About The Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program
Veterinary scientists play a critical role in the discovery and development of new vaccines and pharmaceutical products for veterinary and human health. The Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars Program provides an opportunity to introduce veterinary medical students to hands-on research through an annual 10-12-week summer program at participating colleges. Additional funding is provided by the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP).
In addition, the application for the Boehringer Ingelheim Research Award is open to students from the previous year's summer scholar program.
Program Goals & Key Features
Goals
- Maximize the opportunity for students to further their education and training by learning to conduct biomedical research under the supervision of a faculty mentor.
- Encourage veterinary, pre-vet, and animal science students to consider careers in biomedical research following graduation.
Key Features
- Program is provided for 10 weeks during the summer.
- Stipend of $6,500; half of which will be paid at the beginning and half at the end of the program.
- Students conduct hypothesis-driven research under the guidance of an 芒果77福利 (MWU) faculty mentor.
- Weekly colloquium where each scholar will investigate topics in biomedical research and career development.
- Program orientation with seminars in research methodology and ethics.
- Career chats where scholars will have an opportunity to meet with distinguished speakers regarding careers in biomedical research.
- Presentation of the summer research results will be given at the 2026 VSS Conference, location TBD.
Application Details
Requirements
- Students in the first and second years of the veterinary medical program are eligible.
- Students must maintain good academic standing leading up to and during the Summer Research Program.
- Students must have successfully completed VMEDG 1510 Principles of Veterinary Scholarship.
- Orientation in the faculty mentor鈥檚 laboratory through successful completion of the VMEDG 1301/1302 Research Elective in the spring quarter, prior to the start of the program.
- Time commitment for the Summer Research Program is expected to be significant and could average 30-40 hours of research activity per week over the length of the 10-week program.
- Full participation in activities of the Summer Research Program, as stipulated by the Program Directors.
- Full participation in research and/or laboratory activities, as stipulated by the student鈥檚 assigned faculty mentor, such as lab meetings, experiments, etc.
- Presentation of research findings as a poster and/or oral presentation at the NVSS Conference, the CVM Phi Zeta Research Day, and the MWU KAS Research Day.
- Student provides final project update, approved by faculty mentor.
- Students are not required to have performed past services or to agree to perform future services for the University, as a condition of receiving the research stipend.
Application Components
Application submission deadline is the February prior to the program start. Please apply by using the online application.
The 2026 application will be posted soon.
Application components include:
- A letter of interest indicating:
- Interest in up to three mentors and their corresponding research projects. These choices must be made from the MWU faculty members and research projects and ranked from number one (1) to three (3). Explore research projects and mentor details.
- A vision of how this experience may shape/guide the fellow into a career in biomedical research.
- A statement of whether the applicant will/will not be eligible for Federal Work Study (FWS) funds for the following school year.
- Curriculum Vitae
- One letter of reference from a faculty member at the student鈥檚 university who is familiar with the student鈥檚 interest in research. The student does not have to have prior research experience to qualify for this award.
Application Review Process
Applications will be reviewed by MWU College of Veterinary Medicine Research Committee and ranked based on:
- Eligibility of student
- Letter of interest
- Letter of reference
The highest-ranking applicants will be selected for the program. Awards will be announced no later than the end of February 2026. For additional program information, please email SRP Faculty Co-Directors, Dr. Christopher Olson, colson1@midwestern.edu, or Dr. Jason Struthers, jstrut@midwestern.edu with subject: MWU-SRP-2026.
Number of positions (tentative): Approximately 20 for CVM students, depending on funding availability.
Student Awardees Research Project Details
Student awardees will be guided to the research mentor at MWU whose research project closely aligns with one of the student鈥檚 choices.
The student and mentor will then develop a research proposal (due date to be determined), to include:
- A 3-page research proposal which must contain the following sections: Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Innovation, Research Design, Timeline, and Specifics of Student Involvement. Preliminary data are not required.
- Separate sections of literature cited and biosketch of PI(s), both in NIH format.
- Applicable vertebrate animals, human subjects, and biosafety descriptions in NIH format.
Faculty Research Projects
Projects to be listed soon.
Contact Us
For additional program information, please email SRP Faculty Co-Directors, Dr. Christopher Olson, colson1@midwestern.edu, or Dr. Jason Struthers, jstrut@midwestern.edu with subject: MWU-SRP-2026.