We're frequently impressed by the breadth of experience that our A-B Tech volunteers bring to the table.  These individuals frequently go above and beyond in using their skills to benefit A-B Tech students.  One such individual is Dr. Steve Pohl, a volunteer tutor and mentor at A-B Tech.

 

Over the past year, a tutoring need arose for some of our chemistry students at A-B Tech. Dr. Steve Pohl was "in the right place at the right time," as he puts it, and was able to begin working with A-B Tech students. Dr. Pohl explained that at first there was a learning curve, as he hadn't worked with some of the material being reviewed in over 50 years. But he quickly got back into it, dedicating himself to studying chemistry almost every day over the past year to better hone his tutoring abilities.

Dr. Pohl brings an extensive medical background and expertise to A-B Tech, having operated a private practice in Lexington, Kentucky for twenty years before retiring to Asheville. He also served for three years at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD during the Vietnam War, doing medical research. But he's also no stranger to the academic world, having spent time at Washington University in St. Louis, Tufts University, and the University of Virginia at various points in his career.

 

Dr. Steve Pohl and A-B Tech Student Tridiana pose outside the Ferguson Building before a mentoring session.

With it's emphasis on helping others through learning and sharing knowledge, tutoring made an ideal activity for Dr. Pohl's interests and time.  In fact, Dr. Pohl enjoyed tutoring in chemistry so much that when the opportunity arose to mentor a student pursuing this program, he leapt at the opportunity. Since the beginning of the summer, Dr. Pohl has worked with Tridiana, a second year A-B Tech student who hopes to transfer to UNC-Asheville to finish her Bachelors Degree. She plans to attend medical school one day and pursue a career as a doctor. Dr. Pohl, who began working with Tridiana as a tutor in the spring, has enjoyed the opportunity to engage on a deeper level as a mentor. He hopes that he can be a lasting source of guidance to Tridiana as she seeks to pursue her path to a medical career.

 

Dr. Pohl's introduction to A-B Tech came via a 2014 Summer Lecture series in the Magnolia Building on the history of the Buncombe Turnpike. He and his wife had already lived in the Asheville area for three years and were fascinated by the history of the area. Dr. Pohl also explains that he was looking for a meaningful way to spend his retirement, and he states that he appreciated A-B Tech's focus on students and student success. He immediately recognized that volunteering with A-B Tech could be "a rewarding way to spend my retirement years."

 

We're grateful to see A-B Tech students benefiting from the wealth of knowledge and experience that Dr. Pohl brings to the table. As he puts it, volunteering with A-B Tech is an excellent way to tap into the talent and experience that exists among the folks who live in our community. It's also a way to bridge the gap that sometimes exists between newcomers to Asheville and locals, offering a meaningful way to give back.

 

Thank you to all of our volunteers for what you do for our students and for A-B Tech!

The Lavender Fund was established at A-B Tech in 2008 through the generosity of an anonymous donor and the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. The program, managed by the A-B Tech Foundation, provides scholarship opportunities to support low-to-moderate single-parents to help them gain the education and confidence necessary to obtain a living-wage job and achieve financial stability.  A-B Tech currently serves more than 40 students a year through the program.