Poultry Science Association Foundation announces Merck Animal Health half million endowment pledge for PhD student support
USA -Merck Animal Health was acknowledged as the Inaugural Founder Donor in the Poultry Science Association Foundation (PSA Foundation) during the at the USPOULTRY International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) last month in Atlanta.The company has made the commitment to contribute USD$500,000 over five years to create an endowment to the advancement of education in the poultry sector.
Merck Animal Health has a long history of supporting the Poultry Science Association with supporting Graduate Fellowship grants.
Dr Taylor Barbosa, Merck Animal Health global poultry lead, revealed the establishment of the Merck Animal Health Continuing Education Endowment. Dr Jim Denton, executive director, PSA Foundation, recognised three individuals: Dr Charlie Broussard, national account manager, Mr Travis Boatwright, executive director US Poultry Business, and Mr Shannon Kellner, executive director US Livestock Business Unit, who were pivotal in securing the initial PhD fellowship grant, for their generosity and confidence in the PSA Foundation leading to the decision for establishment of the endowment.
“I’m sincerely thankful for Merck’s contribution to my graduate education through its support for higher education and passion for innovation,” said Dr Maria Arendt, 2017 Merck Animal Health PhD fellow. “Merck really exemplifies why I have chosen to pursue a career in the poultry industry.”
“Merck Animal Health is committed to supporting future generations of poultry scientists,” added Dr Taylor Barbosa. “We lead by the ‘Science of Healthier Animals’ and through investing in this partnership of our company with PSA, we aim to support young talent, like Maria Arendt, to fully develop their skills in research to advance the field of poultry health.”
The Merck Animal Health Continuing Education Endowment is structured to provide the necessary support for a three-year period to a qualified PhD graduate student pursuing a career in poultry science. The application and selection process will be a nationwide effort to identify the exceptional candidate to explore the scientific complexity of areas of study required to contribute to advancement of poultry health and performance.
“The PSA Foundation is grateful to be a partner with Merck Animal Health in recognizing the importance of supporting future poultry scientists and our quest to promote poultry graduate fellowships,” said Dr Bielke.
“We appreciate Merck’s generous gift, which will be a tremendous help as we recruit and support promising students to the poultry industry.”