The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine is proud to announce the 2025 recipients of the Dr. Mac Huddleston Rural Veterinary Scholarship: Marley Thornton and James Neill, members of the Class of 2029.
The scholarship provides full in-state tuition and fees for all four years of the DVM program. In return, recipients commit to practicing large or mixed animal practice in Mississippi for a least four years following graduation, as well as completing the college’s new Rural Veterinary Practice certificate program.
Established in 2024 by the Mississippi Legislature, the scholarship was proposed by the Mississippi Veterinary Medical Association and the Mississippi Farm Bureau in honor of the late Huddleston to address the critical need for veterinary services in rural areas. The inaugural recipients, Natalie Garcia of Waveland and Gabbi Walters of Pelahatchie, are members of the DVM Class of 2028.
Beginning with this application cycle, only residents of Mississippi may apply, and 17 applications were submitted. Seven students were interviewed, with Thornton and Neill ultimately selected. The college extends its appreciation to the selection committee: Dr. Carla Huston (chair) and Drs. Jennifer Beam; David Christiansen; Scott Dunaway; Kale Hatten; Kim Klunk; and Jake Shively.
As native Mississippians, Thornton and Neill have a keen appreciation for the need for additional veterinary coverage in rural areas, and both are committed to helping fill it.
Thornton was raised on a fourth-generation cattle farm in Raleigh, Mississippi, and has been involved in 4-H and FFA livestock projects since the age of six. She earned her undergraduate degree in animal and dairy science from M S U, where she was active in Sigma Alpha Professional Agricultural Sorority, serving on the executive committee and twice as president. A member of both the Mississippi Cattleman's Association and the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, Thornton’s career goal is to practice production animal medicine in a rural community like her hometown, serving as a positive ambassador for agriculture and giving back to the farmers and family who shaped her.
Neill is a native of McCarley, Mississippi, where he grew up on a farm and gained hands-on experience raising a wide variety of animals, including honeybees, catfish, cattle, and poultry. He earned a bachelor’s degree in wildlife, fisheries, and aquaculture from MSU with a concentration in wildlife veterinary medicine. During his undergraduate studies, he worked at the MSU Beef Unit and competed on the MSU Bass Fishing Team. Neill is also a member of the Carroll-Leflore-Montgomery Cattlemen’s Association and enjoys hunting, golfing, and grilling in his free time. After earning his DVM, he plans to return to Carroll County to open a veterinary clinic and provide much-needed services to his community.
