Academic Divisions

Dr. Lester E. Hardegree

Biography

 

After obtaining his BS in Chemistry from the University of Georgia, Dr. Hardegree began his professional career as a medical laboratory technician at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, GA working in hematology, urinalysis, immunology and phlebotomy. This led to his acquisition of a BS in Medical Technology from the Medical College of Georgia. Subsequently, he became certified as a Medical Technologist by the American Society for Clinical Pathology and worked as a technologist at Decatur Hospital, Physician’s Laboratory, PC.; both in Atlanta, GA., and Eugene Tallmadge Memorial Hospital and University Hospital in Augusta, GA. Later he began his teaching career in medical laboratory technology education at his home-town community college in Albany. During his 7 year tenure there he taught MLT and general chemistry courses. In addition, he was appointed as the first Director of Evening Operations and served as a co-advisor for the Phi Theta Kappa Honorary society. During this time he obtained his MS in Science Education degree from Georgia State University and was promoted to an Assistant Professor.

Later, Hardegree was selected to develop the BS in Medical Technology program at Armstrong State College, now Armstrong Atlantic State University, in Savannah, GA. During his tenure at Armstrong, he grew the BS program to be the largest and strongest for Georgia and gained national reputation for it. He taught junior and senior courses in clinical chemistry, urinalysis, phlebotomy, medical instrumentation, and supervised all clinical practicums. To enhance enrollment numbers, he developed the first post BS certificate for Medical Technologists in Georgia and the AD MLT to BS articulation program with 2 year colleges in Georgia. He increased the number of clinical sites from three in Savannah to 10 different sites in and outside of Georgia. While at Armstrong, he served on numerous program, school, and university level committees encompassing the scope of higher education. Hardegree was also a leader in the development and utilization of innovative instructional technology and created the first web pages for the program and School of Health Professions. Outside of his department, he provided invited lectures to students in dental hygiene, health sciences, respiratory therapy, and radiological sciences.

While at Armstrong, he actively contributed to the Georgia Society of Clinical Laboratory Sciences that culminated in service as its President. The GSCLS received 2 national awards for its accomplishments during his leadership. Hardegree then became involved with the Georgia Society of Allied Health Professions and eventually served as its first 2-year and non-Dean President. During his tenure as President, he increased the membership of its professional societies from 4 to 9. Hardegree has also served an active role in various activities within the American Society of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences; the accreditation body for medical lab education programs. Hardegree also obtained his doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Nova Southeastern University while at Armstrong University. Outside of his academic and professional world, Hardegree managed the budget and accounting for a parochial school and church and served as a church deacon.

After Armstrong, Hardegree developed his own consulting business to assist major healthcare facilities and community colleges in the southeast US in addressing their healthcare manpower shortages and training and to serve as an expert witness in civil medical malpractice lawsuits relating to blood collection. At this time, he was the consultant and developer for the first-in-nation Post BS Histotechnology program at the Medical University of South Carolina. After development and accreditation of the program, he was appointed as an adjunct clinical professor for clinical pathology at MUSC. In addition, Hardegree volunteered for several years performing chemistry, urinalysis and hematology lab tests on patients at the Volunteers in Medicine clinic for uninsured workers living on Hilton Head Island.

In late 2008, Dr. Hardegree was invited to serve as the Program Director of Biomedical Sciences at Qatar University in Doha, Qatar located in the Middle East. After 6 months, he was appointed to serve 40 % time as the Assistant to the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In this role, he represented the College before the University level administrators, represented the college at the University Curriculum committee, worked with the University Director of Program Assessment, oversaw the accreditation of several academic programs, which included human nutrition and statistics, developed a college curriculum policies and procedures manual, completed several special projects for the university President and 2 Vice-Presidents. He was one of three individuals appointed by the President to represent the University on an articulation committee with the newly initiated community college; Doha Community College.

Dr. Hardegree’s experiences has allowed him to acquire expertise in myriad areas of higher education and allied health education such as program and student outcomes assessment, strategic planning, grant development, instructional development, curriculum development and accreditation. Throughout his career he has given over 50 invited presentations and workshops relating to medical laboratory education, phlebotomy, medical malpractice, instructional technology, and healthcare manpower shortages, to name a few. Hardegree has also received multiple awards for his service contributions from national and state medical technology societies, Who’s Who in the South and Southwest, the Georgia Governor’s Teaching Fellows Program and more recently from the Medical College of Georgia as the Alumni of the Year for 2012. He has held memberships in the Georgia Society of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, American Society of Allied Health Professions, American Society of Clinical Pathology, American Society of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and the University of Georgia Academic Committee on Health Professions. In conclusion, Dr. Hardegree has demonstrated significant leadership in planning, organizing, directing and assessing allied health education programs for both the public and private sectors and in collaborating with allied health providers and leaders in and outside of academe.

 

November 2012