Merck Animal Health Awards $50,000 in Scholarships to Future Swine Practitioners

Scholarship program inspires students to further their veterinary education  

RAHWAY, N.J., March 5, 2025 – Merck Animal Health, known as MSD Animal Health outside of the United States and Canada, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (NYSE:MRK), today announced its continued commitment to the next generation of veterinarians in the swine industry by partnering with the American Association of Swine Veterinarians Foundation (AASVF) to sponsor the 2025 recipients of the AASVF and Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program.

          Scholarships totaling $50,000 were awarded to 5 veterinary students for 2025. The recipients were announced at the 56^th AASV Annual Meeting, held in San Francisco, Calif., March 1-4.

The following students were each awarded a $10,000 scholarship:

• Kaitlyn Forrest, North Carolina State University, Class of 2027
• Alek Goll, Iowa State University, Class of 2026
• Lauren Makovics, Michigan State University, Class of 2027
• Casondra Snow, University of Minnesota, Class of 2027
• Bailey Ward, The Ohio State University, Class of 2026

           “Merck Animal Health is committed to the veterinary profession and is proud to honor these students who represent the next generation of veterinary leaders for the swine industry,” said Justin Welsh, D.V.M., executive director of livestock technical services, Merck Animal Health. “Through our partnership with AASV, we are helping to build students’ knowledge of swine health and well-being as they prepare for a career in the veterinary profession.”

          “The AASV and the AASV Foundation appreciate Merck Animal Health’s long-standing support for the AASVF-Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarship Program. Their generous donation enables the AASV Foundation to assist future swine veterinarians with their educational expenses,” said Harry Snelson, D.V.M., AASV executive director. “This support has become increasingly important as educational expenses for veterinary students continue to rise.”

          Second- and third-year students enrolled in American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited or recognized colleges of veterinary medicine in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean Islands are eligible for the scholarship. Learn more at www.aasv.org.

Jack Creel, D.V.M with Merck Animal Health (left) presented the $10,000 AASVF-Merck Animal Health Veterinary Student Scholarships to (from left) Alek Goll, Kaitlyn Forrest. Not pictured: Lauren Makovics, Casondra Snow, Bailey Ward

About Merck Animal Health

          At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines, vaccines and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA, is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals^®, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, producers, pet owners and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well-being and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merck-animal-health.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA

This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

          Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.           The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).