Capt. Jeff Bowen Scholarship Awarded at A-B Tech

Teri Pope is the recipient of the first Capt. Jeff Bowen scholarship.

by Martha Ball

A-B Tech student Teri Pope worked with the Western North Carolina Region of the American Red Cross to volunteer at a canteen providing drinks and food for the firefighters putting out a blaze at 445 Biltmore Avenue that cost Capt. Jeff Bowen his life.

Three months later, Pope was awarded the first Capt. Jeff Bowen Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 from the A-B Tech Foundation to assist her in earning a degree in Fire Protection Technology. The scholarship is given to a student enrolled in the Fire Protection Technology program with a minimum 2.5 GPA who demonstrates financial need and is a resident of Buncombe or Madison counties.

Bowen, 13-year veteran of the Asheville Fire Department, was a 2007
graduate of A-B Tech with an associate degree in Fire Protection
Technology. He had taught in the College’s Continuing Education Division
for two years.

In addition to taking night classes at A-B Tech, Pope works 40 hours a
week at the VA Hospital and volunteers for the Red Cross and Weaverville
Fire Department. “I love volunteering. I enjoy going downtown and
serving the homeless and unemployed a bag lunch and other necessities
every Sunday, as well as cooking once a month for Asheville Fire
Department,” she said.

Anyone interested in donating to the scholarship should contact the A-B
Tech Foundation at (828) 254-1921, ext. 176 or [email protected]