Ashlynn Yack and Ebony Bays, FVSU junior veterinary technology majors from Byron, recently won third place honors at the Southeastern Chapter of the American Association of Laboratory Animal Science (SEAALAS) regional meeting in Decatur, Georgia.
The SEAALAS is an organization that helps oversee the certification of animal care technicians.
Yack and Bays project titled, “Rumpus Room” focused on enticing the animals from one cage to another using a certain signal and using props made from recycled materials. This process is designed to help ease the handling of animals during the cleaning of cages.
Yack said winning the third place award was a complete surprise since she and Bays were the only undergraduates in the competition. “There were a lot of veterinary technicians we were up against, so we were really shocked we had won,” Yack said.
Both students said that after graduation they would like to work for a laboratory and work with animals used in research.
Ann Gillespie, instructor and veterinary technician for FVSU, said she was very excited for the students. She also said it was important that both Yack and Bays had the experience of presenting along with the opportunity to start networking in their future field.
“It was a very rewarding trip for all involved. Winning was just icing on the cake,” Gillespie said.
For more information about FVSU’s students’ participation in the SEAALAS, contact Ann Gillespie at (478) 825-6478 or email gillespiea@fvsu.edu