Association of Surgical Technologists Welcomes New SOWELA Students
(Lake Charles, Louisiana – June 30, 2022)
Two 2022 SOWELA Surgical Technology graduates will be inducted as the newest members of the prestigious Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) National Honor Society.
The graduates, who recently completed a rigorous regionally accredited Surgical Technology program at SOWELA, include 24-year-old Kylie Alonzo of Church Point, LA, and 23-year-old Tra’Naye Brooks of Eunice, LA. Both have been invited to join the AST’s distinguished honors program and will officially be inducted later this summer.
Alonzo has already landed a job as a surgical technologist at Lovelace Women’s Hospital in Albuquerque, NM, and Brooks has been offered surgical tech jobs at several regional hospitals.
The Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) mission has ensured quality patient care since 1969. AST includes 40,000 members and represents the interests of more than 80,000 practitioners nationwide. AST actively promotes education for the profession, legislatively advocates for practitioner recognition, supports state-level constituent organizations, and has committed to students as the profession’s future.
SOWELA’s Surgical Technology Department began in 2018 and has 15 students enrolled in Fall classes. Since it started four years ago, 23 have graduated from the program, with an additional 10 expected to graduate next month.
A surgical technologist, also called a scrub tech, surgical technician, or operating room technician is an allied health professional working as a part of the team delivering surgical care. Surgical technologists are members of the surgical team who earn an average of $51,510 per year. The industry growth over the next five years is projected to be 15% as the demand increases for such positions.
“Kylie and Tra’Naye are gifted and dedicated students, and I am honored to have taught them,” said Surgical Technology Program Director Amy Broussard. “They excel in the academic and clinical aspects of SOWELA’s rigorous Surgical Technology program because they put in the time, effort and hard work required. Their achievements have earned them their rightful invitation to become members of the prestigious AST Honor Society.”
As the oldest and most widely recognized professional organization for surgical technologists, AST’s primary purpose is to ensure that surgical technologists possess the knowledge and skill sets to administer the highest quality of care for every patient.
Recently, SOWELA achieved the highest retention rate among community and technical colleges in Louisiana. WalletHub (opens new window) also named SOWELA the #1 community college in Louisiana in 2021 for the third straight year.
SOWELA offers more than 30 technical and academic programs, including Surgical Technology, Accounting Technology, Process Technology, Welding, Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technology, Forest Technology, Sterile Processing and Practical Nursing (LPN).
SOWELA is currently enrolling for Fall 2022. For more information or to apply online, visit this page. Anyone needing additional assistance can contact onestop@sowela.edu for more information.
About SOWELA Technical Community College
SOWELA Technical Community College provides traditional, online, and lifelong learning experiences and awards associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates. The College empowers learners in career and technical education and enables transfer students to pursue a four-year degree, so all learners excel as globally competitive citizens. The College has been educating the region’s workforce for 80 years and has locations in Jennings, Lake Charles, Oakdale and Leesville, Louisiana.