the student participants, based upon their need, for the Ecuadorian program site. Clinical year students will spend two weeks at Amici Cannis Hospital located in the town of Cotacachi (https://www.amicicannisusa.org). The students will gain surgical skills by sterilizing the street dogs in the region surrounding Cotacachi, and will also participate in the provision of general medical care to dogs and cats presenting to the hospital, including those brought in by the local indigenous population.

The goals of the program are as follows:

1) Improve the surgical and clinical competency of veterinary students with an enhanced focus on practicing primary care.

2) Provide alumni with opportunities for student mentorship, University engagement and veterinary service in communities different than their own.  Mentorship would be unique in that it would take place in unfamiliar territory for both student and mentors, leading to the development of interpersonal and professional skills that go beyond practicing (veterinary) medicine.  This experience promotes alumni wellness by applying veterinary skills in a non-transactional setting; directly contributing to the growth of the students; acquiring a broader perspective in veterinary care; developing an appreciation for the medical resources we have at home.

3) Provide veterinary support services in communities with insufficient resources to address canine overpopulation and preventive care.

The sooner we raise these funds, the sooner the students can secure their travel plans, and the lower we can keep the cost of the program. If you can give $10 or $10,000, all donations are beneficial. We appreciate your help in reaching our goal.