Student Support Fund Applicants

The application portal is now open and can be accessed here. Please read all the guidelines outlined below before submitting an application.

The Cornell Yang Center for Wildlife Health Student Support Fund (CYCWH SSF) provides funding support to Cornell DVM students interested in wildlife health in these three areas:

• Off-Campus Experiences: To help cover costs associated with participating in off-campus experiences, including veterinary externships, rotations, preceptorships, and other types of applied research or apprentice-type experiences involving free-ranging or captive wildlife that are not eligible for Expanding Horizons. Experiences must be at least 4 weeks long, with priority given to experiences lasting 8 weeks or longer. Please note that programs not structured specifically for veterinary students are generally not eligible.
• On-Campus Research: To help cover student-led, on-campus research costs, including diagnostic fees, materials, and publication fees, that could eventually lead to publications and/or poster/talk presentations at a professional conference. Projects that can be completed within 2 semesters will be given priority.
• Professional Conferences: To help cover registration and travel costs to present at relevant professional conferences and represent the CVM, facilitating the student’s engagement with the broader wildlife conservation community, including potential future mentors.

Amount

• Off-Campus Experiences: Up to $4,000
• On-Campus Research: Up to $1,000
• Professional Conferences: Up to $1,000

Funding is limited and will be allocated competitively on a rolling basis.

Course Credit

Credit for a CYCWH SSF-sponsored project is possible, based on (for example) criteria for opportunity blocks as established by the CVM Registrar. Please liaise with the Registrar’s Office (cvmregistrar@cornell.edu) for details. In the future, a formal S/U course mechanism (as is available for Expanding Horizons) may also be available.

Application Process

Funds are limited and demand has been significant. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis between September 1 to May 31 and reviewed monthly. This site will be updated when funds are no longer available for the academic year, which may occur before the end of May 31.

Students will normally be notified of decisions by the last day of the month following the month of their complete application submission. For example, applicants who submit a complete application in the month of February will receive a decision by March 31.

If expedited review is needed for a justifiable reason, please contact the Cornell Yang Center for Wildlife Health (wildlifehealth@cornell.edu).

Requirements for Eligibility

• All enrolled Cornell DVM students in good academic standing
• Proposed activity must be related to wildlife health
• Proposed activity must start within 12 months of the date of application
• Activities that have already occurred are not eligible
• A Cornell CVM faculty mentor or endorsement for the proposed activity
• Off-Campus Experiences:
  • Applicant must have already been accepted for the experience
  • Experience must be at least 4 weeks long
  • Programs not structured specifically for veterinary students are generally not eligible
• On-Campus Research: Project must be student-led and based on a well-developed idea
• Professional Conferences: Applicant must have already been accepted to present

How to Apply

The application portal is now open and can be accessed here.

Information and materials requested in the application include:

For all applications

• Contact info, graduation year
• Name of the off-campus experience, research project, or professional conference
• Veterinary mentor’s full name, email, and degree (e.g. DVM, VMD, DVM-PhD, etc.)
  • For on-campus research, this must be a CVM faculty member
• An endorsement from a CVM faculty member involved in wildlife health or zoological medicine [full name and email] is required for off-campus experiences and professional conferences if your veterinary mentor listed above is not a CVM faculty member. [Note: we are not seeking letters of recommendation.]
• Amount requested
• Location of activity
• Anticipated start/end date of activity
• Describe the off-campus experience/research project/conference presentation and your role (include purpose, organizations/research groups you will be working with, URL describing the activity if available, etc.) [max 150 words]
• Describe your interests related to wildlife health [max 150 words]
• Statement of Intent: What do you hope to get out of the experience and how would this activity help further your professional goals? [max 250 words]
• CV
• A list of any other funding sources that you plan to apply to, have applied to, or funding already allocated for this activity. This would include any partial or full stipends / housing subsidies provided by the host organization / mentor.
• Itemized budget and justification (see below for detailed budget guidelines and template)
• A list of any previous awards you have received from the CYCWH Student Support Fund, including date, type, activity name, and funding amount

For Off-Campus Experience applications

• Documentation of your acceptance from your mentor/organization (i.e., a letter confirming dates of acceptance to a mentored veterinary externship program, on the institution’s letterhead when possible, or an email confirming dates of acceptance)
• Approvals/Permits: Assess if the project requires IACUC or IRB approval, a CITES or USDA permit, or any local/regional/national permits
  • If any approvals or permits are required, the status of the process and documentation must be included in the application
• Indicate whether your activity involves any occupational health risk and if so, describe your plans for protecting yourself / other colleagues involved

For On-Campus Research applications

• Approvals/Permits: Assess if the project requires IACUC or IRB approval, a CITES or USDA permit, or any local/regional/national permits
  • If any approvals or permits are required, the status of the process and documentation must be included in the application
• Indicate whether your activity involves any occupational health risk and if so, describe your plans for protecting yourself / other colleagues involved

For Professional Conference applications

• Abstract title
• A one page (max) abstract of your talk or poster, including the full list of authors and affiliations
• Documentation of your acceptance (i.e., email acceptance or the specific page of the conference program that lists your name)

Budget Guidelines

• Use this budget template. Include detailed calculations and justifications for each line item you are requesting from the SSF. 
• Use separate expense categories, such as:
  • Off-Campus Experiences: airfare, lodging, local transportation, etc.
  • On-Campus Research: supplies and materials, diagnostic fees, publication fees, etc.
  • Professional Conferences: airfare, lodging, local transportation, registration fees, etc.
• Food costs are not eligible, with the exception of meals included in conference registration fees.
• Personal expenses are not eligible; expenses must be directly related to participating in the experience. Clothing and field supplies (e.g. outdoor gear, camping equipment, etc.) are considered personal expenses. Personal protective equipment (PPE), if needed and not available from the hosting organization, is an allowable cost.
• If including driving mileage using a personal vehicle, applicants may budget up to 22 cents per mile. For rental cars, gas should be calculated based on anticipated mileage and gas price estimates for that area.
• For budgeting purposes, Tompkins County is considered the point of origin and return. If travel begins and/or ends in a location outside of Tompkins County (e.g. other residence, other activity, personal travel), you must provide a cost comparison in your justification between traveling to/from Tompkins County vs the other location. The lower of the two costs should then be used in your budget request. Flights to/from Syracuse, Elmira, and Binghamton airports are acceptable without flight comparisons.
• Please incorporate any other funding sources (e.g. stipends, awards, grants, etc.) already received for this activity into the budget and show how costs would be allocated between the different funding sources. You may add budget items/categories that are not eligible for the SSF, but still relevant to your participation in the activity, that will be covered by these other funding sources.
• It is expected that the applicant will budget for travel expenses as cost-effectively as feasible for the duration of the experience.

Questions?

Please email the Cornell Yang Center for Wildlife Health (wildlifehealth@cornell.edu).