When alumna Judith “Judy” Brocksmith was in first grade, she carried home a kitten in her bicycle basket. Given to her by a classmate, the kitten’s name was Puff, and he was the first in a long line of cats that Judy would adopt over time. She is devoted to caring for her furry companions and helping other animal lovers do the same.

Judy has volunteered at her local animal shelter for the past 17 years, observing firsthand the dedication and commitment of other cat lovers volunteering there and the veterinarians and staff that treat both shelter animals and her own cats. She knew she wanted to do more and found the purr-fect answer at her alma mater, the University of Maryland.

In 2011, Judy established the Judith E. Brocksmith Veterinary Scholarship to support undergraduate students in the pre-veterinary program in the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences (ANSC) at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Numerous ANSC Terps have benefitted over the years from current use scholarship support.

She also expanded her legacy through an estate gift of a bequest in her will to establish the Judith E. Brocksmith Endowed Student Support Fund in Veterinary Medicine. The endowment will fund ANSC graduates enrolling in the rigorous Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM) program toward completion of their degrees.

VMCVM is a dual-state professional college that accepts roughly 128 students to become Doctor of Veterinary Medicine each year.

“I understand the financial and academic challenges students face in veterinary school, and I hope these scholarships will help the University of Maryland continue to attract and retain strong, high-quality vet-med students into the future,” Judy says.

As a Founders Legacy Society donor and member of AGNR’s Dean’s Circle, Judy’s decision to support the college reflects not only her love of animals and the importance of veterinary medicine, but also her belief in AGNR’s mission and her confidence in UMD’s students. She knows first-hand how much her support means to them.

“It’s so rewarding to meet outstanding students, like Avital Seletsky, who are benefiting,” Judy says, “and to hear about their academic goals, their aspirational dreams and their planned careers in veterinary science.”

Like Judy, you, too, can make a lasting impact on the University of Maryland and support your passions through planned giving. To learn more, please contact the Office of Gift Planning at 866.646.4UMD or giftplanning@umd.edu today.