From Left: Beverly Richardson, spouse of Dean Ralph Richardson; Mary Herro, President of the Animal Foundation; Dr. Ralph Richardson, Dean of the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine; Janie Greenspun Gale, Chairwoman of the Animal Foundation; Susan and Billy Walters; and Tim Chapman, Director of Development for the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine. Aug 2003.
An incoming freshman veterinary student this fall will already have a job lined up after graduation thanks to Billy and Susan Walters of Las Vegas, Nevada. The couple donated $250,000 to start the Billy and Susan Walters Endowed Scholarship Fund to benefit the Lied Animal Shelter, which is operated by the Animal Foundation.
With this gift, every two years a scholarship recipient will be chosen from the incoming freshman class at the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduation, the student will work for twelve months at the shelter in Las Vegas. It is the hope of Bill and Susan to have a new student from K-State at the shelter every year. To accomplish this goal, additional funds will need to be added to the endowment.
"We are very grateful to the Walterses because this gift will give us the additional staff we need to advance our work. This will also provide a model for other cities who want to duplicate our efforts in their home towns to have the trained professionals needed to promote proper sheltering and spay and neuter efforts," said Mary Herro, President of the Animal Foundation.
The recipients of the scholarship must excel academically, have an interest in working at an animal shelter and have financial need.
"We have supported the Animal Foundation for years. We wanted to support veterinary students and animals," Bill said.
Kansas State University Press Release.
