MARION, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW)—The Ohio State University at Marion is set to honor one of its distinguished alumni, Carol (Marker) Bowman, as she is inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame. The official ceremony will take place on Thursday, November 2, at 5:30 p.m. in Maynard Hall’s Guthery Community Room on the university’s Marion campus.
The Ohio State University at Marion Alumni Hall of Fame program recognizes outstanding alumni who have made significant contributions to their professions and communities. Nominees for this honor must be strong advocates for the university and have achieved distinction in their field or have had a substantial impact on the lives of others through their professional, personal, or community contributions.
Carol Bowman’s connection with The Ohio State University has been a lifelong one, starting when she first enrolled in the autumn of 1988. Bowman initially attended Ohio State Marion for her first three years of college, later transitioning to the Columbus campus to complete her Bachelor of Science in Education as a non-traditional student in 1993. During her time as a student worker at Ohio State Marion, Bowman invested a great deal of time and energy into the campus. After earning her college degree, she returned to her educational roots and was named the director of labs, ultimately retiring in 2020 after 23 years of service.
Bowman’s nomination for the Alumni Hall of Fame came from her mentor, retired Ohio State Marion Chemistry Professor, Dr. Peggy Steffel. In her nomination, Steffel highlighted Bowman’s dedication to the campus, the university, and her lifetime of service to the Marion community.
Bowman expressed her pride in being a Buckeye and shared her career accomplishments and her many years of volunteering as an advocate for women, the environment, and the community at The Ohio State University.
“Where one attends college always has special meaning all your life,” Bowman stated. “Especially as always identifying as a Buckeye.”
She added, “Having graduated from The Ohio State University is a huge source of pride to be associated with such a distinguished university. For me, that association ended up being most of my working career.”
Bowman, who is a first-generation college student and mother of six, credits Ohio State Marion’s presence in her community and her parents’ support for her family’s and her own career success.
“I owe the campus so very much as it changed my life and the life of my family,” Bowman emphasized. “That’s one of the reasons I am so very proud to have worked for an organization that changes the lives forever of all those who walk on the campus.”
Bowman’s service and dedication to the campus, the university, and the local community span over three decades. During her career, she served in multiple roles at the campus, the university, and in the community, including serving as the Director of the Larry R. Yoder Prairie Learning Laboratory and the campus science labs in 2004. She received the Ohio State Marion Outstanding Staff Award in 2000 and 2009 and was actively involved in various campus committees.
One of the highlights of her career was assisting in designing and setting up the new Science & Engineering Building before her retirement. Bowman’s tireless advocacy for women’s issues is also a significant part of her legacy. She served on the first Ohio State Women’s Council, chaired the work-life committee, and played a role in securing paternity leave for Ohio State fathers, among other work-life initiatives.
Additionally, Bowman was actively involved with the Critical Difference Scholarships (CDW) program and served as the Emcee for the Annual Critical Difference for Women Luncheon. Her efforts with CDW led to increased support from the Coca Cola Foundation and greater corporate support for the scholarship fund.
Bowman’s professional involvement extended to national organizations, such as the National Association of Scientific Managers (NAOSMM), where she served as the president and made significant contributions to defining the role of lab managers in the U.S. Labor Department’s job descriptions.
Throughout her career, Bowman was dedicated to preserving the environment and was deeply involved in conservation efforts, including advocating for the creation of the Tall Grass Prairie Trail in Marion.
Furthermore, she was instrumental in helping restore a mammoth display and featuring it in the lobby of the Science & Engineering Building at Ohio State Marion. Bowman’s dedication to her community extended to volunteering for Life Care Alliance’s Meals on Wheels program and even participating as an Olympic Torch Runner during the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Carol Bowman’s induction into The Ohio State University at Marion Alumni Hall of Fame serves as a well-deserved recognition of her lifetime of accomplishments and service as a Buckeye. The Alumni Hall of Fame, established in 2020, has previously honored outstanding individuals like Dr. Heidi Ries, Roger George, Larry Cline, Gary Sims, Dr. Russell H. Tuttle, Dr. Andrew M. Vick, and Dr. Deidre Radosevich.