Three CVM Students Awarded National Scholarships in Poultry Health
Three students from the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine are among five veterinary students nationwide selected to receive $10,000 scholarships from Merck Animal Health and the American Association of Avian Pathologists Foundation.
JeJuan Bryant and Jennifer Irwin, both members of the class of 2026, and Becky Tran, class of 2027, were honored for their academic achievement, leadership and commitment to advancing poultry medicine. The scholarships were announced during the AAAP Annual Meeting, held July 29–31 in Portland, Oregon.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Merck–AAAP Foundation partnership, which has awarded more than $230,000 in scholarships to veterinary students to date.
“We are incredibly proud of JeJuan, Jennifer and Becky,” said Dr. Lysa Posner, associate dean for academic affairs at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s especially meaningful to see our students recognized in poultry medicine — an area of animal health that is vital to North Carolina.”
All three NC State recipients bring extensive experience in poultry health through internships, research and industry engagement:
- JeJuan Bryant of Riegelwood, North Carolina, was an intern with Merck Animal Health through the Poultry Veterinary Internship Program, as well as with Butterball, Murphy Family Farms, Prestige Farms and Aviagen. He plans to become a poultry production veterinarian.
- Jennifer Irwin of Stuarts Draft, Virginia, has worked with George’s Foods, Aviagen, Cobb-Vantress, Case Farms and the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative. She aims to serve as a poultry production veterinarian and an adjunct professor.
- Becky Tran of Chantilly, Virginia, works in NC State’s poultry immunology lab and aspires to be a field veterinarian in the poultry industry.
“These students represent the next generation of leaders in poultry health,” said Ivan Alvarado Ortiz, DVM, associate director of poultry technical services for Merck Animal Health. “We’re proud to support them as they help shape the future of food and public health.”
