NWCF 2017 OSU Scholarship Winners: Stormy Scharzenberger & Lauren Nekota

NWCF 2017 OSU Scholarship Winners: Stormy Scharzenberger & Lauren Nekota

Scharzenberger
Scharzenber NWCF scholarship recipient

May 2017
Dear NorthWest Camelid Foundation,

I nurtured an interest in animal well-being from a young age, owning my first llama at five years of age and volunteering at the Lincoln County Fair and the Oregon Zoo. Throughout my childhood, my chores were tied to the health of my animals as I raised llamas, donkeys, goats, and chickens, amongst other pets.

Upon starting college at OSU and beginning research for the College of Veterinary Medicine, I quickly learned how veterinarians contribute to animal and human health simultaneously through animal husbandry and biomedical research. For the past three years, I have worked for the college researching the biology of Chlamydia spp. in the Rockey Laboratory. I am also involved in OSU’s Human-Animal Interaction Laboratory, numerous veterinary school clubs, and have a special interest in camelid and production animal medicine.

As a member of the Camelid Medicine Club, I enjoyed planning and leading the Youth Track for the North West Camelid Foundation by assisting with laboratories, delivering a lecture on camelid first-aid, and sharing my knowledge and passion for animal care with aspiring camelid owners. In my future career, I intend to contribute to the field of veterinary medicine directly through husbandry and indirectly through biomedical and behavioral research.

Thank you again!
Stormy Scharzenberger
OSU CVM Class of 2018

Nekota
2017 NWCF scholarship recipient Nekota

May 2017
To the NorthWest Camelid Foundation:

I am honored and humbled to receive this scholarship and I am so glad to be connected to your organization. I developed a love of camelids while working at a small ranch in Santa Cruz, CA, where I attended college. This love brought me to Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine because of its renowned camelid courses and research.

I am now enrolled in all of the camelid courses offered at Oregon State and I look forward to seeing and treating camelids in my future as a practicing veterinarian in Oregon. I am thrilled that I’ve found this niche of fellow camelid-lovers and your support is very much appreciated.

    Thank you so much!
    Lauren Nekota
    OSU CVM, Class of 2018

NWCF 2017 WSU Scholarship Winner: Sam Seramur

NWCF 2017 WSU Scholarship Winner: Sam Seramur

April 2017
Dear North West Camelid Foundation,

Words cannot express the level of gratitude I have to be the recipient of the North West Camelid Foundation Scholarship. Please accept my sincere thank you for helping me to alleviate the financial burden that’s required for pursuing my professional goals. Please know that the NWCF’s willingness to invest in my education is highly appreciated.

I developed my passion for camelids last fall by participating in an alpaca trans-vaginal ultrasound. I have come to realize that llamas and alpacas are amazing animals, and I look forward to continuing to work with them this summer.

I was selected to participate in the Summer Agriculture Animal Rotation for the month of May. Through this program, I get to practice my clinical skills by working with all types of livestock, including camelids. This program costs approximately $500, so I am grateful that your scholarship makes this opportunity possible.

I love camelids for their gentleness and bravery. Camelids working as guiard animals especially inspire me to learn more about them, and I plan to continue pursuing my curiosities toward them throughout my career. Thank you for investing in my professional dreams!

Warm regards,
Sam Seramur
DVM Candidate, WSU Class of 2020
WSU VBMA Long Distance Learning Chair

Sam Seramur

I have just completed my first year of veterinary school at Washington State University. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, I have been living in Washington state for the past three years. Although I remain a devoted Packers fan, the Pacific Northwest has truly captured my heart. I love to take advantage of the amazing geography by fishing, camping, shooting my bow, and riding my girlfriend’s horse, Adelaar.
My favorite thing to do is bicycle tour because the experience provides so many unexpected treasures. In fact, I met my first llama while riding from Seattle to San Francisco last summer, and that interaction strengthened my resolve to better understand this species. Please know that your organization has chosen to invest in a future veterinarian that is committed to being a life-long learner and advocate of camelids. I’m excited for what’s to come! ~ Sam

NWCF 2017 WSU Scholarship Winner: Sam Seramur
2016 Education Seminar & Fundraiser in Bend, OR

2016 Education Seminar & Fundraiser in Bend, OR

For years, central Oregon alpaca and llama owners have trekked across the Cascades to support medical research fundraising events. On September 10, 2016, the Foundation took its fundraising event to them.

bend oregon annual fundraiser camelids

Ron and Gail Wilkinson agreed to host a fundraising event with a catered barbeque lunch of chicken and tri tip, baked beans, potato salad, garlic bread and Bend’s best salsa at their R & G Acres ranch. Tents were set up on the back lawn to provide protection from the late summer sun. Guests could visit the herd of 30 plus selectively bred llamas, visit with old friends or start new friendships. Each table was centered with a potted chrysanthemum and information about the North West Camelid Foundation.

NWCF President Glen Pfefferkorn presented a summary of the thirty year history of the Foundation and its focus on medical research and education. Over $20,000 has been awarded in scholarships to students interested in alpaca and llama medicine and over $560,000 invested in medical research and support for the research herd at Oregon State University.

Featured speakers were Dean Susan Tornquist and Dr. Chris Cebra of the Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Cebra was accompanied by 14 senior veterinary students who were at OSU for the two week Camelid Medicine course. Dr. Cebra and the students dropped by after visiting an alpaca ranch earlier in the day. Among the students was one from Germany, one from Canada and a visiting student from Wisconsin.

bend oregon camelid annual event
bend Camelid annual event awards
Bend, OR auctioneer Camelid event

Col. Long, aka Dr Pat Long, veterinarian from Corvallis and Vice President of the Foundation, pressed the crowd to fetch top dollar for the donations from various authors and alpaca and llama owners. The Pacific Northwest Llama Fiber Cooperative sold products with 10% of the proceeds being donated to the fundraising efforts. Monetary contributions, fully tax deductible, were encouraged. Total collections exceeded $10,000.

poncho camelid llama wool
llamas outside

The event was coordinated by NWCF Directors Dr. Rachel Oxley of Juniper Country Veterinary Services and Mary Jo Walker from Port Hadlock, Washington. Marianne Moore, and other directors, Olin Allen, Ann Dockendorf and Bill Cameron helped with cashiering, clerking and miscellaneous tasks at the event.

Thank you to all who participated in the event and helped make our visit to Bend a success. We appreciate your continued support. Thanks, too, Crescent Moon Alpacas for loaning us tables and chairs.

Donations to protect the health and welfare of our beloved camelid friends are always welcome.
* * * All contributions are tax deductible * * *

Washington State University NWCF Scholarship

Washington State University NWCF Scholarship

At the 2016 annual meeting of the NWCF Board awarding, a $1,000 scholarship to a Washington State University was approved. The President agreed to pursue establishing the fund with WSU.

In October 2016 an agreement was signed by Glen Pfefferkorn, NWCF President, John Gardener CFO, WSU Foundation, and Bryan Slinker, Dean, WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, establishing the North West Camelid Foundation Scholarship.

Since NWCF did not establish a separate Endowment, the scholarship was established with the Washington State University Foundation and will be administered within the “Friends of the Veterinary College Endowment Scholarship Fund.” The initial gift was $1,000. Additional gifts are encouraged and should be directed to WSU Foundation Account #2505-8168, NWCF Scholarship.

Without a separate endowment to generate funds to support an annual scholarship, donations must be made each year to fund an award.

Recipients of the award must be a full time DVM student, have an interest in camelids or pursuing a specialty in the camelid industry, and have a financial need.

OSU College of Vet Medicine Donor

Members of the Oregon State community,

Today represents a milestone moment for our university.

A remarkably generous donor has made a $50 million commitment to the College of Veterinary Medicine – the largest gift that Oregon State has ever received. While the amount is historic, the impact that this philanthropy will have on generations of veterinarians, OSU research and the people and animals whose lives our veterinary graduates so profoundly touch is far reaching.

In recognition of this incredible generosity, I am pleased to announce that the college will now be called the Gary R. Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine. This represents the first named college at OSU and only the second named veterinary school in the country.

A Portland native, Dr. Carlson is a 1974 alumnus of Oregon State. After studying science at OSU, he went on to medical school then established a dermatology practice in Southern California. Dr. Carlson’s love of animals motivated this philanthropy.

Most immediately, his gift will allow us to double the size of our small animal hospital, which will house devices for advanced oncology care and other treatment technologies.  In addition, Dr. Carlson’s gift will touch generations of veterinarians through an endowment to attract and retain top-tier faculty and support other strategic priorities in the college. Here is a link to read more regarding this gift.

We owe Dr. Carlson a tremendous debt of gratitude along with our promise that the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine will be a place of great pride and transformative discovery, learning and service to others.

Please join me in celebrating this wonderful news.

Sincerely,

Edward J. Ray
President

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