MSU veterinary students receive new Huddleston Rural Veterinarians Scholarship honoring late university alum, state representative

Contact: Harriet Laird

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine students Natalie Garcia of Waveland and Gabbi Walters of Pelahatchie were honored at the State Capitol on Aug. 28 during a ceremonial signing of House Bill 1210 which established the Dr. Elton Mac Huddleston Rural Veterinarians Scholarship Program.

Garcia and Walters are the inaugural recipients of scholarships funded by the program, created with the intent of helping address the state’s rural veterinary shortage by identifying and providing qualified Mississippi resident students with scholarships to cover the cost of in-state tuition and fees to earn Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from MSU CVM. In turn, recipients must commit to practicing in a rural area of Mississippi for four years after graduation.

The proposal for the scholarship program was put forth in honor of the late Huddleston by the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association and Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation and was sponsored by Representative Vince Mangold of Brookhaven.

Huddleston, who was recognized as living a life marked by service, was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and a veterinarian, working many years as a large animal practitioner and serving as executive secretary of the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association and Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine. He was also among the first faculty members at MSU CVM and an inaugural member of the college’s Dean’s Council.

“The establishment of this scholarship is an enormous victory for the state of Mississippi and a testament to our college of veterinary medicine’s commitment to rural communities. As a veterinarian and community leader, Dr. Huddleston was an advocate of veterinary medicine and a proud supporter of Mississippi agriculture; we are honored to be able to continue his legacy by providing opportunities for the next generation of community leaders,” Dr. Carla Huston, MSU CVM Center for Rural Veterinary Practice director, said. “Promoting rural veterinary medicine not only provides a valuable and needed service to animal owners and livestock producers, but supports public health, business entrepreneurship and economic stability.”

Garcia and Walters were selected from a pool of 18 students in MSU CVM’s current first-year class who applied for the scholarships. Each has signed a memorandum of understanding committing them to practicing in a rural area of Mississippi for four years after graduation in large animal, mixed animal or food supply animal practice.

Food supply animal veterinarians provide care for cattle, hogs, sheep, goats and poultry, and large animal veterinarians provide care for these animals as well as horses. Qualifying rural communities are areas of the state with a population density less than 500 people per square mile as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture.

“MSU CVM is committed to finding creative solutions to address the shortage of veterinary services in rural areas of Mississippi and across the country, and this scholarship program is a key component of our comprehensive plan to do so,” MSU CVM Dean Dr. Nicholas Frank said. “We are greatly appreciative of the support of MVMA and the Farm Bureau; both organizations were instrumental in getting the bill passed.”

Governor Tate Reeves’ signing of the bill was attended by Mangold, Frank, Garcia, Walters, members of the Huddleston family, representatives from the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association, including current president Dr. Greg Howell and Dr. Bob Filgo, and Mr. Mike McCormick and Taylor McNair from Mississippi Farm Bureau.

MSU College of Veterinary Medicine provides two full years of clinical experience with students receiving training in all species and completing more than 50 surgeries prior to graduation. The college is nationally recognized for its shelter medicine and aquaculture programs, as well as research in antimicrobial resistance. It is the only college of veterinary medicine to lead a USAID innovation lab and offers both B.S. in veterinary medical technology and joint DVM-PhD programs. For more information, visit http://www.cvm.msstate.edu. 

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.