Merck Animal Health Awards $170,000 in Scholarships to Veterinary Students

Madison, N.J., March 17, 2016 – Merck Animal Health, in partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), today announced the recipients of the 2016 Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. Through this program, 34 exemplary second- and third-year veterinary students from around the world will each receive a $5,000 scholarship. All are pursuing future careers in either large animal or companion animal medicine.

“As a company rooted in science, we recognize and value the vital role veterinarians play in our world,” said Scott Bormann, Vice President, North America, Merck Animal Health. “Veterinary students’ future success is dependent on the educational foundation that we help them build. The support we offer now will not only benefit them, but also the animals and people they will impact during their careers. Merck Animal Health is proud to help support these deserving students in their educational pursuits.”

AVMF, the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, has a 53-year history of supporting veterinary students to help offset the financial burdens that accompany veterinary medical education.

“The AVMF is devoted to ensuring the future of veterinary medicine by identifying and supporting remarkable students,” said Deborah Harp, CFRE, AVMF Executive Director. “We are honored to partner with Merck Animal Health to support these veterinary students with their education, as we are confident the work they’re doing now will help advance the medical care of animals.”

Award recipients from U.S. and international veterinary schools accredited through the AVMA were selected based on academic excellence, financial need, leadership and area of interest within the profession. The 2016 scholarship recipients are:

  • Sabrina Alam, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University-Bangladesh
  • Lauren Aldrich, North Carolina State University
  • Abdul Alim, Bangladesh Agricultural University
  • Paulynne Bellen, The Ohio State University
  • Anna Biesbrock, University of California-Davis
  • Erin Black, Texas A&M University
  • Lauren Carroll, Texas A&M University
  • Nurun Nahar Christy, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University-Bangladesh
  • Courtney Doan, Michigan State University
  • Ros Jezreel Dumaraos, University of the Philippines Los Banos
  • Jordan Ford, Cornell University
  • Miranda Fritz, University of Guelph
  • Maria Patricia Gungon, University of the Philippines Los Banos
  • Imam Hasan, Bangladesh Agricultural University
  • Mahdi Hasan, Bangladesh Agricultural University
  • Melissa Icaza, Tufts University
  • Victoria Koehler, Cornell University
  • Yukwah Kwok, University of Pennsylvania
  • Claire LeFevre, University of Wisconsin
  • Matthew Mak, St. George’s University
  • Anna Angelica Manalo, University of the Philippines Los Banos
  • Zannatul Maoya, Bangladesh Agricultural University
  • Eva Marie, Cornell University
  • Samantha Morici, Auburn University
  • Jacqueline Murphy, Colorado State University
  • Mededi Hasan Nayeem, Bangladesh Agricultural University
  • Tanvir Ahmad Nizami, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University-Bangladesh
  • Josephine Noah, University of California-Davis
  • Shannon Palmer, University of Saskatchewan
  • Hafizar Rahman, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University-Bangladesh
  • Shelbe Rice, University of Georgia
  • S.M. Abdus Salam, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University-Bangladesh
  • Abu Tarek, Bangladesh Agricultural University
  • Melissa Wilson, Oregon State University

About Merck Animal Health
Today’s Merck is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside the United States and Canada, is the global animal health business unit of Merck. Through its commitment to the Science of Healthier Animals™, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners and governments one of the widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About the American Veterinary Medical Foundation
The American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) is the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), one of the oldest and largest veterinary medical organizations in the world. More than 88,000 member veterinarians worldwide are engaged in a wide variety of professional activities. For more than 50 years, the foundation has been helping veterinarians help animals with support for education, advocacy, service, and research programs and activities. Visit AVMF.org for more information.

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This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

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