Two Students Receive 2024-2025 AKC Scholarships

Each year, the American Kennel Club (AKC®) recognizes veterinary students involved in their events and programs who are dedicated to animal health and medicine with their annual AKC Veterinary Outreach Scholarships. Twenty-five recipients were awarded $122,000 for the 2024-2025 AKC Veterinary Outreach Scholarships, including two students from Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

Deirdre Givens Mandryk, V25, (she/they) and Taylor Miller, V26, (she/her) were selected from Cummings School and each received $3,500 in scholarships.

The AKC is a nonprofit organization that advocates for dogs. It is also the world's largest purebred dog registry. Mari-Beth O'Neill, vice president of sports services at the AKC, comments on this year's awards, "It's not easy balancing academia with AKC events and more, but each of these students has risen above and beyond the challenge. We are confident and excited about their ability to make a difference in the world of veterinary medicine."

Deirdre Givens Mandryk, V25, AKC Veterinary Outreach Scholarship recipient, researches canine health

Deirdre Givens Mandryk loves purebred dogs and has shown Standard Poodles in AKC conformation events and competed with German Shepherd Dogs in local and national conformation and sports events. Coming to Tufts [Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine] from Philadelphia, they earned their bachelor of science degree in elementary and kindergarten education with a minor in psychology from Pennsylvania State University.

"Receiving the scholarship was a bit full circle for me because my passion for canine health brought me to Tufts," says Givens Mandryk. "Dogs have done so much for me in my life. Research is a way for me to help them in return. For the American Kennel Club to recognize this was meaningful to me."

After their first year at Cummings School, Givens Mandryk began researching canine health as part of the Student Summer Research Program. They worked on The Dog Aging Project with the Karlsson Lab at The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and UMass Chan Medical School, studying cardiac disease's size and breed distribution in purebred dogs. The following summer, they researched the effect of conformation on cardiopulmonary arrest in dogs, and they were mentored by Dr. Elizabeth Rozanski, associate professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, and the Emergency and Critical Care team at Cummings School’s Henry and Lois Foster Hospital for Small Animals.

"I chose Tufts because I want to make the most of opportunities that wouldn't exist anywhere else—researching canine health with mentors I wouldn't find anywhere else. It is truly a privilege I wouldn't find at other schools," they say.

Givens Mandryk presented posters of their work at the National Veterinary Scholars Symposium in 2022 and twice at Cummings School's annual Veterinary Research Day. Last year, they were awarded the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals’ Student Travel grant to attend the National Parent Club Canine Health Conference in St. Louis, a three-day conference dedicated to the progression of canine health research hosted by the AKC Canine Health Foundation. Givens Mandryk was also co-president of the Tufts Canine Club and helped facilitate the first gastropexy wet lab, a surgery to help prevent gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) in dogs.

After graduating from Cummings School, Givens Mandryk hopes to secure a small animal rotating internship, followed by residency to continue researching canine health. "I feel that for me, research is how we put together these pieces to better understand how to give dogs the best chance at a long, healthy life. I'm leaning towards emergency and critical care, but also interested in canine theriogenology and clinical genetics."

Outside their studies and research at Cummings School, Givens Mandryk enjoys spending time with their rescue Border Collie, Blu, who they describe as "a burgeoning sheepdog in training."

Taylor Miller, V26, awarded AKC Veterinary Outreach Scholarship while developing expertise in breeding

The AKC Canine Whelping Pilot Program at Cummings School piqued Taylor Miller's interest in breeding, first sparked a few years earlier when her sister became involved with breeding Rottweilers through the AKC. In this Selective course, second-year students work one-on-one with AKC mentors, local breeders lecture on  various breeding topics, and students have the opportunity to whelp a litter of puppies. After completing the selective, Miller started attending AKC shows with breeds and she was recently accepted into the AKC’s American Rottweiler Club.

Raised in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, Miller earned her bachelor of arts degree at Worcester State University, with a psychology major and a minor in criminal justice. "I always thought I wanted to be an animal control officer or work for the ASPCA, to go out and rescue animals, but I really liked the medicine part of psychology and wanted to help after the pet's been rescued. I realized I wanted to be a vet," she says.

So Miller returned to Worcester State for her certificate in premedical sciences and applied to Cummings School. "I had been to Tufts a number of times for my cats and dogs growing up and always had a good experience."

Starting her third year at Cummings School this fall, Miller has been heavily involved in activities across campus. As treasurer of the V26 Class Council, she enjoys working with the other students on the council and representing the class's voice. She is also co-president of the Holistic Club, hosting events in nontraditional medicine, most recently about the health benefits of Reiki for animals.  

To gain experience working with large animals, Miller became a surgery coordinator and medicine technician at Hospital for Large Animals (HLA) at Cummings School. Last year, she was a teaching assistant in the Equine Clinical Skills course, helping new students with hands-on skills working with and treating horses. Outside of Cummings School, Miller spends her time drifting—racing and fixing cars.

"I've had a blast," says Miller. "I've loved all the different things I've been getting involved with. I have a strong friend group who has been incredible and supportive."

Miller plans to become a mixed-animal veterinarian, specializing in breeding and working with dogs, horses, and other bred animals to help them get the medical attention they need.

"For someone not coming from a dog breeding background to start getting involved and hands-on, it meant a lot to me to be recognized by the AKC to help me reach that goal," says Miller.