Moody, Watts awarded Huddleston scholarship
Contact: Elizabeth Keen
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Sarah Grace Moody and William Watts of the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine have been named recipients of the Dr. Elton “Mac” Huddleston Rural Veterinary Scholarship.
Moody, a native of New Albany, received her MSU undergraduate degree in animal and dairy sciences in May. Her career interests include large animal practice, mixed animal practice, equine practice, large animal surgery, large animal medicine, equine surgery, equine medicine, theriogenology and academia.
Watts, who joins the college from Wesson, attended South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, and later MSU. He is primarily interested in mixed animal practice, equine practice, bovine practice, large animal surgery, small animal surgery, large animal medicine, equine surgery and equine medicine.
The Dr. Elton “Mac” Huddleston Rural Veterinary Scholarship Program was created in 2024 by Mississippi’s Legislature to address the state’s need for rural veterinary practitioners. Its namesake worked as a large animal practitioner in the state and served as executive secretary of the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association and Mississippi Board of Veterinary Medicine. He also was among the first faculty members at the College of Veterinary Medicine and an inaugural member of the CVM Dean’s Council.
The scholarship is awarded yearly to two first-year DVM students who are Mississippi residents. In return, recipients commit to practicing large or mixed animal practice in the state for at least four years following graduation and must complete the college’s Rural Veterinary Practice certificate program.
The MSU College of Veterinary Medicine is Mississippi’s only college of veterinary medicine and serves all 82 counties as well as the surrounding region through education, research, clinical service and outreach. Training for the college’s more than 600 students per year is housed in the 400,000-square-foot Wise Center located on the Starkville campus. The college also operates health and diagnostic facilities across the state. Founded in 1974, the college is dedicated to advancing animal, human and environmental health through innovative research, hands-on teaching and comprehensive veterinary care. Its faculty, staff, clinicians and students work to support the veterinary profession, strengthen communities and improve the lives of animals and the people who care for them. For more information, visit vetmed.msstate.edu.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.