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While studying as an undergraduate at Mars Hill University, Dr. Debbie Ricker encountered an image that would spark a lifelong passion. It was a photograph of a Quarter Horse mare that had just given birth—not to a foal, but to a genetically pure zebra.

“I knew just enough about biology and horses to know that wasn’t normal,” she recalls.

That surprising image ignited a curiosity that would shape the course of her academic and professional life. As President Ricker dug deeper, she discovered the incredible possibilities of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) being explored in zoos and research institutions across the country.

“That moment changed everything,” she says. “I had no idea that kind of science even existed. It was something that completely fascinated me—and it led me on a journey to understand more about reproduction and developmental biology.”

Today, the zebra represents more than just a striking image—it symbolizes the spark of discovery, the power of curiosity, and the unexpected moments that shape who we become.