Four KSU veterinary students receive $1,000 scholarships

Katya Luckenbach, Rebecca Tomasek, Danielle Pickering and Katelyn Guill-Sanchez. (courtesy of Kansas State University)

Four K-State veterinary students were awarded $1,000 American Veterinary Medical Association scholarships, according to a release Friday.

The Auxiliary to the AVMA Legacy Endowed Scholarship is awarded to students attending the 32 AVMA-accredited veterinary colleges in the U.S. and a few in Canada and the Caribbean. Offered through the AVMA Foundation, its goal is to help offset the cost of veterinary education.

Danielle Pickering of Los Angeles, Rebecca Tomasek of China, Michigan, Katya Luckenbach of Woxall, Pennsylvania and Katelyn Guill-Sanchez of Hudson, New Hampshire were this year’s recipients.

“This scholarship will help me relieve some of the financial burden of veterinary school as I pursue a career in small animal or mixed medicine and eventually a doctorate,” Pickering said.

Guill-Sanchez has now won the award two years in a row.

“This scholarship has provided wonderful mentorship opportunities to allow me to expand my large animal experience and has taken off a considerable amount of financial pressure as I approach my fourth year,” says Guill-Sanchez.

Luckenbach says she is always looking for educational opportunities to travel to other counties.

“Being an out-of-state student at my university, it is hard to justify borrowing extra money for electives that involve international travel,” Luckenbach says. “So having the privilege of being awarded this scholarship will help to fund my upcoming international veterinary tours elective.”

Tomasek says she is incredibly grateful to be a recipient.

“This scholarship reinforces the importance of participating in organized veterinary medicine, servant leadership and supporting the community while pursuing my career goals,” says Tomasek.