An exceptional veterinary school performance has earned Virginia Logue, a fourth-year DVM student at the College of Veterinary Medicine, a scholarship from The Foundation for the Horse. 

Logue is one of four winners of the Coyote Rock Ranch Veterinary Scholarship, which awards $75,000 to each recipient. The Foundation for the Horse presented the awards on Dec. 7, 2021, during the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 67th Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn.

“To be awarded this scholarship is such an honor,” Logue says. “I am very proud to be part of the equine veterinary student community—it’s an incredible group. To be recognized within that group is humbling and gratifying.”

Logue’s long-held career goal has been to work with horses, but the idea to do it through veterinary medicine didn’t come until after finishing her undergraduate degree. After college, she unexpectedly began working at an equine reproduction center in Florida. Within days of starting that job, she realized that she needed to pursue a career in equine veterinary medicine. 

Among the reasons Logue enjoys veterinary medicine is the opportunity to play a role in the human-animal bond between horse and owner. Equine medicine is somewhat unique in that veterinarians are often treating both athletes and members of the family, she says.  The responsibility of caring for a client’s loved ones has to proven to be a great motivator in her studies.

After working for about a year at the equine reproduction center, Logue moved to Colorado to complete a master’s program in biomedical sciences with a concentration in veterinary medicine. Her educational pursuit brought her to the College of Veterinary Medicine, where she says its people have made a tremendous impact on her over the past four years.  

“I truly believe that I would not be the recipient of this award without the support and encouragement of the large animal faculty here,” she says. “I am so very thankful for the investment they have made in my career and education.” 

After graduation, Logue plans to continue her education with a rotating internship at Rhinebeck Equine, then hopefully pursue advanced training in the form of a residency program.  The decision to spend several more years in training and education comes with a cost, but Logue’s scholarship will help alleviate it. 

“This scholarship eases the financial burden associated with that, and for that, I am incredibly grateful,” Logue says. “It makes the decision to follow my passion far easier by lessening the impact of financial constraints.”