The THERIOGENOLOGY FOUNDATION announces its inaugural class of NANDI SCHOLARS in 2021
In 2021 the Theriogenology Foundation (TF) initiated the NANDI SCHOLARS PROGRAM based on the results of a 2020 survey in which the members of SFT/ACT designated support for students and teaching as the main priority for funding. In January – February, 2021 seventeen senior veterinary student SFT members submitted application packets online. They were an outstanding group; seventeen applicants from eleven different U.S. schools and four applicants from four different Canadian schools.
The selection process was objective, with each application packet receiving 16 separate reviews, each awarding a numerical score based on ten criteria. The four students selected as Nandi Scholars were those with the highest average normalized scores. Sufficient funding was available to award $10,000 to each.
The following team of seventeen SFT/ACT members conducted the reviews, for which they deserve great credit for devoting significant time and wisdom to the effort.
| Jane Barber | Kit Kampschmidt | Carol McLeod |
| Steve Brinsko | Ted Lock | | Pete Sheerin |
| Chuck Estill | Rob Lofstedt | Craig Smith |
| Jim Floyd | Sara Lyle | | Mike Whitacre |
| Jack Herrmann | Mushtaq Memon | Dwight Wolfe |
| Shirley Johnston | Joann Randall | | |
The following four Nandi Scholars will be introduced and receive their checks at the awards banquet at the Theriogenology Annual Conference in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday, July 23.
Shelbey Nagle - Washington State University
 | Shelbey is an independent, highly motivated leader who focuses on bovine reproduction with interest in reproduction across species. She was previously awarded a prestigious Amstutz Scholarship from AABP. Emphasizing her wealth of experience and dedication, she received excellent reference letters both from faculty members and the Montana veterinarian who has hired her to work in his practice. |
Jonathan Richardson - Purdue University
 | Jonathan is primarily interested in cattle reproduction although he intends to incorporate reproduction in other species, including canines into his activities in a private mixed practice in Indiana after graduation. One faculty reference stated that Jonathan is the single best student he encountered in 36 years of academic teaching. |
Olivia Walker - Lincoln Memorial University
 | Olivia’s interest is equine reproduction research. She spent three full summers and additional interim time working at the University of Kentucky – Gluck Equine Research Center. Because of her intellectual and scholarly input, she has already been a coauthor on four published papers in the refereed scientific literature. She is seeking entrance into a PhD program. |
Julia Zuercher - Virginia Tech University
 | Julia focuses on small animal reproduction. One faculty member reported that she was the best candidate they ever had for a therio residency position but for family reasons she opted for private practice in North Carolina where she intends to expand that clinic’s capabilities. She constructed a detailed business plan for the practice which lays out the specifics of how the practice will accomplish this. |
