Washington State University veterinary students Randa Boler and Tanya Weber are recipients of one of the most competitive scholarships in veterinary reproductive medicine — the Nandi Theriogenology Scholarship.
It’s the second time in as many years that two WSU veterinary students have received the international scholarship, and just the second time two veterinarians from the same institution have been awarded the scholarship.
The Nandi scholarship is awarded by the Theriogenology Foundation to four veterinary students annually who demonstrate superior potential for future clinical and scholarly excellence and leadership in theriogenology.
“It is such an honor to be awarded the Nandi scholarship. Not only does this ease the financial burden of veterinary school, but it also represents all the mentors I have been fortunate to work with who have believed in me and supported my development as a future bovine veterinarian,” Weber said.
Weber was nominated by Dr. Salman Waqas and received recommendation letters from Drs. Ramanathan Kasimanickam and John Wenz.
“They all supported my success with this scholarship, and they have also provided crucial mentorship in bovine theriogenology and herd production medicine, which I will benefit from for my entire career,” Weber said.
Boler was nominated by Kasimanickam, whom she said has had a major impact on her education.
“Dr. Ram has been instrumental in developing my interest and skills related to bovine theriogenology. From his theriogenology elective to his four-week advanced beef cattle theriogenology course, the opportunity to visit many operations and work large numbers of cattle is irreplaceable. He is the reason I was awarded the Nandi scholarship,” Boler said.
Boler and Weber were selected from a pool of 18 applicants representing veterinary schools across the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. They will be recognized and receive awards of $10,000 each in July at the annual Therio Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
WSU’s theriogenology program is one of just a handful of such resources in the Pacific Northwest that specializes in the field for small and large animal reproduction.
Both Boler and Weber will officially earn their Doctor of Veterinary Medicine on Saturday.
Boler is headed home to northwest Montana to work at a mixed animal practice, but she is drawn to ambulatory medicine and particularly passionate about reproductive medicine in cattle.
Weber will begin a career with TELUS Agriculture as a Professional Services Veterinarian. In this role, she will use her skills and knowledge in herd production medicine and theriogenology to support continuous growth and improvement of the beef industry.
