Veterinary students, donors express appreciation for each other at Evening of Gratitude
The Evening of Gratitude is an opportunity for veterinary college scholarship recipients to thank their sponsors. But it’s obvious that gratitude – and excitement -- runs in both directions.
“I had chills when she was telling me all about what she has done this last year and what her plans are for the next several years,” said K.T. Archer, who, along with husband Jerry Archer '75, fund an endowed scholarship that supports Ember Lucier, who will graduate with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree next month. “And, I mean, I’ve got chills now about it. It does our heart good that we can, in just this little way, help a veterinarian. Of course, she’s the one doing all the work, but it was a matter of, in a little way, being able to help.”
Scholarship recipients at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) don’t consider these contributions small. For many, it can make the difference in living out a dream.
“Simply put, it's peace of mind,” said Diana Lemus '19, a Class of 2026 veterinary student who has received the full-tuition Michael and Jennifer Stanton Family Pet Veterinary Scholarship, founded by its namesakes in 2008. “Without the help from the Stantons, financial constraints would always be at the top of my mind, so it just allows me to focus on school and not worry about working a job while in school or working every time I have a break.”
‘A special evening’
The Evening of Gratitude on a recent Saturday evening enabled scholarship sponsors and recipients to meet each other, sometimes for the first time, and more generally for the veterinary college community to thank those who donate resources so that the college can carry out its mission of training the next generation of veterinarians, researchers and public health leaders while also providing top-notch care for patients and clients.
Attendees – including donors, current students, faculty and staff -- were treated to hors d'oeuvre and drinks as energetic conversations buzzed about the work being done by the veterinary college.
“Tonight is a special evening, because it is a chance for students to meet donors who have provided their support for scholarship,” said Dan Givens, dean of the veterinary college. “It's a chance for individuals to communicate appreciation.”
Drew Myers, who is graduating with a DVM next month, spoke to the assembled donors on behalf of the veterinary college’s Class of 2025.
“When I was first approached about speaking tonight, I didn't really know how I could ever fit enough gratitude into one speech for the gifts and generosity that you donors have given us,” Myers said.
“I was blessed to receive multiple scholarships in my time here at VMCVM, and those scholarships have helped take some of the financial burden away from my thought process,” Myers added. “So, I can continue to say yes to adventures in vet school, instead of being worried about the money that entailed. Some of my peers wouldn't have been able to live their stories here at the VMCVM without your donations.”
Attendees at the Evening of Gratitude could get their photos taken with the Virginia Tech Police Department’s patrol pony, Ringo, or the Cook Counseling Center’s therapy dogs Derek and Epcot.
“We hope each year the attendance keeps growing, showing that the interest continues to increase towards a larger future for the veterinary college at Virginia Tech,” K.T. Archer said.
Veterinary students also provided model demonstrations of the clinical care they perform and is supported with the help of private donations.
Class of 2026 students Max Pasquinelli and Kelli Gillespie '22 gave a detailed explanation of animal CPR to donor Dwight Shelton, using a stuffed dog model.
“It’s really cool to get to practice this here so when we see it as veterinarians we won’t be panicked,” Gillespie said.
Donors meet scholarship recipients
The Archers met Lucier for the first time at this year’s Evening of Gratitude.
“It was really nice, because most of the time we get the postcard and a note from a scholarship recipient, but this event has usually been too far away for us to attend,” said Jerry Archer, a retired strategic risk analyst who resides in Amissville in Rappahannock County.
His wife, K.T., manages their farm with cows, horses, trumpeter swans and serves on the dean’s advisory council at the veterinary college. Together they finance the K.T. & Jerry Archer Animal Protection Student Support Fund.
On the public-corporate track, Lucier said externships outside the veterinary college are crucial for networking, but the costs add up quickly.
“It was wonderful meeting the Archers,” Lucier said. “It was a great honor to thank them in person and explain that because of them, the financial burden that comes with fourth-year externals was alleviated. I am so grateful to the Archers and their impact on my veterinary education.”
Jennifer Stanton, a retired criminal defense attorney, said she first met Lemus at last year’s white coat ceremony. “We try to make sure that whoever's receiving our scholarship, we meet with them on that day, initially, and, usually their families,” Jennifer Stanton said. “In her case, I think her mom and a couple of sisters and a bazillion friends were all there, very excited for her.”
The Stantons had the opportunity at Evening of Gratitude for a much longer conversation, together, with Lemus.
“This is more than just a scholarship,” said Michael Stanton, a retired naval officer who serves on the dean’s advisory board. “It's starting a friendship that could last a lifetime. And that's what we hope will come out of this, that we continue to see Diana progress and do great things, and we can sort of take some small, quiet pride in that, in what she's doing for the profession, for the patients, for the families of the patients. We take a lot of joy in seeing that kind of healing and that kind of goodness.”
One Health: People, animals and the environment
Bobbi Conner, clinical associate professor of emergency and critical care medicine, enthusiastically told the gathering about upcoming plans to expand the Veterinary Teaching Hospital’s emergency and critical care service, supported by a $4 million gift from animal advocates and regional business owners Karen Waldron and Shawn Ricci.
“With a very generous donation, we've been able to grow a little bit quicker than we might otherwise have done,” Conner said. “This summer, we are going to start a residency. Our first resident will be starting this July, and so we can continue to train the next generation of emergency critical care specialists.
“We want to recruit and train academic clinicians, folks that have a passion for teaching the next generation,” Conner continued. “We’re creating something a little bit different that I'm really excited about, and I think can be a model for other programs
Givens emphasized that the support of donors, in addition to being about the welfare of animals and the needed facilities and infrastructure, is also about people.
“It's an evening where we have partners of the college who are passionate about the support that they provide in so many ways,” Givens said. “They’re supporting people, they're supporting scholarships for students. They are supporting endowments for faculty excellence. And our partners who are supporting facilities, and our upcoming new addition and renovation to the teaching hospital, they're supporting those facilities because they know the impact that they will have on people.”
Considering the veterinary college’s commitment to One Health – the philosophy that human, animal, and environmental health are inextricably linked – Lemus sees the donations for veterinary students coming full circle to help the humans who give them.
“What I always think is that there are a lot more animals on this planet than there are humans,” Lemus said. “And just as humans need physicians, animals need doctors to take care of them. So many people eat animal products, and so many people have animals at home. So, it's very important that these animals are healthy, and it’s important to support veterinary students where I think cost is a huge constraint.
“This further promotes One Health. So really, in the end, you're helping yourself.”
