By Scout Nelson
According to the South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation, an SDSU veterinary student receives a graduate scholarship that highlights the importance of supporting future agriculture professionals and rural veterinary care.
Tara Feucht, a veterinary student at South Dakota State University, is the recipient of the $2,500 Travelers Motor Club Graduate School Scholarship. The scholarship is provided through the South Dakota Farmers Union Foundation to help students manage the high cost of veterinary education.
Feucht’s interest in veterinary medicine begins on her family’s Brookings County farm. Helping her grandfather care for bottle calves inspires her love for animals and agriculture. She says, “I would help Grandpa mix the formula, fill the bottles, take the bottles out to the calves.” She also shares, “Grandpa Randy is my biggest role model – he is the reason I love animals.”
As a student, Feucht is active in agriculture education. She participates in FFA, competes in veterinary science contests, and qualifies for the National FFA Convention. She also gains hands-on experience by working at a veterinary clinic and a local research company. These opportunities help her understand the wide range of careers in veterinary medicine. Feucht explains, “Seeing both sides of veterinary medicine, I realized I liked the diversity the career offers.”
Feucht earns her undergraduate degree in animal science from SDSU in 2025 and is accepted into the SDSU Veterinary Medicine program, which is highly competitive. She believes involvement outside the classroom helps her succeed. “Yes, GPA matters, but you also need to show that you are a well-rounded individual,” she says.
Veterinary schools are demanding, and students often cannot work part time. Tuition costs are high, especially when students later transfer to the University of Minnesota through SDSU’s partnership program. Feucht says scholarships make a major difference. She shares, “If you want to become a veterinarian, don’t let the cost of school stand in your way.”
After completing her studies, Feucht hopes to return to Brookings to practice veterinary medicine. She wants to serve rural communities where veterinarians are in short supply. Supporters from South Dakota Farmers Union and Travelers Motor Club say investing in students like Feucht helps protect the future of rural America.
To learn more about how South Dakota Farmers Union supports family farmers and ranchers, visit www.sdfu.org.
Photo Credit: south-dakota-state-university
Categories: South Dakota, Education