Lifelong Dreams

For one University of Arizona veterinary medicine student, the path to becoming a veterinarian has taken time, courage and the life-changing support of scholarships. 

A former environmental science teacher and a nontraditional student in her late 40s, Kristi Ann Kennedy had long believed her chance to become a veterinarian had passed. “I had always wanted to be a veterinarian, but I felt that dream had passed long ago,” she says. “Scholarships allowed me to pivot careers and pursue my passion of caring for companion animals — especially those in shelter environments.” 

Now in her final year at the University of Arizona’s College of Veterinary Medicine, she has been inspired by her work at Pima Animal Care Center, or PACC. She started volunteering at PACC during the COVID-19 pandemic, which reignited her interest in veterinary medicine. “The doctors there are why I applied to veterinary school,” she says. “I love being able to help homeless animals and animals of the greater Pima County community.” 

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Launched in 2020, the College of Veterinary Medicine is the first and only public veterinary program in Arizona. Its innovative three-year curriculum — shorter than traditional four-year programs — allows students to begin their careers earlier while participating in hands-on, team-based learning. 

Now, thanks to recent philanthropic support, even more students will have access to life-changing opportunities in veterinary medicine. A $1 million gift commitment from the Mars and Airth families will provide $70,000 annually over five years in scholarship funding and an additional $130,000 per year to support human-animal interaction research. 

“This scholarship endowment will support our students’ financial well-being and contribute to the long-term success of future veterinary professionals,” says Dr. Julie Funk, dean of the college. 

A $2 million gift from the estate of John A. Brown will also fund scholarship endowments in both the College of Science and the College of Veterinary Medicine, further supporting students like Kennedy, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, who relocated to Tucson when her husband was serving in the Air Force. 

“Scholarships have shaped my educational path,” she says. “They allowed me to focus on learning and becoming the best veterinarian I can be — without the crushing weight of financial worry.” 

As the college continues to grow its impact, gifts like these ensure that talent — not finances — determine a student’s ability to follow their dreams.