Announcing the Veterinary Student Recipients of

HumaneVMA's 2025 Compassionate Care Scholarships! 

September 25, 2025

By Heather Schrader, RVT, MCJ

HumaneVMA is proud to recognize five veterinary students who embody the term 'Compassionate Care' through their activities with pets and the people who care for them.  Our Compassionate Care Scholarships recognize veterinary students who not only demonstrate an interest in animal welfare, but also represent a commitment to equitable access and inclusion in veterinary medicine via service or lived experience.  This is the third year that HumaneVMA has awarded five $10,000 scholarships to veterinary students who use the little free time they have outside studies to give back to the community and support others. 

HumaneVMA’s mission is to use its expertise and resources to advance animal welfare via leadership, advocacy, education and service in the veterinary field. We recognize that we cannot advance animal welfare without deliberate and conscious attempts to include more people and more perspectives. These scholarships honor students who exhibit a profound commitment to animal welfare and demonstrate dedication to expanding equitable access and inclusion within veterinary medicine. The awardees contribute to our initiative to create a more sustainable, humane world for all animals from within the veterinary field. 

2025 Compassionate Care Scholarship Recipients

Bonnie Dighero-Kemp (she/her/hers)

Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, class of 2030

As a dual DVM/PhD student who has worked in countries devastated by war and the struggle to receive basic health care, Bonnie has witnessed the struggles of both humans and animals. She stated in her scholarship application, "I aim to improve health outcomes at the human-animal-environment interface, particularly in places where resources are limited but needs are significant. As a researcher, I am also committed to advancing biomedical methods that do not harm animals and that serve the well-being of all species." Outside of her research of emerging viral infections and the evolution of pathogens in wildlife populations, she has been involved in numerous forensics and cruelty investigation activities including completing an externship at the Clark R. Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland Oregon and training with Victim to Verdict^TM. She also serves as the Student Representative for the International Veterinary Forensic Sciences Association (IVFSA).  

Bonnie's work in Africa led her to help found and serve on the board of the Libassa Wildlife Sanctuary, the only non-chimpanzee wildlife sanctuary in Liberia.  She also mentors Liberian graduate students who are working in One Health and veterinary medical fields, and provides support for the establishment of a One Health track at the University of Liberia's nascent PhD program.  Here in the US, Bonnie volunteers with her school's Shelter Medicine Club to provide free veterinary services to community members experiencing homelessness or housing instability.  She also participates in training for disaster response and preparedness with Carlson College's Disaster Action Management Team, and serves on the 2025 Colloquium Planning Committee which provides planning and support for the Combined Degree Colloquium held in conjunction with the AAVMC's Veterinary Scholars Symposium.  

Crystal Mateo Mendez (she/they)

Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2028

Before starting veterinary school, Crystal spent several years honing skills to engage communities and develop strategies that help on a One Health level. She said of her upbringing: "Growing up, my understanding of life and community was deeply rooted in my family’s Zapotec traditions in Oaxaca's Central Valley, where the health of people, animals, and land is strongly interconnected.  These experiences and the teachings of my Zapotec community grounded me in values of social justice, shaping my commitment to advocate for equitable access to resources and sustainable practices that honor both my cultural heritage and the health of the environment and animals."  Crystal has demonstrated this commitment to the health of all living things by working with organizations such as the Cerro Hermoso Biological Reserve in Oaxaca, Mexico, Friends of the Urban Forest in San Francisco and Physicians for Social Responsibility.  Colorado State University's One Health Institute awarded her a 2025 One Health Award for her work with indigenous communities in Oaxaca. Her project focuses on integrating the perspectives of the indigenous culture with deforestation management as it relates to the health of people, animals and the environment.  

While working for the San Francisco SPCA, she developed and supervised the Community Medicine Education Training (CoMET) program, the first of its kind in California providing paid training opportunities in the veterinary field.  This vital program ensures that BIPOC students can envision a path into the field of veterinary medicine and represent the diverse communities that seek veterinary care for their companions.  Crystal has also worked with several organizations as a mentor to under-represented high school students who are interested in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine.  Most recently, she developed a pilot program called Paws, People and the Planet which aims to raise awareness among marginalized youth in rural Colorado of educational and career pathways in the health care field. 

Ivan Melchor Mendez (he/him)

University of California - Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2028

Ivan stated in his scholarship application that he is "deeply committed to reshaping veterinary medicine into a more equitable, community-driven profession.  A profession where language, income, or immigration status are not barriers to animal health."  As a first-generation student from an Indigenous Zapoteco background, he has first-hand experience with not only systemic barriers to accessing veterinary care, but obstacles to becoming a veterinary professional.  In order to give back, Ivan mentors undocumented undergraduate students through the Undocumented Student Resource Center at University of California, Davis, and provides support to individuals who apply to professional veterinary programs.  

Ivan has always chosen to prioritize the needs of marginalized communities   In Los Angeles, he helped support the treatment and surgical care of community cats with Stray Cat Alliance.  He also worked with Project Street Vet to provide pet parents experiencing homelessness with free veterinary services for their companions.  After starting veterinary school, Ivan became involved with every access to care organization that offered opportunities for vet students willing to volunteer their time.  He became one of the HumaneVMA Student Representatives at UC Davis and helped organize veterinary student volunteers who participated in Street Dog Coalition clinics in the Sacramento area.  In addition to offering Spanish translation for clients, Ivan also serves as a student coordinator for clinics at Knights Landing, a rural One Health Center that works in collaboration with the UC Davis School of Medicine to service an area with significant barriers to transportation and health care.  He also dedicates time as a volunteer for outreach clinics in the East Bay of San Francisco, Sacramento and Davis, California.  

Kiarra Tarver (she/her/hers)

Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2026

In addition to Kiarra's clinical volunteer work, she advocates for change at the legislative level.  Earlier this year, she used the power of her veterinary voice by reaching out to her Senator and wielded social media to support Arizona’s SB1658.  "Jerry's Law," named after a dog rescued as part of a large-scale abuse case in Arizona, was passed into law and now expands the state's definition of animal cruelty: owners must provide adequate medical care, food, water and shelter for their domestic animals.  Kiarra also exercises opportunities to bring attention to important issues such as the work done by the student club, Health Outreach Through Medicine & Education (H.O.M.E.).  She serves as Clinic Coordinator (previously serving as President) for the free veterinary wellness clinics which the club coordinates with St. Vincent de Paul shelter in Arizona.  After the pandemic paused the shelter's Companion Animal Program, Kiarra helped revitalize the monthly clinics and recruited preceptors need to move forward with their operations.  She was featured in a news story highlighting this work and hopes that her interview inspired other to support accessible veterinary care.  Kiarra was also featured in The College Tour, an Amazon Prime TV series, where she served as a student ambassador for Midwestern University.  Her participation enabled prospective veterinary students to access day-to-day life as a student and act as a role model for BIPOC students who may not have considered the field of veterinary medicine previously.

Kiarra has also volunteered internationally at the Bayreuth Animal Shelter in Germany and with street dogs and community cats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  She also participates in High-Quality High-Volume Trap Neuter Return (TNR) events with Midwestern's Mobile Veterinary Clinic.  Marion Auray, Co-founder of St. Vincent de Paul's Companion Animal Program, stated in her letter of recommendation: "...what impresses me the most about Kiarra, aren’t her incredible academic credentials or even her impressive resume. Rather it is her grace, deep compassion for animals and the people that love them and her willingness to give-back to the community."  This sentiment is clearly evident in her activities and she stated in her application, "Through my work, I aim to shift veterinary medicine toward justice—for animals, underserved communities, and future BIPOC professionals."

Sara Rae (she/her/they)

Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine, class of 2028

Sara's work with pets and people shows the compassion she has for both ends of the leash.  As a result of her own life experiences, she was moved to give back to struggling members of the community.  As she stated in her application, "My hardships have strengthened me by teaching me that the greatest fulfillment in life is through service to others."  For several years, Sara has been volunteering and working with Doney Coe Pet Clinic in Seattle, Washington, the country's first veterinary clinic offering free services to low income individuals and those experiencing homelessness.  Here she found a place where she could hone her clinical and client engagement skills and experience contextualized care in action.  Sara was able to take this education and apply it to her volunteer work with Rural Area Veterinary Services (RAVS).  Setting up and running a week long High-Quality, High-Volume clinic in a rural area requires competence in cultural humility, trauma informed care and empowering owners to feel confident about caring for their pets - skills not always taught at school.

The longing to learn more about wildlife led Sara to volunteer with a bear sanctuary in Alaska and an elephant sanctuary in Thailand - where she also had a chance to work with disabled dogs who called the sanctuary home.  Her travels recently took her to St. Vincent and the Grenadines where a devastating hurricane left many homeless animals in need of shelter and veterinary care.  For one month, she met with pet owners on the island to provide services and helped care for the animals roaming the streets with no food.  Now as President of the Shelter Medicine Club at WSU CVM, she leads activities with her classmates and is able to act as mentor, passing on the skills she learned during her many adventures!

Click here to read about last year's Compassionate Care Scholarship Recipients

The HumaneVMA Compassionate Care Scholarships application will be available next year. Contact [email protected] with any questions about the program.