Sonja Bowen Enters NGTC Hall of Fame

Each year North Georgia Technical College recognizes Alumni who have excelled in their professions.  Clarkesville resident Sonja D. Bowen was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame at this year’s annual Alumni Day festivities. 

The Hall of Fame is bestowed on a deserving alumnus or former employee of NGTC.  If an alumnus, the candidate must have graduated from North Georgia Tech at least 20 years prior to nomination.  The candidate must have distinguished himself/herself in his/her professional life. Candidates who are currently employed at NGTC should not be considered until after leaving employment from the institution.

Sonja Bowen was a Medical Lab Technician instructor for North Georgia Technical College from __ to 1989.  During her 30 years of teaching, she demanded quality from each of her students.  Ms. Bowen’s superior work ethic and professionalism has continued to be a driving force for many of her students, both personally and professionally. She is highly respected amongst her Medical Technology peers, Medical Lab instructors, former graduates, and the community at large.

A graduate of Rabun County High School, Bowen attended Wesleyan College and University of Georgia and then completed her clinical training with Emory University. 

Her certifications include Medical Technologist from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists and Clinical Laboratory Scientist from the National Certification Agency. 

She is a member of a long list of associations including the American Society of Medical Technologists, National Certification Agency, and the American Technical Education Association, and has held offices in both the Georgia Society of Medical Technologists and the Georgia Vocational Association.

At NGTC, she rose to the level of Program Director for Medical Laboratory Assistants/Certified Laboratory Assistants.  The Clinical Laboratory Assistants program at North Georgia Technical and Vocational School was one of the first 5 programs in the United States to meet the requirements, academically and clinically, to receive national certification.  This certification provided the graduates better job opportunities to meet the State of Georgia standards to work in hospital laboratories.

While program director, Ms. Bowen served on two Southern Association of College and School (SACS) accreditation teams to evaluate vocational and technical schools.  After retiring from NGTC, she continued to serve the school and the community by participating on the Advisory Board for the Medical Technology program.  

Sonja’s impact can be seen immediately as even a brief visit to the campus was peppered with a greeting from a former student who was accompanying her daughter enrolling in the program, a chat with an employee who is also the son-in-law of a former colleague, and hails from a friend on campus visiting the Massage Therapy clinic.

“There are no words to thank her for all she means to our healthcare community,” says Kathie Ivester in her nomination statement.  “I feel she is most deserving of this honor as an inductee to the North Georgia Technical College Hall of Fame.”

Alumni Day is an annual event held the second Sunday of June.  This year’s festivities were held on Sunday June 14th on the Clarkesville Campus of NGTC.  For more information, please contact 706-754-7700 or visit www.northgatech.edu.