StemCell Therapy

Horses have been some of Cassidy Sabrals greatest teachers.

Cowboy, an aging breeding stock paint horse, showed her themeaning of true loyalty, waiting at the fence for her every morning andafternoon. With his devotion and eagerness to please, he taught his young teenpupil responsibility and compassion for a creature that was entirely dependenton her.

Remi, her next horse, was a thoroughbred, and through him, thefreshman animal science major learned the patience and skill required for horsetraining. Ember, her current partner in the extreme sport of rodeo, givesSabral her all with a big heart and deep trust, even as the horse struggleswith an incurable genetic muscle diseaseand together they have gone on to winnumerous awards.

[Horses] have inspired me to never give up when things getrough, Sabral said.

Under normal circumstances, Sabrals dream to become a large-animal veterinarian would likely be out of reachfinancially. But thanks to her equine-encouraged persistence and the support of one inspired donor wishing to pay it forward, that dream is on track to becoming reality.

Sabral is a 201920 recipient of the Universitysprestigious Bell Family Presidential Scholarship for students in agricultureand animal sciences. Established in 2013 by Oregon-based philanthropist Dan Giustinaand expanded this year, the scholarship now supports five high-achievingstudents annually with full tuition and fees.

Without the scholarship, I wouldnt have been able to afford college, at least with my horse, said Sabral, who competes in rodeos around the state with Ember. The scholarship has allowed me to go to college as well as continue doing what Im doing outside of school.

Raised by a single mother and her grandmother, Sabral grewup learning how to care for animals from a young age. Since she can remember,her grandmother has been active in Butte Wildlife Rehabilitation and broughthome to their small farm in Chico a variety of animals in need: dogs, cats,squirrels, raccoons, sheep, pigs, rabbits, opossums, owls, and other birds.Sabral has raised several lambs by bottle, worked on her neighbors ranchlearning basic veterinary skills, and is currently raising a steer for herfinal year of 4-H to show and sell at the Silver Dollar Fair this spring.

An active board member of the Paradise HorsemansAssociation, Sabral has worked with horses since she was 14, training them forrodeo events and barrel racinganother passion she inherited from hergrandmother. Earlier this year, she and Ember qualified for one of 10sponsorships in the California Gymkhana Associations state finals, where theycaptured first place in her favorite event, pole bending. Every dollar Sabralmakes from farm jobs and competitions goes toward caring for Ember, who has agenetic disease that causes her muscles to cramp and break down.

Finances have always been very tight for the family. Hermother and grandmother both work, but income is limited. She is also the firstin her immediate family to attend college. Because her parents had no experiencewith the application process, she turned to her grandmother, who recentlyhelped her cousin successfully apply to Butte College.

Together, they also looked for scholarship opportunities,hoping that Sabrals academic strengths in high school and her extracurricularactivities would make her an appealing candidate for support.

Earning the Bell Family Presidential Scholarship was truly adream come true.

I was really, really happy, she said. The scholarship,when I found out about itnot having to worry about paying for my tuitionwasjust amazing.

The freedom she describes is exactly what motivated Giustinato establish the scholarship endowment in honor of his lifelong friends andmentors, Tom and Dorothy Bell, and Toms sisters, Claudine Bell and Helen Head.The Bells ranched thousands of acres in Oregon and California and were deeplyinfluential in the development of Chico and the North State. They also had deepconnections with Chico State, with many family members attending school here.

The Bells had no children to carry on their lineage, soafter their deaths, Giustina established a scholarship program within theCollege of Agriculture so that their legacy would live on.

Being able to see these folks growits a wonderful feelingand something we believe in, Giustina said. I learned from Tom some of thefundamentals that were important to me in life. Its been my want to pass thosethings along to students and others in agriculture.

Tom Bell believed strongly in education, sustainability, honesty, and the importance of hard work, Giustina said.

The students in our program have those attributes, hesaid. They can come to Chico State and learn and grow as people and dont haveto worry about where their next meal is coming from. Thats so meaningful. The onlything we ask is that they carry that forward. Thats what I learned from Tomand from my father.

Initially funding the endowment for $2 million, this year, Giustina gifted an additional $1 million to ensure the legacy of his mentor and friends would live on in the lives of the students impacted by the scholarship. Bell Family Presidential Scholars are selected based on academic achievement, commitment to agriculture, leadership, and civic engagement. Recipients are awarded full tuition for four years.

Sabral actually learned of the Bell familys legacy yearsbefore receiving their namesake scholarship. Her neighbors, Dean and ElsieHightower, knew the Bells and told her stories of how the sisters took care ofone another throughout their lives, and of the familys impact on agricultureand education in the area.

Last fall, she dove straight into her major, enrolling in classes including Introduction to Animal Science and Veterinary Practices. After earning straight As in her first semester, shes excited to dig deeper into her studies this spring and continue to grow her knowledge.

I wish to represent their determination tosucceed and prosper and their dedication to helping the greater community, shesaid.

Sabral also wants to pave the way for her younger sister, Courtney,who has her own dream of becoming a nurse one day.

I want to create the opportunity to provide a better lifefor my family, she wrote in her scholarship application letter. I want toprove that college is an option for [Courtney], as well. I also want to setup a bright future for my future children.

Her long-term goal is to attend the University of California,Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to train in large animal or equinemedicine. Shes researched the entrance requirements and knows exactly what itwill take to make her dream a reality.

I really want to be a veterinarian, and [CSU, Chico is] teaching me more about the things Im really interested in, she said. It doesnt feel like busy workeverything feels meaningful.

Related

Excerpt from:
The Power of Perseverance and a Gift - CSU Chico News

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