Five dedicated equine veterinary students received $5,000 Oakwood Scholarships, made possible by the generosity of Renee and John Grisham’s Oakwood Foundation Charitable Trust. The scholarships were presented on Dec. 3 at the AAEP’s 64th Annual Convention in San Francisco, Calif. 

The 2018 Oakwood Scholarship recipients are: 

• Sarah Freeman, University of California, Davis, class of 2020 
• Christina Frost, Washington State University, class of 2019 
• Emily Guest, University of Tennessee, class of 2019 
• Abigail Haffner, Purdue University, class of 2019 
• Katharine White, University of Calgary, class of 2019 

Alongside her husband, Mrs. Grisham owns and operates Oakwood Farm in Covesville, Va. She is an avid horseman and strong advocate for horse health. Among the Grishams’ many philanthropic interests is a dedication to education. 

“With the help of the AAEP Foundation, I am pleased to offer this opportunity to benefit future equine veterinarians,” Mrs. Grisham said. 

Second- and third-year veterinary students pursuing a career in equine medicine and active within any of the AAEP’s 39 student chapters at colleges of veterinary medicine in the U.S., Canada, Europe and the Caribbean may apply for an Oakwood Scholarship. 

Scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, leadership and a commitment to equine veterinary medicine. Students interested in applying must also have the support of AAEP members and their clinical instructors.  
 
“We owe the Grishams a tremendous debt of gratitude,” said Dr. Rick Mitchell, AAEP Foundation Advisory Council chairman. “To have owners who care deeply about the health and welfare of horses by making a continued commitment like this is truly something special. They demonstrate how important education is for the benefit of veterinary students and the horses they ultimately will care for.” 

For more information about this program and other scholarships offered through the AAEP Foundation, visit www.aaepfoundation.org. 

About the AAEP Foundation
The AAEP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization created in 1994, serves as the charitable arm of the American Association of Equine Practitioners to improve the welfare of the horse. Since its inception, the Foundation has disbursed more than $4 million to support its mission. For more information, visit www.aaepfoundation.org.