Morgan State University Research Technician Awarded VOE-Network’s Dr. Donna Matthews Jarrell Scholarship

Vivarium Operational Excellence Network Selects Only One HBCU Employee or Student Annually to be Recognized for Their Commitment to Biological Sciences and Research

Each year, the Vivarium Operational Excellence Network, Inc. (VOE-Network) selects only one employee or student from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to receive the Dr. Donna Matthews Jarrell Scholarship. This year’s honored recipient is Peyton Mitchell, an animal husbandry technician and animal behavior researcher working in Morgan State University’s Animal Research Facility—a state-of-the-art laboratory supporting Morgan scholars in conducting groundbreaking research and advancing scientific knowledge through the ethical and humane study of animals.

Mitchell, a certified Registered Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician, received the exclusive scholarship award for her outstanding achievement in laboratory animal science and for advancing continuous improvement in animal healthcare. The scholarship award covers the cost of registration, travel, and lodging for awardees to attend the annual American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) National Meeting held in Salt Lake City, Utah, and access to career mentorship. The AALAS National Meeting is the largest gathering in the world of professionals concerned with the production, care, and use of laboratory animals.

VOE-Network established the Dr. Donna Matthews Jarrell Scholarship Fund in recognition of the fearless and pioneering spirit of its founder, Dr. Donna Matthews Jarrell. Dr. Jarrell advanced continuous improvement in animal healthcare worldwide and has been instrumental in the proliferation of operational excellence throughout the biomedical research community, particularly at HBCUs.  

Mitchell's path to Morgan emerged under the tutelage of Ingrid Tulloch, Ph.D., the director of Morgan State's Animal Research Facility funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)’s Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) and A Student-Centered, Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND) grants. As the interim animal facility manager, Mitchell is responsible for a host of essential duties, including recording, analyzing and presenting data on animal research; ensuring the welfare and caring of laboratory animals; compliance with laboratory procedures and protocols; training related to the proper usage of the facility; and upkeep of lab equipment.

Having attended an AALAS National Meeting, Mitchell reflected on her experience, expressing enthusiasm about the networking opportunities and information sessions that broadened her perspective on laboratory animal science. She plans to leverage the knowledge gained to enhance Morgan State’s animal facility and contribute to developing the team at the facility and the students they work with.

Congrats to Peyton Mitchell for exemplifying the University’s Core Values of Integrity, Excellence and Respect!