MSU vet student awarded national veterinary scholarship
Contact: Adam Kelley
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Lily Ciel Behnam, a first-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student at Mississippi State, has been named a recipient of the third annual Mike Dunn, DVM Veterinary Student Scholarship, presented by the Veterinary Information Network Foundation.
The Mike Dunn, DVM Veterinary Student Scholarship was established in 2023 by Becky Godchaux, honoring her relationship with her veterinarian in Marathon, Florida. It is presented to veterinary students dedicated to companion animal medicine and awards $35,000 per year up to $140,000, but the program extends support well beyond tuition. Recipients gain access to long-term mentorship, mental wellness resources, financial planning and student debt support throughout their professional journeys.
Behnam, an MSU College of Veterinary Medicine Early Entry Scholar from Silver Springs, Maryland, earned two MSU bachelor’s degrees in animal and dairy sciences and wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture. Her ultimate career interests include exotic medicine, One Health, small-animal practice and serving as a public health veterinarian.
“Words cannot describe how grateful I am to have been selected for such a life-changing scholarship,” Behnam said in a press release. “This generosity from Becky Godchaux and the VIN Foundation will allow me to progress my education without the overwhelming burden of financial debt, allowing me the freedom to focus on what matters the most: dedicating my life to improving the health of animals and the communities that care for them.”
Created in 2005 by members of VIN, the non-profit VIN Foundation provides essential programs to support, educate, and empower veterinarians and veterinary students through every stage of their careers.
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.