As they finish their final exams as undergraduate students, five West Virginia University students can breathe a little easier knowing they have some financial support as they prepare for the next stages of their collegiate careers.

The Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design students recently received awards from the H.E. “Doc” Kidder Memorial Trust, which will provide them with thousands of dollars for each year of their post-baccalaureate instruction.

This year’s Kidder recipients are: Alexandra Bay, Princeton, W.Va.; Matthew Miller, Wheeling, W.Va.; Ryan Poling, Augusta, W.Va.; Jennifer Tonkin, Little Birch, W.Va., and Adam Younis, Charleston, W.Va.

The students, all of whom are seniors in the Davis College’s animal and nutritional sciences program, will each receive $2,000 annually during their continued studies.

“All five students did an exceptional job during their interviews and there was no student who was clearly more or less deserving than the others,” said Matt Wilson, interim director of the Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences. “As a group, they had a better understanding of H. E. ‘Doc’ Kidder and his passion for supporting students both inside and outside the classroom. We’re confident they will represent us well in their future endeavors.”

Bay has been accepted to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Va. She is a Davis-Michael Scholar and was named to the President’s and Dean’s Lists. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2012 West Virginia Statewide Collegiate Business Plan Competition and received the Robert S. Simon Livestock Scholarship. She has volunteered at animal shelters and shadowed both small- and large-animal veterinarians.

Miller has been accepted to the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a Davis-Michael Scholar, Presidential Scholar and was named to the Dean’s List. When he wasn’t in the classroom, Miller worked as an undergraduate student researcher and volunteer for Intercultural Definitive Adventures in Central America.

Poling has been accepted to Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a Davis-Michael Scholar, a Three Little Pigs Scholarship recipient and was named to the President’s and Dean’s Lists. In addition to those achievements, he has assisted with biochemistry research and worked at Reymann Memorial Farm in Wardensville.

Tonkin has been accepted to the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a Davis-Michael Scholar, a Three Little Pigs Scholarship recipient and has made the President’s and Dean’s lists. She has worked at the Nicholas Animal Hospital and is very active in animal welfare.

Younis has been accepted into the WVU School of Medicine. He is a Mountaineer Scholar and has received the William B. Maxwell Scholarship and the Newton M. Baughman Scholarship. He has been a pediatric volunteer at Ruby Memorial Hospital and has helped raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network.

The memorial trust honors the late H.E. “Doc” Kidder, professor emeritus of animal and veterinary sciences in the Davis College. He had a distinguished career at WVU as a researcher and educator, serving from 1954 to 1988. After his death in 1989, his will created the trust to support Davis College students in their graduate or professional education. Selection is based on academic performance with added consideration for leadership and financial need.

The Davis College is also home to the Davis-Michael Scholars Program, a challenging track that prepares students for continued education in medical professions and the sciences. The Division also holds reciprocal agreements with several out-of-state schools of veterinary medicine that secure spaces for qualified WVU graduates.

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CONTACT: Lindsay Willey, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design
Lindsay.Willey@mail.wvu.edu

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