Zinpro Corporation recently awarded its 2017 Zinpro/Schugel Scholarship to Hunter Baldry, a fourth-year student at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine, who hails from Maple Plain, Minnesota. Baldry, plans to work as a swine veterinarian, with a focus on infectious disease eradication. [Source: Zinpro Press release, May 25, 2017]
Asked what problem she would choose to help solve with her education, Baldry said, "the eradication of a major zoonotic disease, such as influenza." She added, "I have a strong interest in research and infectious diseases that affect swine, and after I graduate with my D.V.M. in May of 2018, I plan to work as a swine veterinarian."
Zinpro Corporation established the Zinpro/Schugel Scholarship in 2011 to recognize outstanding academic accomplishments by a third-year veterinary student studying food-animal medicine at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine. Zinpro Corporation began a fund for the scholarship shortly after the retirement of long-time employee, Dr. LaVerne Schugel, a veterinarian and past Zinpro Research and Nutritional Services (RNS) director. Dr. Schugel is a 1957 graduate of the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary Medicine.
"Through her studies and research, Hunter has shown a great commitment to food-animal care, wellness and performance," said Terry Ward, Ph.D., global director, RNS, Zinpro Corporation. "She has shown the same dedication that was demonstrated by Dr. Schugel, for which the scholarship was named, during his career at Zinpro. We are excited to see this dedication continue with the next generation of food-animal veterinarians."
At the College of Veterinary Medicine, Baldry worked with the late Dr. Bob Morrison and the Swine Health Monitoring Project on research related to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome prevalence and time-to-stability at farrowing. She also conducted research with Dr. Montserrat Torremorell on influenza dynamics in piglets, and presented that research at an American Association of Swine Veterinarians annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Baldry is a student worker for the Veterinary Population Medicine Department, is a member of the Production Animal Medicine Club and Veterinary Business Management Association chapter, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Morris.
"I am incredibly grateful to be the recipient of the Zinpro/Schugel Scholarship Award," Baldry said. "This award has made it possible for me to pursue externships in swine medicine during my fourth year. I appreciate Zinpro’s commitment to supporting and educating veterinary students through the Feet First® program and scholarships like this one."