My name is Ms. Brooke Ann Lipinski. I am an undergraduate student and John F. Reed Honors Representative with Fort Lewis College presently pursuing my Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Environmental Science with a focus on Pre-Veterinary Medicine, and a long term goal of achieving my Master’s of Science in Preventative Veterinary Medicine and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine through the University of California Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. Simultaneously, I am pursuing my Veterinary Assistant Certification through Moraine Valley Community College, and am proudly maintaining my role as a lead Inter-Club Council Representative and Team Captain with the Moraine Valley Community College "Cyclones" Cheerleading Team. Being a full-time student athlete and veterinary professional, time management is an integral part of my work-life balance, and serves to be considerably the most important detail of maintaining my academic standard. Presently, I am actively maintaining a 3.91 GPA, and I can confidently assert that this is a reflection of my commitment to time management. My ability to maintain a detailed and organized calendar has afforded me considerable recognition in my academic career. I have been awarded the Moraine Valley Community College "Cyclone Pride" Award in 2019, 2020, and 2021, in light of outstanding academic, extracurricular, and athletic achievement as the Lead Team Officer, Inter-Club Council Representative, and Cheer Team Captain. The journey to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, however, does not come without challenges. I am a student that, regretfully, lives in poverty, and am financially inhibited in many aspects of my educational journey, with no external resources immediately available to me to assist in affording many educational opportunities. My educational commitments have afforded me the Fort Lewis College Native American Heritage Scholarship, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Scholarship, as well as the Moraine Valley Community College “Cyclone Pride” Award, in light of not only my academic excellency, but my extracurricular and athletic accomplishments as a student of Veterinary Nursing. I aspire to continue to overcome the financial blocks in my educational path through the achievement of scholarships in light of academic and extracurricular commitment and excellency. With the financial stability that my scholarships and grants provided, I have been able to maintain a consistent 4.0 semester average with Fort Lewis College, all while simultaneously studying with Moraine Valley Community College as a student athlete, cheerleader, and Inter-Club Council Representative. Through my experiences as both a student and as a working professional, I’ve seen that despite the financial adversity displayed before me, I have infinite potential to impact my family, my peers, the field of veterinary medicine, and beyond -- how one small act can go a long way. Through my long-term successes, I realize that poverty is merely a societal limitation. I may be low-income, but I am not poor. I maintain consistent prosperity academically, athletically, professionally, and beyond, participating in faith-based activities and taking an active role in community service through the Animal Welfare League. My low-income status is not inherently a barrier, but rather, a launching pad to motivate and propel my success as I continue my journey towards becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. As a motivated and accomplished veterinary professional and Pre-Veterinary student, I am delighted to pursue the opportunity to contribute to a culture of integrity, compassion, and professionalism in the field of Veterinary Medicine as a scholarship applicant. It is my honor and privilege to submit my application for consideration as the 2022 Pratibha Pandey Merit-Based Scholarship conferree. Thank you so much for your endlessly valuable time, communication, and consideration. I look forward to the impact I contribute as a future Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

My name is Ms. Brooke Ann Lipinski. I am an undergraduate student and John F. Reed Honors Representative with Fort Lewis College presently pursuing my Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and Environmental Science with a focus on Pre-Veterinary Medicine, and a long term goal of achieving my Master’s of Science in Preventative Veterinary Medicine and Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine through the University of California Davis College of Veterinary Medicine. I am a first-generation college student, and a proud representative of Citizen Potawatomi Nation. My passion in the pursuit of Veterinary Medicine as a career is deeply fueled by my Indigenous heritage, and unconditional reverence for every animal and ecosystem that graces this Earth. Over the last ten years, I have dedicated myself wholeheartedly to my goals within Veterinary Medicine, pursuing careers with Healing Tails Holistic Veterinary Hospital, Veterinary Centers of America, and Meowtel. My experiences as a Veterinary Assistant have served to strengthen and solidify my capabilities as both a student and veterinary professional, and have further motivated me in the pursuit of my graduate degree. In acknowledgement of my commitment to all general animal health and welfare concerns as well as preventative veterinary medicine, I aspire to commit to the University of California Davis’ College of Veterinary Medicine Residency Program in Small Animal Internal Medicine. If I am granted the opportunity to pursue this internship, I can provide the ethical, sustainable, and compassionate medical care that every animal deserves, and change and shape the lives of each animal and family I interact with for the better. This is my true life’s purpose, and I will unconditionally dedicate myself to the journey of this pursuit. The journey to becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, however, does not come without challenges. I am a student that, regretfully, lives in poverty, and am financially inhibited in many aspects of my educational journey, with no external resources immediately available to me to assist in affording many educational opportunities. My educational excellency and commitments have afforded me the Fort Lewis College Native American Heritage Scholarship, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Scholarship, as well as the Moraine Valley Community College “Cyclone Pride” Award, in light of not only my academic excellency, but my extracurricular and athletic accomplishments as a student of Veterinary Nursing. I aspire to continue to overcome the financial blocks in my educational path through the achievement of scholarships in light of academic and extracurricular commitment and excellency. The pursuit of veterinary medicine is an arduous journey that requires strength, professionalism, composure, compassion, grace, and commitment in every facet of every word. This is what I strive to embody in every action I may take, and it is my greatest aspiration to inspire each and every individual I may meet to exercise their unconditional compassion for not only companion animals, but indeed, every single animal and ecosystem that graces Earth. If I am afforded the opportunity, it will be my life’s work each day to commit to compassionate preventative veterinary medicine, and educate my hospital staff and patients on the importance of quality healthcare maintenance for our companion animals. As a motivated and accomplished veterinary professional and Pre-Veterinary student, I am delighted to pursue the opportunity to contribute to a culture of integrity, compassion, and professionalism in the field of Veterinary Medicine as a scholarship applicant. It is my honor and privilege to submit my application for consideration as the 2022 Small Seed Big Flower Scholarship conferree. Thank you so much for your endlessly valuable time, communication, and consideration. I look forward to the impact I contribute as a future Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.