Penn Veterinary Medicine | University of Pennsylvania

The Opportunity Scholarship Program

Read the first edition of Communique, the newsletter of the Penn Veterinary Medicine Opportunity Scholarship Program. (Click on the graphic above to access the newsletter)

Opportunity Scholarship recipient, Amanda Kilby, V'12, is featured on the University's campaign web site.

We wish to thank the following practices for supporting the Opportunity Scholarship program:  See list here>>

Download the new term scholarship pledge form>>

Established in 1998, the mission of the Opportunity Scholarship Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine is to foster scholarship support and mentoring opportunities for future veterinarians trained at Penn. Typically, incoming first-year students compete for a $12,000 award ($3,000 each year) and the opportunity to mentor with a practicing veterinarian or faculty person. Third-year students may also apply for a compressed, two year specialty opportunity scholarship, where $6,000 is awarded annually in the third and fourth year.

Building New Pathways Together

Penn Veterinary Medicine brings together some of the worlds’ brightest minds – practicing alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends – all building new pathways collaboratively in human and veterinary medicine. But perhaps the most important paths are those that connect deserving students with special sponsors and mentors who provide much needed financial support and guidance by supporting Opportunity Scholarships. It comes as no surprise that support from a caring mentor or sponsor can be key to a student’s success in an era when the demands on students have never been greater – both educationally and financially.

The Sponsor

Jim Stewart, V’68 (equine practitioner and surgeon), and Brenda Stewart, V’70 (small animal practitioner), both have dedicated countless time to Penn Vet in the form of membership in the Development and Opportunity Scholarship committees, and Jim is past president of the Veterinary Medical Alumni Society. “Giving back to the vet school that first gave me the opportunity to be a veterinarian is the easy part. Being able to find enough funds to help students decrease their total average debt loads of $160,000 is the hard part. This giving back assistance should be an unending obligation,” explains Jim. “A Penn education begins with appreciation and support of all interests and directions of veterinary medicine. It then teaches using reasoning, not reaction, to solve problems, hands on clinical skills, and researchers’ instincts without doing research. This is a philosophy we must support and maintain.” The Stewarts are the sponsors of the Drs. James & Brenda Stewart & Carolyne Reynolds Stewart Endowed Opportunity Scholarship, awarded to student Chaundra Schofield, V’12.

The Inspiration

Following a Penn Vet tradition, Gwen Fernich Lowitt, V’94, received her veterinary degree from her father, Fred Fernich, V’63. Tragically, Dr. Lowitt’s career and life were cut short by a rare form of cancer she struggled with for 11 years; she lost her fight on May 6, 2007, at the age of 39. Early in her career, Dr. Lowitt completed an internship at Oradell Animal Hospital in Oradell, NJ,and then served as a staff doctor at Oradell for seven years. After her illness made it impossible for her to work full time, she practiced part time as a relief veterinarian at various animal hospitals in New York City, including Abingdon Square, Gramercy Park and Heart of Chelsea.

To recognize his wife’s love of learning and animals—and her contributions to veterinary medicine—Gary Lowitt, C’87—along with Gwen’s parents Dr. and Mrs. Fernich—established the Gwen Fernich Lowitt, V’94, Memorial Endowed Opportunity Scholarship. “Gwen loved being a vet, and continuing to work as much as possible, even as she became sicker and sicker, helped her to feel ‘normal.’ She was a remarkable person, in every respect, who touched everyone fortunate enough to know her,” Gary said. “I wanted to do something to honor Gwen’s memory, and knew it should involve Penn Vet. She was so humble and selfless, she would never have wanted a plaque with her name attached to a classroom or a piece of equipment; that just wasn’t her. Gwen valued education and always looked to expand her knowledge of veterinary medicine and to mentor younger vets to become better doctors. Funding this scholarship for veterinary students is the perfect way to keep alive her true generosity of spirit.”

Gary currently is vice president of acquisitions and dispositions at Ginsburg Development Companies, a privately owned residential developer based in Westchester, NY. The scholarship was awarded for the first time to student Allison Goodman, V’11.

The Student

Molly Church, V’09, was raised in Sacramento, CA and received her BA in Environmental Sciences and BS in Ecology and Evolution from the University of California - Santa Cruz. She also received her MS in Environmental Toxicology from UC - Santa Cruz and plans on doing a Pathology Residency after graduating from Penn Veterinary Medicine in May, 2009. Molly is the recipient of the The Anna Kunkick Emeigh Memorial Opportunity Scholarship, a two year Specialty Opportunity Scholarship given in the student’s third year by Veterinary Alumni Board Member and Alumni Award of Merit recipient Susan G. Emeigh Hart, V'83 PhD, and her husband William J Hart.

The Benefits of Giving

• Invest in the future of the profession.
• Give back to your alma mater.
• Shape the educational path of a veterinary student and future colleague.
• Enjoy a tax-deductible contribution.
• Join us for special events on campus for sponsors, students and mentors.
• Gain membership in the School’s Rush Shippen Huidekoper Society and Penn’s Benjamin Franklin Society,  premier giving societies for donors contributing $2500.
• Inspire others who will follow your lead.

The Expectations

Sponsors

• Maintain and encourage frequent contact with your students.
• Support the mentoring process of your student.
• Attend major events at the School whenever possible.
• Support program goals.

Mentors

• Support the mentoring process of your student.
• Serve as a liaison between sponsor and student.
• Serve as a contact for other students in the program who may have questions related to your area of expertise.

Students

• Share your biography, photo, special interests, summer jobs, animals owned and career goals.
• Provide periodic updates about School related activities, academic prgress and other items of interest.

Join us

Option One

The Four-Year Opportunity Scholarship - $12,000
Payable over four years, scholarships are awarded annually to first-year students who receive $3,000 for each of their four years at Penn. A one-on-one mentor (usually the sponsor) is assigned to each student recipient.

Option Two

The Two-Year Specialty Opportunity Scholarship - $12,000
Payable for the last two years of a student’s Penn Vet education, scholarships are awarded to specific third-year students who receive $6,000 for each of their remaining two years at Penn. A one-on-one mentor (usually the sponsor) is assigned to each student recipient.

Option Three

The Endowed Opportunity Scholarship - $100,000
A sponsor pledges $100,000, payable over five years. The student will receive a minimum of $3,000 for each of their four years at Penn. Any residual interest accrued by the endowment will continue to grow until either a second scholarship can be funded.

Download the new term scholarship pledge form>>

For more information, please contact Kristen McMullen, Director of Alumni Relations, at 215.898.1481 or via email at kmcmul@vet.upenn.edu.

The Opportunity Scholarship Program Committee