Buffalo Trace Veterinary Medical Association Endowment awards scholarship in honor of Dr. Charles Derrickson

The Morehead State University Foundation has announced the 2020-21 recipient of the Buffalo Trace Veterinary Medical Association Scholarship in honor of Dr. Charles Derrickson. This endowment fund, created in 2002, supports Morehead State University students admitted to the Veterinary Technology program. This year’s recipient is Judy Pedraza, a senior veterinary technology major from Sparta, Kentucky. 

As a student, Pedraza has been a member of the Pre-Vet Club and Vet-Tech Club, as well as a member of the Service Dog Association. She plans to take the Veterinary Technician National Exam (VTNE) to become a licensed vet tech.  

“This scholarship is a great help. Instead of being stressed about finding a job that will work with my busy schedule, I can be more focused on my classes,” Pedraza said.      

The Buffalo Trace Veterinary Medical Association Endowment awards an annual scholarship in honor of Dr. Charles Derrickson, who came to MSU as an associate professor in the Department of Agriculture. During his time at MSU, he helped plant the seeds for what would become MSU’s Department of Agricultural Sciences, home of 11 agricultural science degree programs and the Derrickson Agricultural Complex, the 350-acre University Farm that bears his name. Derrickson retired from MSU as the former dean of MSU’s College of Applied Sciences and Technology and was the recipient of the 2005 Founder’s Award for University Service, one of MSU’s highest honors.  

To learn more about MSU’s Veterinary Technology program and other programs in the Department of Agricultural Sciences, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/agriculture. 

Students interested in applying for this scholarship, along with other privately funded scholarships managed by the MSU Foundation, may visit the online scholarship application at moreheadstate.awardspring.com.      

For more information on this scholarship, or to establish your own, contact MSU’s Office of Alumni Relations and Development at 606-783-2033, email giving@moreheadstate.edu or visit alumni.moreheadstate.edu. 

Photo: Dr. Charles Derrickson (lower panel) and his granddaughter Lauren Mirus (11), assistant professor of veterinary science at MSU, met virtually with Judy Pedraza (upper panel), this year’s recipient of the Buffalo Trace Veterinary Medical Association Scholarship in honor of Dr. Charles Derrickson.