Karen Bardelmeier Albrecht (1951 - 2018) had an extensive professional career of over 40 years as a Medical Technologist. During this time, until early 2018, she worked in various hospitals and medical centers in Missouri and Illinois.

Karen was a 1969 Edwardsville High School graduate. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Barat College of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, IL in 1973 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology from St. Louis University in 1975. In addition, she completed a semester in Forensic Pathology from St Louis University Graduate School and viewed her experience there as invaluable.

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Her first full-time employment upon her certification completion was with Washington University School of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology in St. Louis, MO. During her clinical rotation, she fell in love with this facility and its patients, and upon graduation, to her delight, she was offered a position.

Her experiences at various laboratories and medical institutions provided her with progressive growth in her career and included:

*St. Louis University Hemostatis Laboratory, St. Louis, MO

*John J. Pershing VA Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, MO

*Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, MO

*Gateway Regional Medical Center, Granite City, IL

Karen was conscientious and meticulous about her medical responsibilities, never doubting her career choice. She took the utmost care in adherence to clinical compliance regulations, striving for the best possible patient outcome through timely, accurate delivery of medical test results. Karen thoroughly enjoyed mentoring younger generations during hospital onboarding, training and internships; she provided countless hours of clinical instruction for many new hires.

Due to Karen’s educational commitment, her lifetime dedication to quality in the field of Medical Technology and the immense satisfaction she gained from training students and new employees, this scholarship seeks to assist inspired, detail-focused students in achieving similar lofty career goals in patient care. To donate to the Karen Albrecht Medical Technology Scholarship Fund, please click here.

Edwardsville Community Foundation (ECF) can also receive memorial gifts for the Karen Bardelmeier Albrecht Medical Technology Scholarship in the mail, made payable to ECF, at the following address: ECF, PO Box 102, Edwardsville, IL 62025.