The Saul T. Wilson, Jr., Scholarship Program
How To Apply
About the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service
Qualifications
• Three letters of recommendation from college
Through its VS, Plant Protection and
United States Department of Agriculture
Students interested in the Saul T. Wilson, Jr.,
officials, such as professors, deans, or counselors.
Quarantine, Animal Care, International Services,
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Scholarship should apply directly to
For one of these letters, you may substitute a
and Wildlife Services programs, APHIS protects
USDA–APHIS by March 1. (See the next panel
supervisor’s recommendation if the work
America’s animal and plant resources from
Program Aid No. 1534
of this leaflet for the address.)
experiences under that supervisor are related to
invasive pests and diseases and monitors and
To apply, you must:
veterinary medicine or the biomedical sciences.
manages foreign agricultural pests and diseases
The
• Be a United States citizen.
Recommenders may not be related to you.
existing in the United States. The agency also
• Be enrolled in an accredited college or
• An original essay by you, not to exceed 500
resolves and manages trade issues related to
Saul T. Wilson, Jr.,
university within the United States as a full-time
words, addressing this topic: “Why I should
animal or plant health, ensures the humane
student in good academic standing.
receive a Saul T. Wilson, Jr., Scholarship and
care and treatment of certain animals, manages
Scholarship Program
— Undergraduate student applicants must
what contributions I would make to APHIS,
wildlife conflicts, and makes sure that all
have completed at least 2 years (60 semester
Veterinary Services.”
licensed animal biological products distributed
in Veterinary Medicine
VS supports the livestock industry in the prevention
or 90 quarter hours) of a 4-year preveterinary
• If you have served in the U.S. Armed Forces,
interstate are pure, safe, potent, and effective.
and control of animal diseases that could otherwise
medicine or other biomedical science
please submit documentation of service with
Because of its technical expertise in assessing
be devastating.
and Biomedical Sciences
curriculum.
your scholarship application.
and regulating the risks associated with
— Graduate student applicants must have
Qualified applicants will receive consideration
agricultural imports, APHIS has become much
What Kinds of Work Do Wilson Scholars
completed not more than 1 year (18 semester
without regard to race, color, national origin,
more involved in trade issues in recent years.
Do for APHIS?
or 27 quarter hours) of study in veterinary
gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs,
A major goal of the agency is to support the
medicine.
sexual orientation, marital or family status, or
establishment of harmonized, international
The work assigned to scholarship winners
• Agree to work for the agency during school
any other nonmerit factor. Veterans’ preference
science-based health standards. APHIS’
during the career experience program exposes
breaks (both summer and holiday periods).
will be applied.
protection role also includes wildlife damage
them to real-world problems that face Federal
Your duty station will be determined by VS.
management, the welfare of animals, human
regulatory veterinarians every day. VS work
Nominations Deadline Is March 1.
To be considered, your application must
health and safety, and ecosystems vulnerable to
experience may include veterinary technical
All applications and materials must be post-
contain the following items:
invasive pests and pathogens.
assistance work associated with controlling live-
marked no later than March 1. The students
• Your résumé, including current and summer
stock and/or poultry diseases, such as
selected will begin receiving scholarship benefits
addresses and telephone numbers.
brucellosis, tuberculosis, or pseudorabies. Tasks
at the start of the fall semester after agreeing to
TThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimina-
• Transcripts of all college courses completed
tion in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
may include observing and/or performing rou-
the conditions of the scholarship by signing an
to date.
national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital
tine medical procedures, contacting owners to
agreement with the agency.
• Letter of acceptance for those applicants
status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation,
schedule testing, attaching tags to animals, com-
Nominations should be addressed to:
genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part
entering graduate school, if applicable.
of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance pro-
pleting identification records, branding reactor
Saul T. Wilson, Jr., Scholarship
gram. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons
animals, and/or helping supervise the cleaning
USDA, APHIS, Human Resources/Employment
with disabilities who require alternative means for communication
of infected premises.
4700 River Road, Unit 106
of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should
contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and
Laboratory tasks may include conducting rou-
Riverdale, MD 20737
TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA,
tine laboratory tests, logging in samples and
Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.,
tracking test results, and preparing specimens.
For more information about the Saul T. Wilson,
Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call (800) 795–3272 (voice) or
Animal disease program management and/or
Jr., Scholarship call (301) 734–5596.
(202) 720–6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider
and employer.
animal health information system duties may
include information gathering and data
Photo credits: The first two photos were taken by Thomas Martin of
collection, document review and literature
the Media Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee University,
and are reproduced by permission. The cover shots and the remaining
searches, technical computer assistance, and
photos come from the APHIS image collection.
computer, statistical, or qualitative analysis.
Revised July 2003
Reviewed and approved for reprinting January 2006
Veterinary Services: Taking the Lead
A Career Choice That Can
in Safeguarding Animal Health
Make a Difference
The Veterinary Services staff
A career in public veterinary health would
of the
Animal and Plant Health
Veterinary Services (VS), a part of the U.S.
afford you the opportunity to be involved with
Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal
the health of major animal populations in many
Inspection Service
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), is
activity areas. Veterinarians have a responsibili-
is proud to sponsor the
responsible for protecting and improving the
ty for the health of the Nation’s animals, and
health, quality, and marketability of the
public health veterinarians can have a broad
Saul T. Wilson, Jr.,
Nation’s agricultural animals, animal products,
and lasting impact on animal health issues.
Scholarship Program for
and veterinary biologics. VS veterinarians prac-
A hallmark of VS is its multidisciplinary
graduate students in
tice preventive veterinary medicine on a broad
approach to working on animal health prob-
veterinary medicine and
scale, dealing with animal health problems of
lems. VS has employment opportunities in the
statewide, regional, national, and international
public veterinary field for professionals from a
undergraduate students
importance.
Dr. Wilson with students at Tuskegee University.
variety of disciplines. Additionally, APHIS
in the
These broad responsibilities can have a
employs veterinarians in its Animal Care and
biomedical sciences.
profound effect on many aspects of American
VS is eager to identify and recruit a techno-
Plant Protection and Quarantine programs.
agriculture and animal health, especially the
logically advanced workforce to meet APHIS’
Employment opportunities are located through-
success of U.S. agricultural exports in world trade.
changing needs in a broad array of nontradi-
out the United States.
APHIS veterinarians also ensure that animals
tional fields that require more specialized
protected under the Animal Welfare Act and the
training. Epidemiology, computerized disease
What Does the Saul T. Wilson Scholarship
Horse Protection Act receive adequate care.
surveillance, biotechnology, and educational
Program Offer You?
In recent years, the scope of VS’ protection
support for procedures are only a few of the
function has expanded beyond disease manage-
vital areas where APHIS expertise is needed in
• Up to $5,000 per year for undergraduate
Wilson scholarship students do hands-on, paid work
ment to a commercial protection role. Now the
making significant and exciting contributions to
studies and up to $10,000 per year for graduate
for APHIS during summer and holiday periods and
agency must respond to other countries’ animal
animal health.
studies, for tuition, books, tutors, and laboratory
have the opportunity for full-time employment after
and plant health import requirements and
fees.
receiving their terminal degree.
negotiate science-based standards that ensure
Saul T. Wilson, Jr.
• Paid employment during summers and school
America’s agricultural exports, worth over $50
breaks as a Veterinary Student Trainee, participa-
• A job with APHIS after successfully complet-
billion annually, are protected from unjustified
Dr. Wilson dedicated his professional career to
tion in the Federal Employees Retirement
ing the career experience program and receiving
trade restrictions. Many VS activities have inter-
public veterinary medicine within APHIS and at
System and in the Thrift Savings Plan (401K),
the D.V.M. degree. At APHIS’ option, upon
national significance through import–export
Tuskegee University since his retirement from
and paid vacation and sick leave. Based on the
graduation the student must become a full-time
and emergency response programs.
Government service. He has made outstanding
length of the work periods, compensation may
agency employee for at least 1 calendar year
VS supports the livestock industry in the
contributions to the health of the Nation’s live-
also include life and health insurance benefits.
(12 months) for each school year (2 semesters,
prevention and control of animal diseases that
stock and poultry industries through an illustri-
• The possibility of conversion, without further
3 quarters or the equivalent) that the student
could otherwise be devastating. VS employees
ous Federal career and has inspired hundreds of
competition, to a permanent appointment with
was covered by the Wilson scholarship. If the
also ascertain that all licensed animal biological
veterinary students to consider practicing in the
the agency. The career experience program
scholarship recipient does not accept an APHIS
products distributed interstate, like vaccines, are
public sector. VS is pleased to sponsor this
agreement requires 640 hours of study-related
employment offer, he or she must reimburse
pure, safe, potent, and effective. As a regulatory
scholarship in the name of one of its most dis-
work with APHIS in order to be considered for
APHIS for all financial assistance received under
agency, APHIS is moving to a more broad-based
tinguished veterinarians.
this conversion and successful completion of the
the Wilson scholarship program. If the
public service role in order to better serve stake-
program and graduation with a D.V.M. degree.
recipient fails to serve the entire length of the
holders and constituents and meet the demand
Dr. Saul T. Wilson, Jr.
mandatory APHIS employment period, he or
for increased services.
she must reimburse the agency a prorated share
of the scholarship funds awarded.
