Scholarships for Veterinary Student Externs and Veterinary Technician Student Externs

Because of our generous supporters, Best Friends can offer scholarships for students participating in externship programs at the Best Friends Sanctuary Clinic in Kanab, Utah. Students are eligible to apply once accepted into the program. Scholarships are intended to offset the costs of travel and lodging.

Betty Echols Memorial Scholarship

Betty’s family established this scholarship so that Betty Echols’ joyful times with her pets, “from Bootsie to Gigi,” would live on. This award is meant to help other pet lovers, like Betty, to become animal caregivers for life. In this way, her memory will be honored by future generations.

Betty loved dogs, cats, and horses. Her financial and spiritual support of local rescue organizations inspired her family to visit Best Friends in her honor in 2018, and establish a scholarship for externs dedicating their lives to animal care.

Who may apply? Fourth-year veterinary student externs or veterinary technician externs.

Michael Lopez Ferlin Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was created “to help honor, remember and celebrate Michael’s life.” Michael’s family chose this special way to remember him so that their gift will have genuine long-term impact. “We believe that the veterinarians receiving these funds will help animals forever.”

A beloved family man, Michael died at the young age of 37. His family says that Michael liked animals even more than people, and he always sang the praises of his grumpy childhood dog, Ferlin. If you loved young Michael, you had to love Ferlin, too. He worshipped that Lhasa apso, and his love lives on in this scholarship.

Who may apply? Fourth-year veterinary student externs.

Isabel Bei-Ja Blaney Sun Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship, established by Isabel’s family “to carry on her love and care for animals,” provides financial support to extern applicants who will take what they learn at Best Friends and use it to benefit their communities.

Isabel Bei-Ja Blaney Sun first visited Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in 2012, at the age of 13, and began volunteering that very same day. She loved animals of all kinds and expressed her concern for their welfare by volunteering at Best Friends at every opportunity. She took what she learned there and joyfully shared it with her family, friends, and community.

Who may apply? Fourth-year veterinary student externs or veterinary technician externs.

A sincere thank you to the families of Michael Lopez, Betty Echols, and Isabel Bei-Ja Blaney Sun for their kindness, continued support of Best Friends and helping us Save Them All.

Click here to learn about Best Friends veterinary extern programs.