The scholarship is named after "Faith", the service dog trained for Julie Shaw's son, Dylan, using clicker training methods nearly 14 years ago. "Faith" died of lymphosarcoma at the age of 6 but her memory will live on through the recipients of the "Faith" scholarship.

Three scholarships will be awarded annually, $2500 value (the recipient is responsible for the remaining $2800 tuition fee paid directly to the Karen Pryor Academy). The SVBT scholarship committee along with the AVBT board of regents will select a recipient who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing the role of the veterinary technician in the discipline of animal behavior and has a desire and the ability to pursue their VTS-Behavior credentials.

Potential Recipients:

• Must be accepted as a potential candidate into the Karen Pryor Academy before applying for the AVBT "Faith" Scholarship. Visit http://www.karenpryoracademy.com for details.
• Must be able to travel to Lafayette, Indiana with a dog to attend four Workshops with Julie Shaw, or to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to attend four workshops with Debbie Martin and be responsible for their own travel expenses.
• Must have graduated from an accredited veterinary technician program or be a credentialed veterinary technician.
• Must be a SVBT member in good standing for a minimum of one year.
• Must have been in practice for a minimum of two years.
• Must submit a letter of reference from two veterinary professionals.
• Must have a letter of reference from 2 clients specific to animal training or animal behavior.
• Must have an ultimate goal of becoming a VTS-Behavior and meeting those proposed requirements.

Selection Process:

• Visit http://www.karenpryoracademy.com to view scheduled workshop dates held by Julie Shaw and Debbie Martin.
• Apply to the Karen Pryor Academy specifying that you wish to be considered for the AVBT – Faith Scholarship
• Upon notification your application to KPA has been accepted, send the following to Committee Chair, Katie Costello, along with the SVBT scholarship application:
  • A letter describing why you feel you should be a candidate for the "Faith" scholarship
  • 2 letters of reference from veterinary professionals
  • 2 letters of reference from clients you have worked with specifically in animal training or animal behavior

Your scholarship information will be review by both the SVBT scholarship committee and the Academy of Veterinary Behavior Technicians.

You will be notified no later than 2 months before the WS I start date.

Upcoming workshop dates
Application due 90 days before first workshop
Recipient Notified within 60 days of workshop start date
TENATIVE Workshop Dates:
Spring 2010 (Julie Shaw - Indiana)

• April 10, 2010
• May 22, 2010
• July 10, 2010
• August 28, 2010

Summer/Fall 2010 (Debbie Martin - Louisiana)

• June 26, 2010
• August 21, 2010
• October 9, 2010
• November 13, 2010

The winning applicant will be awarded full tuition which includes a complementary tuition for a veterinarian from their veterinary practice and a $300 stipend that can be used towards travel, room, and board to the acclaimed DOGS! Course. This scholarship is offered to any Professional SVBT member in good standing. For scholarship consideration, please submit by mail a completed application, at least one letter of reference and a (1500 word or less) essay addressing the following question:

How will you use your new behavior knowledge from the DOGS! Course to help some special pets and owners at your current position?

Visit the SVBT website at www.svbt.org to print your application. Essays must be submitted in both hard copy and computerized form (disk or CD-Rom). You may get ahead of the crowd and email your essay to the scholarship chair at pjmrvt@comcast.net, but we must also receive a duplicate in the mail. Submit application, reference letter, essay, and disks/CD to:

SVBT Scholarship Contest
Pam Mahlie
50667 Haven Hill Court
Granger, IN 46530

Submissions must be postmarked no later than February 21, 2009

No late submissions or partial applications will be accepted!

The SVBT Scholarship winner will be announced in the summer edition of The Behavior Perspective, along with their published essay. If you have any questions please contact the Scholarship Committee chair, Pam Mahlie, by e-mail at pjmrvt@comcast.net.

ALL submitted essays become the property of SVBT. Submitting an essay for this scholarship indicates your agreement to allow SVBT to publish your essay or any portion of your essay in The Behavior Perspective, on the SVBT website, or in any other SVBT publication.