MPRINT: New MSU veterinary medicine scholarship immortalizes animal advocate
At Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the legacy of Stephanie Welch will live on through the Stephanie and Rick Welch Endowed Scholarship, created by her husband, Rick, to honor and remember her lifelong passion for animals and her generous spirit.
Stephanie was known for her dedicated commitment to animal rescue and her deep love for animals, especially horses. Though she and Rick were married for only five years, their friendship and bond over animal rescue spanned more than two decades.
“Whether we were fostering animals, pulling them from difficult situations, or just trail riding horses, she loved to help and spend time with animals as much as possible,” Rick said. He recalled how some of his fondest memories with Stephanie were built around their shared passion for giving animals a second chance. This bond brought them closer together and became the foundation of their lasting friendship.
When deciding how best to honor Stephanie’s memory and celebrate her love for animals, Rick said giving to Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine was the clear choice.
“She depended on the vet school to help her with her horses,” he said. “Dr. Christiansen and his team would come out to the farm whenever she needed them. She leaned on the vet school a lot, and she was a huge supporter of their work.”
The Stephanie and Rick Welch Endowed Scholarship will support veterinary students with a focus on equine medicine. Rick hopes it will inspire recipients to carry on her legacy of giving animals the best chance at life.
“My hope is simple,” he said. “If there’s a student who wants to focus on equine care, and this scholarship can give them financial support to do so, then it fulfills what Stephanie’s passion was all about.”
Rick describes Stephanie as someone who was always there to lend a helping hand and never hesitated to put others before herself. “People would call Steph all the time asking for advice on horses or help with animals – she was their ‘go-to’,” Rick said. “She left a void in so many lives when she passed away. She had such a genuine heart for helping others.”
Though Stephanie was not an MSU graduate, she was a proud supporter of the university, especially the College of Veterinary Medicine. Her legacy continues through her 19-year-old twins, who are both MSU students, and through Rick, an alumnus of the Bagley College of Engineering.
“Other than her kids, horses were her world,” Rick said. “And now through this scholarship, that part of her will continue to live on in every student it supports and every animal they help.”
Rick said that if he could leave a scholarship recipient, or any student, with one piece of advice, it would be to “never give up on an animal, even the ones others think cannot be saved.”
He recalled how Stephanie refused to give up on even the most hopeless cases. “She brought horses here that were in terrible shape and nursed them back to health,” he said. “Sometimes animals just need a chance, and Steph always gave them one.”
The Stephanie and Rick Welch Endowed Scholarship honors that same spirit of taking chances, believing in potential, and nurturing growth. Just as Stephanie saw the possibility in every animal she cared for, this scholarship inspires future veterinarians and animal lovers to do what she did best: care deeply, give selflessly, and never stop being a voice for those who may not have one.