Scholarship Supports Aspiring Veterinarians, Technicians Who Plan to Work in Northern New York
WATERTOWN — Liberty L. Dippel is the Class of 2024 recipient of the Northern New York Community Foundation’s Frances Anderson Luck Foundation Scholarship.
Liberty graduated from Thousand Islands High School in June and recently began her first year at Jefferson Community College where she studies liberal arts. She plans to transfer to SUNY Canton to enroll in the veterinary technician bachelor’s degree program.
A lifelong animal lover, Liberty aspires to work as a veterinarian or veterinary technician and hopes to one day establish an animal rescue sanctuary.
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“Animals are such an important part of the area we call home,” Liberty wrote in her scholarship essay. “I plan to use the knowledge and experience I gain from further education to better the wildlife conservation and care of our animals in the North Country.”
Throughout high school, she competed as a member of the varsity soccer team for five years and served as a youth soccer coach and a mentor to youths in the equestrian field. She is the daughter of Kristi and Joe Dippel, Clayton.
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A $1,000 award, the Frances Anderson Luck Foundation Scholarship was established at the Community Foundation in 2018 to honor the life and legacy of its namesake.
Mrs. Luck passed away in November 2019 at the age of 92. The scholarship is a tribute to her lifelong love of animals, especially dogs. She was very fond of dachshunds and, at the time of her passing, had a 7-year-old female named Dolly.
Through the scholarship fund, Mrs. Luck hoped to make a tangible difference in the life of animals by increasing the number of qualified veterinary staff the Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties.
The fund awards scholarships to residents of Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties who have been accepted to, or are enrolled in, American Veterinary Medical Association-accredited veterinary doctor or veterinary technician programs. Ideal recipients have a sincere desire to remain in or return to the North Country to pursue a career.
About the Northern New York Community Foundation
Since 1929, the Northern New York Community Foundation has invested in improving and enriching the quality of life for all in communities across Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
Through partnerships with businesses and organizations, charitable foundations, and generous families and individual donors, the Community Foundation awards grants and scholarships from an endowment and collection of funds that benefit the region. Its commitment to donors helps individuals achieve their charitable objectives now and for generations to come by preserving and honoring legacies of community philanthropy while inspiring others.
The Community Foundation is a resource for local charitable organizations, donors, professional advisors and nonprofit organizations. It also works to bring people together at its permanent home in the Northern New York Philanthropy Center to discuss challenges our communities face and find creative solutions that strengthen the region and make it a great place to live, work, and play.