Students receive prestigious Army Health Professions scholarship

Third-year UF veterinary student Sara Almcrantz with her parents, Margaret and Glen Almcrantz, during a commissioning ceremony held May 11.
Two University of Florida veterinary medical students, Sara Almcrantz and Rachel Lovell, were recently selected to receive the prestigious U.S. Army Veterinary Health Professions Scholarship.
Both students were commissioned into the Army as Second Lieutenants. When they graduate from veterinary school, they will be promoted to the rank of Captain.
“While being a very competitive scholarship, it is also one of the most rewarding both financially and professionally,” said Sergeant First Class Jeremiah Perez, leader of the Gainesville Medical Recruiting Center.
The scholarship pays for 100% of the selected student’s tuition, reimbursement for school books/activities and a monthly living stipend of $2,200.
“Once the student recipients graduate from veterinary school, they attend the Basic Officer Leadership Course and specialized veterinarian training, to include a year-long internship that prepares them to operate their own clinic,” Perez said.

UF veterinary student Rachel Lovell is commissioned into the U.S. Army by her father, Colonel Mark Lovell, at a ceremony held in early June. (Photo courtesy Sgt. Jeremiah Perez)
Approximately 100 students applied for the three-year scholarship with 18 being selected from across the nation.
“The U.S. Army recognizes both of these students’ accomplishments and potential, as well as that of the University of Florida’s veterinary medical college curriculum and high standards of excellence,” Perez said.