New Brunswick Kennel Club Scholarship

The New Brunswick Kennel Club has established a scholarship program for New Jersey Veterinary Students. Funds are accrued throughout the year from our programs. We would like to request your help in identifying and distributing the attached application to eligible postgraduate NJ student(s) attending your institution.

The scholarship will be in the amount of $500.00 - $2,500.00. The applicant must have completed 2.0 years or more of a post-graduate Veterinary program of an accredited University or Veterinary school. Complete criteria for applying for scholarship is attached.

If you are a postgraduate NJ student who is interested in applying for the scholarship, please complete the application requirements and send it to Diana Henry, 28 Lawrencebrook Drive, East Brunswick, NJ 08816. The deadline for applications every year will be June 1 and every June 1 thereafter unless notified otherwise by the New Brunswick Kennel Club.

The Scholarship Committee will meet after June 1 every year to determine to winner.

1. The committee will accept completed applications that are received by June 1 only.

A completed application includes the following:

2. The committee will judge the applicant based on the documentation received re: following categories/criteria for evaluation:

3. The committee will arrive at a consensus winner and present the winner's name to the New Brunswick Kennel Club in July of every year.

Growing up as a horse-crazy little girl in South Jersey, my dreams for a future career never included becoming a veterinarian. But now I couldn't imagine doing anything but.

My love for the sciences began in high school at Our Lady of Mercy Academy thanks to my marine biology and anatomy teacher, Mrs. Coppinger. I then moved on to the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and received my Bachelors of Science in Biology. It was my advisor, Dr. Ralph Werner, at Stockton that planted the seed that placed veterinary medicine on my radar map. Why would I want to be that? I didn't even really understand a vet's job.

My family adopted a wonderful dog named Cydney my senior year in high school. Not until a few years later when I became panicked over a scare in her health did I really come to realize how important our veterinarian was in Cydney and my lives. So I finally gave in to my Stockton advisor's advice on giving veterinary medicine a try. I shadowed Dr. Robin Love at Bethel Mill Animal Hospital - and haven't looked back since. I've been working there for 4 years now, and I am starting my third year at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine.

While I enjoy the bond created with the animals we care for, I truly love meeting their owner's and view our relationship as partners in caring for their pets. Surgery is also a passion of mine, and although I have not eliminated the possibility of becoming a specialist, I truly enjoy the range of care and treatments I would have as a general practitioner. I must admit that I’m partial to dogs; currently I am working with PennHIP to research and discover ways to lessen the prevalence of canine hip dysplasia.

I wouldn't be where I am without the love and support of my great family, influential teachers, and the spark from that little brown dog named Cydney.



Michelle Zappacosta accepting this years scholarship at the NBKC show presented by Donna Welty.