Commonwealth Transfusion Foundation Expands Support for ODU’s Medical Laboratory Science Students

Most patients will never meet the scientists who test their blood, type their cells or spot the infection that explains their fever. But every diagnosis depends on them. Across Virginia and nationwide, too few students know this career exists until it’s almost too late to choose it. That delay contributes to critical workforce shortages, especially in blood banking and core labs, where vacancy rates reach nearly 19 percent.

For years, the Commonwealth Transfusion Foundation (CTF) has worked alongside Old Dominion 91����Ƶ’s Medical Laboratory Science (M.L.S.) program — part of Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer College of Health Sciences at ODU — to change that reality. Their support has made the difference for countless students, ensuring they could finish their degrees and step into careers where they’re urgently needed. To date, the Foundation has invested more than half a million dollars in ODU’s M.L.S. program, a level of commitment that continues to shape student success and strengthen the healthcare workforce across Virginia. This September, CTF expanded that support by adding more than $14,000 in new scholarship funding to help students stay focused on their studies and reach graduation.

Sheena Turner, currently working as a laboratory technician at ODU’s Student Health Services, said the scholarship support kept her degree on track. “I know there's a nationwide shortage of medical laboratory scientists, and every student who is able to finish their degree helps fill that gap,” she said. “By supporting us, CTF isn't just helping students — they are investing in patient care, in hospitals and clinics and in the future of healthcare itself.”

Haley Van Vliet, a senior graduating this December, shared that the Foundation’s mission helped shape her career direction. “It is encouraging to know foundations such as CTF are backing our field and supporting students through their individual journeys. I would not have made it to where I am today without them.”

That history of support now enters an exciting new chapter. CTF has awarded a $35,000 grant to Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer College of Health Sciences at Old Dominion 91����Ƶ for the ODU M.L.S. Recruitment Project, a summer immersion program launching in 2026. The weeklong experience will bring high school and early-college students into the laboratory for hands-on assays, tours and conversations with industry experts, sparking awareness of a career many have never heard of, but one that saves lives every day.

Robert Carden, Ph.D., president and CEO of CTF, explained why these investments matter. “I’ve seen labs where it’s like learning a rotary phone in a cell phone world,” he said. “We want students ready to make an immediate impact once they enter the workforce.”

CTF board member Joseph Fielden added that while the Foundation works to meet needs across the transfusion industry, partnerships with institutions like ODU ensure their investments target the areas of greatest need.

Together, CTF and ODU are making sure students are supported at every stage through scholarships that ease the way to graduation and early-exposure programs that invite the next generation to step into the profession.

“This initiative aligns perfectly with our mission to engage learners, make discoveries and improve health,” said Bonnie Van Lunen, Ph.D., dean of the Ellmer College of Health Sciences at ODU. “With the support of forward-focused partners like CTF, we’re not just addressing today’s shortages but inspiring tomorrow’s breakthroughs.”

For Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer College of Health Sciences at Old Dominion 91����Ƶ, this grant reflects a larger mission: bringing learners into the laboratory, creating innovative ways to explore the science and preparing graduates to meet pressing workforce needs across Hampton Roads and beyond.