Purdue Partnership Expands Veterinary Diversity Programming

Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine has announced a partnership for a new scholarship program. Purdue says veterinary health company Ethos and veterinary online learning platform VetBloom are committing $500,000 to educational programs and initiatives that target racial disparities in veterinary medicine.

Purdue says a large portion of the funds will be put towards diversity scholarships for its Veterinary Nursing Distance Learning program.

“Purdue is an innovative institution, and we have consistently been impressed by their willingness to collaborate,” said Dr. Patrick Welch, VetBloom founder and chief executive officer. “You can bring ideas forward, have people listen, and if there is merit – move forward together. There are a number of other online programs that we could focus on, but in addition to the good relationship we already have, Purdue is known for having an outstanding veterinary medicine program.”

The university says the programs aim to reach underrepresented students, including first-generation college students and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The programs are meant to expose the students to the field and support veterinary careers.

Purdue and VetBloom have partnered on several projects, including an agreement in 2019 to make the VNDL program available at a discount to Ethos employees who want to become certified, licensed veterinary technicians.

Last month, officials from Purdue and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture celebrated the opening of the school’s new 163,000-square-foot animal hospital.