2026 H.E. Kidder Memorial Trust Scholar honorees Lilly Overfield and Nicholas Walraven pictured with Associate Vice President for the WVU Division for Land-Grant Engagement Jorge Atiles (center).
The West Virginia University Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources awarded the 2026 H.E. “Doc” Kidder Memorial Trust scholarship to Nicholas Walraven and Lilly Overfield. This scholarship assists Davis College students with pursuing graduate or professional education in specified fields.
Walraven, a WVU Davis College graduate from Asbury, New Jersey, earned his bachelor’s degree in animal and nutritional sciences. This fall, he will continue his journey to becoming a veterinarian at the University of Florida where he is attending vet school.
During his time at the Davis College, Walraven was actively involved in several student organizations and leadership roles. He served as director of communications, vice president and president of the Pre-Veterinary Club, competed in regional and national Dairy Challenge competitions through the Dairy Club, and worked as an undergraduate teaching assistant and tutor through the Davis-Michael Scholars Program. Walraven credits the support of the Davis College faculty and advisors, along with hands-on learning opportunities, for helping prepare him for veterinary school.
“Receiving this scholarship is an incredible honor and has a huge impact on my vet school education,” Walraven said. “Thanks to the generosity of the scholarship committee, this significantly relieves financial stress, which lets me focus on what is important — my coursework and becoming the best veterinarian possible. I am beyond grateful to be a recipient of this scholarship and very proud to call myself a H.E. Doc Kidder Memorial Trust Scholar.”
Overfield, a WVU Davis College graduate from Morgantown, West Virginia, also earned her bachelor’s degree in animal and nutritional sciences. She will be attending vet school this fall at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.
Throughout her time in the Davis College, Overfield gained experience through leadership roles, hands-on learning and work in veterinary settings. She served as vice president of the Pre-Veterinary Club, tutored students through the Davis-Michael Scholars Program and worked alongside WVU farm veterinarians. She also spent three years at a local animal clinic, gaining additional experience in veterinary medicine and patient care.
“Receiving the H.E. Doc Kidder Memorial Trust Scholarship has been one of the highest honors I have received as a student of the Davis College,” Overfield said. “I recognize Doc Kidder as being one of the most influential people, as he has shaped the way students are mentored, which has been a big part of my success at WVU. I have dreamt of becoming a veterinarian since I was five, and this fall I am attending Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine to pursue that career. This scholarship not only allows me to work towards that goal but also relieves financial stress.”
H.E. Kidder, professor emeritus of animal sciences, had a distinguished career at WVU from 1954 until his retirement in 1988. He was widely recognized for his excellence in teaching, his dedication to students, and service to the livestock industry in West Virginia.
Before his passing in 1989, Kidder established the H.E. “Doc” Kidder Memorial Trust Scholarship to support animal and nutritional sciences students at the Davis College. This scholarship assists selected students in pursuing graduate or professional education in animal science, veterinary medicine, human medicine, law or other related areas.
For more than 30 years, the trust has provided students with thousands of dollars for their graduate or professional education. Selection is based on an interview process that evaluates academic performance with added consideration for leadership and financial need.
This scholarship was created through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.