Two College of Veterinary Medicine students have received awards from the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) for embodying its mission to protect and advocate for the welfare of animals and promote and support a more humane veterinary profession.

HSVMA’s Veterinary Student Advocacy Award went to Michelle White ’14 for founding the HSVMA student chapter at Cornell, volunteering with local farm animal welfare organizations, advocating for the protection of carriage horses in New York City and participating in the HSVMA’s Humane Lobby Days.

This award recognizes students who have promoted humane and respectful treatment of all animals while in veterinary school. White's compassion extends to all animals; including volunteer work at farm animal welfare organizations, advocating for the protection of carriage horses in New York City, and completing an externship at the Fund for Animals’ Cape Wildlife Center in Massachusetts.

She also engaged in legislative and professional advocacy through participation in both the HSVMA’s and The Humane Society of the United States’ Humane Lobby Days at the New York state capitol in Albany, and recently attended the AVMA conference “Can You Hear Me Now? The Conversation: An Intraprofessional Conversation about Animal Welfare.”

In addition to pursuing her DVM, Michelle is a Ph.D. candidate in genetics and will continue her studies at Cornell after her graduation this spring.

Ada Norris ’16 received HSVMA Veterinary Student Direct Care Award. She came to veterinary medicine following wilderness emergency medical technician training, serving as an ambulance driver and receiving a Ph.D. in literature.

As a Cornell student, she has been involved with projects addressing free-roaming and companion animals in low-income households – including ongoing field work with HSVMA’s Rural Area Veterinary Services program, clinical and investigative work with animal shelters, community outreach to low-income families, a field service project in Madagascar and shelter medicine activities.

Norris reflects how the practice of veterinary medicine is an art, a profession and a calling. She combines a curious nature with a striking intellectual capacity and a realistic laid back manner that allow her to connect and communicate with individuals from all walks of life.