The award purpose is the USDA animal and plant health inspection service will provide support of personnel, wildlife service student training, and community service travel and supplies navajo…

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) awarded Navajo Technical University a $100,000 cooperative agreement under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care federal grant program (CFDA 10.025) from March 9, 2023 to March 8, 2024.

Under the award, Navajo Technical University will provide support for its Veterinary Technology Program to help maintain accreditation through experiential learning opportunities for students. This includes paying for a registered veterinary technician and administrative assistant, as well as funding student travel for community service and wildlife disease surveillance training with APHIS. The training is intended to benefit students by providing work experience and career preparation for USDA opportunities, while also benefiting local communities through rabies clinics. No subrecipient activities are included.

The award purpose is the USDA animal and plant health inspection service will provide support of personnel, wildlife service student training, and community service travel and supplies navajo technical university's veterinary technology program. The program will help maintain accreditation through the american veterinary medical association. Increase tribal college student experiential learning in large and small animal veterinary work through community service and outreach laying ground work for increase in skills, and experience. Previous student USDA internship experience combined with the above, students will be better prepared to apply for USDA opportunities. Activities to be performed will be to provide payroll support for a full-time registered veterinary technician to assist with course instruction. Maintain a full-time administrative assistant to assist with program and hospital clerical and secretarial duties, faculty clinical and lab instruction preparation, etc. Train and support tribal college students in receiving in-depth rabies surveillance training in wildlife service surveys while completing courses to prepare for careers in WS. Deliverables and expected outcomes are WS rabies surveillance trainees. They will complete a post-training survey during the final week to measure results and benefits outcome of the program. Data will be collected on skills gained, how skills benefited their field of study, interest in future WS work, interest in USDA careers, recommendation of the program to other students. Intended beneficiary is NTU students will benefit from the work experience provided and the community will benefit from the rabies clinics. No subrecipient activities.