{"id":6353,"date":"2014-12-11T15:28:46","date_gmt":"2014-12-11T21:28:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article-v2\/talbot-gift-invests-in-isu-veterinary-medicine-graduate-students\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T06:48:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T11:48:06","slug":"talbot-gift-invests-in-isu-veterinary-medicine-graduate-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vetmed.iastate.edu\/article\/talbot-gift-invests-in-isu-veterinary-medicine-graduate-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Talbot Gift Invests in ISU Veterinary Medicine Graduate Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\t
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 <\/p>\n

Contacts<\/strong>
\nLora and Russ Talbot<\/a>, Belmond, Iowa
\nTracy Ann Raef<\/a>, Veterinary Communications
\nRyan Harms<\/a>, ISU Foundation<\/p>\n

December 11, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is crucial for the research program at the College of Veterinary Medicine to attract and recruit high-achieving, outstanding, and strongly motivated students,\u201d Russ stated. \u00a0\u201cFunding by our Talbot Graduate Fellowship will positively impact the ability to recruit talented sought-after students, regardless of their research area or department. \u00a0We believe that flexibility is important; eligibility for our fellowship is open-ended and not limited to a specific area of research and study.\u201d<\/span>Thanks to the generous gift of over $250,000 from Lora and Russ Talbot of Belmond, Iowa, the research program at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine has been impacted in a big way. \u00a0Their contribution created the fully endowed Lora and Russ Talbot Graduate Fellowship in Veterinary Medicine.<\/p>\n

Lora added, \u201cWe want to help reduce student debt by providing financial support to graduate students. \u00a0At the same time, we are promoting Iowa State University President Steven Leath\u2019s initiative for \u2018Moving Students Forward,\u2019 which is one of the university\u2019s top goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key breakthroughs in animal and human health are happening all of the time, as a result of the research conducted at the College of Veterinary Medicine. \u00a0Many of these important discoveries would not be possible without the help of a dedicated team of graduate students who conduct and analyze this research. \u00a0Lora noted, \u201cHelping to ease their financial burden will allow them to directly focus on their research area.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Lisa K. Nolan, Dr. Stephen G. Juelsgaard Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, believes that \u201cBuilding our research program is critical to the recruitment of outstanding faculty, enhancement of the college\u2019s reputation, and continued recognition of the college as a research leader in veterinary medicine. \u00a0Key to our success is the recruitment of outstanding graduate students. \u00a0The generous and visionary gift provided by the Talbots enables us to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAs long-term donors and dedicated supporters of Iowa State, we want our contributions to make a difference,\u201d Russ said. \u00a0\u201cWe actively seek out areas and situations where the needs are the greatest. \u00a0We try to direct our resources to where they can have the most impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

Russ continued, \u201cWe became more acutely aware that graduate fellowships play a key role and are vitally important in the current and future success of the college. \u00a0Over the years, we have had a multitude of positive experiences and meaningful feedback from our Russell G. and Lora L. Talbot Scholars in Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Program. \u00a0We projected that a logical extension and the next step in that approach was to provide significant support in the graduate area of veterinary medicine at Iowa State. \u00a0This led us to establish the Lora and Russ Talbot Graduate Fellowship in Veterinary Medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEstablishing a fellowship at the graduate level is a special opportunity to support and promote the future of veterinary medicine,\u201d Lora stated. \u00a0\u201cDonations for graduate fellowships can have a substantial impact on students, faculty, and the college. \u00a0We view the contributions to our Talbot Graduate Fellowship as investments in the further development of talented and superior students who have demonstrated that they are the \u2018best of the best.\u2019 \u00a0We want to help them pursue their dreams and fulfill their goals.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Portrait<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Russ and Lora Talbot<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

At the time the Talbots were funding the endowment for their graduate fellowship, they became aware that matching funds were available from the Presidential Graduate Student Initiative for certain contributions designated as expendable funds. \u00a0Their fellowship funding quickly became twofold. \u00a0Knowing the college would benefit from those matching funds was a strong and important incentive for them to leverage their contributions of expendable funds. They contributed more than $150,000 to create a fully endowed fund for long-term support of the Talbot Graduate Fellowship, as well as over $100,000 in expendable funds to provide current and short-term impact, which supplied the dollars for fellowship awards to be made immediately rather than having to wait until endowment earnings sustained the awards.<\/p>\n

As part of President Steven Leath\u2019s initiative for \u201cMoving Students Forward,\u201d the Graduate Student Recruitment Program is a two-year program to foster excellence and growth in Iowa State\u2019s graduate programs by incentivizing academic colleges to recruit and enroll additional high-quality graduate students in doctoral and research-oriented master\u2019s degree programs. \u00a0The designated expendable funds portion of the Lora and Russ Talbot Graduate Fellowship was eligible for the match.<\/p>\n

According to Dr. Qijing Zhang, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, \u201cThe Talbot Fellowship has allowed the college to establish a new program for attracting outstanding graduate students. \u00a0It greatly enhances the quality and experience of graduate education and is critical for the college to leverage additional funding to support graduate studies.\u201d<\/p>\n

The three inaugural recipients of the Lora and Russ Talbot Graduate Fellowship in Veterinary Medicine are Samantha Hau (DVM 2014), Alyona Avdonina (DVM 2014), and Sarah Wiechert (DVM 2013).<\/p>\n

Dr. Hau is working on her PhD through the Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine Graduate Program. She stated, \u201cIt is an honor to be selected as one of the first Talbot Graduate Fellowship recipients. \u00a0The fellowship has enabled me to continue working toward my graduate degree and future research goals. \u00a0Lora and Russ are wonderful, and I am so thankful to be a part of this new adventure with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Avdonina is a Veterinary Pathology graduate student. \u00a0\u201cIt is humbling to receive such personal, generous support at this stage of an academic career. \u00a0Lora and Russ\u2019s continued and expanding investment in veterinary education is inspiring. \u00a0I am very grateful for their dedication to the future of our profession,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Dr. Wiechert is a graduate student in Veterinary Clinical Sciences. \u00a0She served as an intern for one year and is now a resident in equine internal medicine at the college. \u00a0She noted, \u201cLora and Russ have given me the opportunity to manifest my ambition. \u00a0Words cannot express my gratitude for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lora and Russ observed \u201cWe are extremely pleased with and especially proud of the three initial recipients of our graduate fellowship awards. \u00a0We could not have asked for more top notch students than what they are. \u00a0We applaud them for what they have already achieved. \u00a0We enthusiastically cheer them on for what they will do in the future. \u00a0We believe each will be making major contributions to the advancement of veterinary medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lora and Russ did not attend Iowa State, but they are very good friends and supporters of the university. \u00a0Their giving and volunteer service have impacted the University as a whole, including the College of Veterinary Medicine, ISU Foundation, ISU Alumni Association, and \u201cThe Fashion Show\u201d in the College of Human Sciences.<\/p>\n

Through their Russell G. and Lora L. Talbot Scholars in Veterinary Medicine Scholarship Program which provides a four-year scholarship to each student, 16 recipients have become Doctors of Veterinary Medicine and seven more are on their way. \u00a0In 2013 they also established the Lora and Russ Talbot ISU Alumni Association Cardinal & Gold Scholarship in Veterinary Medicine.<\/p>\n

In addition, they have been major donors to the Dr. W. Eugene and Linda Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center and the Hixson-Lied Small Animal Hospital. \u00a0For the past two years they have sponsored the college\u2019s annual Scholarship Recognition Program & Reception. \u00a0Both Lora and Russ serve on the College of Veterinary Medicine Dean\u2019s Fundraising Advisory Council.<\/p>\n

Dean Nolan concluded, \u201cThe Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine extends its utmost thanks to Lora and Russ Talbot for their tremendous generosity in making a difference in the lives of students.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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