Student Success
First Student Graduates New Spanish-Language High School Equivalency Program
September 18th 2025 When Orberlin Habana Garcia, 37, moved to Asheville in 2024, he enrolled in English Language Acquisition (ELA) classes at A-B Tech to help him better integrate into his new home.
Through Hell and High Water: Adult High School Graduate Angie McGee Finally Made It
September 11th 2025 When Angie McGee was a senior in high school, a few classes away from graduating, she got pregnant with her first child. Lacking support from her mother, McGee had trouble keeping up with her studies and was forced to drop out of school.
New Student Government President Robert Uhren Aims to Bring Students Together
September 4th 2025 After leaving a bookkeeping job when the COVID-19 pandemic ended, Robert Uhren, 33, was at a crossroads. He’d been working as a financial manager for Tiltworks, Inc., an Arden-based firm that provided costumes and apparel to companies like Disney and Warner Brothers.
A Place to Belong: Six SOAR Students Celebrate Program Completion
August 11th 2025 A-B Tech honored six students on August 7 for completing the Successful Occupational Achievement Readiness (SOAR) program, which is in its second year at the co
High School Equivalency Graduate Travis Vanhorn is Happy "Where He's At"
June 4th 2025 Travis VanHorn knows firsthand what it’s like to live in the shadows. The 27-year-old struggled from the age of 15 with addiction and was in and out of jail for nearly a decade.
High School Equivalency Graduate Chantelle Brisbone is Walking in Grace
June 3rd 2025 Since she was a child, A-B Tech student Chantelle Brisbone’s heart has always ached for homeless people she passed on the street. “If I had five dollars, I’d give it to them,” she said.
Medical Lab Technician Student Dan Nielson Conquers Self Doubt, Redefines Career
May 8th 2025 Dan Nielson will be the first to tell you that his inner critic is tough to beat. The 54-year-old veteran, who is graduating this May with a Medical Laboratory Technology AAS degree, has battled PTSD and negative self-talk for more than half of his life.
Cardiovascular Sonography Student Jair Lopez Credits Success to Strong Family Ties
May 6th 2025 If you had told Jair Lopez at age 15 that one day he’d be working in an American hospital, operating an ultrasound machine, and helping to diagnose heart conditions, the native Honduran likely wouldn’t have believed you.
Retirement Not an Option: A-B Tech Student Eric Velez Just Won’t Quit
May 5th 2025 A-B Tech student Eric Velez, 65, is graduating in May with an Associate in Science degree, the next step in pursuit of his childhood dream of becoming a physician.
Award-winning Artist Harper Bolick Aims to Shine a Light in Dark Times
May 2nd 2025