View this email in your browser

TCSG, GaDOE agreement will allow students to receive college credit for identified high school Career Pathways

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) have collaborated to develop statewide articulation agreements that will allow students to receive TCSG college credits for certain Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) courses. To receive articulated credit from TCSG, students must successfully complete an identified high school CTAE course or Career Pathway, depending on the articulation agreement, and pass a credentialing assessment. Read more >

Technical College System of Georgia recognizes first graduates of Career Plus High School Equivalency Program

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) celebrated its first graduates of the Career Plus High School Equivalency (HSE) program, a new alternative to the GED® test. The first graduates of the program include Clifford Thomas and Sarah Gray from Albany Technical College, and Charles Cash from Athens Technical College. Launched as a pilot in 2020, the Career Plus HSE allows students to combine previously earned credits from high school, completed portions of the GED® test or HiSET® exam, and technical college credit to earn a high school equivalency credential from a participating adult education provider. Read more >

The Nurse Aide Accelerated Technical Certificate of Credit starts this fall semester at Albany Technical College (ATC). This approved curriculum is nine credit hours, which means completion is now one-quarter of the time. Traditionally, the Nurse Aide technical certificate of credit would take 2-3 semesters, but now a student can complete the requirements in one Success Term (7 Weeks). Read more >

The Athens Technical College Welcome Center is a one-stop shop for student admissions, financial aid, registration, advising, and payment. View the new video showcasing the renovations. Watch the video>

Atlanta Technical College (ATC) and Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC) teamed up on September 19 for their inaugural “Two Colleges, One Community” 5K Fun Run/Walk to benefit student scholarships. Dr. Victoria Seals, President of Atlanta Tech and Dr. Georj Lewis, President of AMSC, kicked off the race in the rain by addressing the 96 participants. Dr. Seals thanked the participants for braving the rain and expressed her gratitude for the colleges’ collaboration and for the community’s support of the students at both institutions. Dr. Lewis expressed his appreciation for the runners supporting the students in “the corridor of opportunity.”

Augusta Technical College President Dr. Jermaine Whirl: Whether you know Augusta Tech as Augusta Area Technical School, Richmond Area Vocational Technical School, Augusta Technical Institute, or Augusta Technical College, one thing is for sure -- workforce development has been the mission of the institution for 60 years. Read more >

Central Georgia Tech’s Larry Jackson spent 15 years in prison, but a program he signed up for during that time changed his path. "Back in 2005, the prison I was in, Baldwin State Prison, started a pilot program for certified nursing assistants," he said. Through that program, Jackson was able to get a foot in the door. Once he was released, he knew he still had to face adversity because of his past. Read more >

The nursing program at Chattahoochee Technical College has been ranked as Georgia’s top associate degree program for nursing. NursingProcess.org established the 2021 top state ranking for Chattahoochee Tech after thoroughly evaluating 32 programs across Georgia. Data factoring into this ranking included pass rates for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), academic quality, and nursing school reputation ratings. Read more >

Coastal Pines Technical College (CPTC) recently had the opportunity to offer new Dual Enrollment courses at Clinch County High School (CCHS). Clinch County began offering Timber Harvesting Operations, Construction, Shampoo Tech, and the Nurse Aide Program through Coastal Pines by way of the Dual Enrollment program. Participating students are able to take these college courses and, if successful, receive college credit at no cost to the student. Coastal Pines was able to meet the desire for more CTAE offerings by delivering those courses on the CCHS campus for interested students. Read more >

The Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) announced partnerships with the city of Columbus and Columbus Technical College at a press event recently. To meet the city and state need for a skilled construction workforce, CEFGA will offer a free Construction Ready Bootcamp on the campus of Columbus Tech beginning in October. Columbus Technical College president Martha Ann Todd praised the partnership with the mayor’s office and CEFGA. “We see it as a great stepping stone,” she told the construction leaders at the event. “Hopefully you’ll hire every one of these folks and you’ll send them right back to us to gain more skills. Read more >

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) and Dalton State College have established articulation agreements that allows students graduating from select GNTC programs a transition opportunity into specific Dalton State four-year degree programs. Presidents of both colleges signed the agreements on the Dalton State College campus. Both articulation agreements went into effect immediately and have no end date. Read more >

The images from Afghanistan have been harrowing. Thousands of people desperately trying to find seats on airplanes and helicopters so they can escape the violent Taliban rule. Many who managed to flee are on their way not only to Georgia, but to what has been called the country’s most diverse square mile — Clarkston. In that community sits the DeKalb campus of Georgia Piedmont Technical College, a vital partner in providing services for refugees. Read more >

Gwinnett Technical College announced Dean Feldman their 2021 Adjunct of the Year. Dean currently teaches humanities and has been with Gwinnett Tech for 20 years. Congratulations Dean!

The need for technical education in Northeast Georgia is stronger than ever. Lanier Technical College’s overall enrollment rate reflects this trend as the college started its fall 2021 semester. Lanier Tech’s all-time enrollment record of 5,086 students raises the bar over the previous record of 5,045 students set back in 2020. The college continues to provide its seven-county service area with highly skilled workers who are eager to fill the current labor shortage due to COVID-19. “Total credit hours that are being taken are up by nearly three percent indicating that more and more students are realizing the value of a technical education. Students are also taking larger class loads in order to reach the workforce sooner,” said Lanier Tech President, Tim McDonald.

Agriculture students at North Georgia Technical College planted a milpa garden on the Clarkesville campus as a collaborative effort between the National Milpa Association, the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia, and the NGTC Agriculture program. A milpa technique of gardening originated from Central America and uses multiple species of vegetable plants to produce a substantial amount of food while building soil health for future plantings. The Milpa Association donated the seed mix with the understanding that a portion of the produce would be given to the Northeast Georgia Food Bank to help supply local families in need with healthy, locally grown whole foods. The garden represents one of the ways community collaboration can offer opportunities for student learning while returning support services and goods to the local community. Pictured are some of the NGTC faculty and staff who volunteered to help pick the produce that was donated to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.

When Tabatha Oliver achieved her Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT-Adv) certification, she became Oconee Fall Line Technical College’s (OFTC) first-ever pharmacy technology graduate to obtain this recognition. “I’m so grateful I made the decision to pursue a career in pharmacy technology,” Oliver shared. “I never imagined how fulfilling it would be. That decision to start at OFTC led me to where I am today.”

The family of Joseph E. and Lalah Kennedy have signed an agreement with the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation to create the Joseph E. and Lalah Kennedy Endowed Scholarship. This self-perpetuating scholarship endowment of $25,000 will be used to assist deserving OTC students who have a heart for community outreach and service. Read more >

Savannah Technical College was ranked #1 in the 2021-22 Military Spouse Friendly® Schools evaluation of small community colleges. During the previous academic year, the College exceeded the Military Friendly® benchmark standards in every category to earn this ranking. It scored 100% in every category including academic policies/compliance, admissions/orientation, culture/commitment, financial aid/assistance, graduation/career, and military student support/retention. As a military spouse, Corrine Ramos benefited from STC’s guidance for military funding and financial aid. Through STC’s military coordinator, Ramos learned about MyCAA benefits for military spouses. She also applied for and received military-affiliated scholarships from the Landings Military Family Relief Fund and STC’s Military Freedom Fund to purchase tools and insurance.

South Georgia Technical College was featured recently in The Chronicle of Higher Education for two-year colleges with the best three-year graduation rates. SGTC was ranked as the 11th best nationally, announced South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford. Read more >

Southeastern Technical College announces the Summer Semester 2021 President’s List. Read more >

Southern Crescent Technical College hosted a day of remembrance and celebrated local first responders for their service to the community just prior to the 20th anniversary of the September 11th tragedy. Cherryl Burks, Director of Student Support Services stated, “Saturday was the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and though that terrible September morning was two decades ago, the aftermath is still very much with us. Whether you lost someone that day or watched in horror and confusion as the events unfolded on television, the events of September 11th, 2001, shaped every aspect of our modern society. It is a day we will never forget!” Read more >

Recently, the administration at Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) recognized exceptional students achieving the honor of President’s List and Dean’s List for the summer 2021 term. Each semester, SRTC recognizes students who have accomplished high academic achievement through the President’s List and the Dean’s List. In order to qualify for the President’s List, students must meet two criteria: earn a grade of “A” in all coursework attempted and be enrolled in 12 semester credit hours or more at the College. Read more >

West Georgia Technical College and Troup County Schools did something that they had never done before – they opened a door. The door – 16 feet wide by 20 feet high – separates West Georgia Tech’s Precision Manufacturing Lab and the Engineering Lab at the thINC Academy, Troup County’s College and Career Academy located on the WGTC LaGrange Campus. “The door you see behind me has never been open for instruction,” WGTC President Dr. Julie Post said. “But today we are changing that. We know that a partnership without pathways does not get us where we want to go, but a partnership with pathways leads to success for our students.” Post, Troup County Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Shumate, and thINC Academy CEO Gerald Wyatt said their brief ceremony to raise a door is symbolic of a renewed collaboration among educators in Troup County. Read more >

Wiregrass Georgia Technical College: “My Dad could do anything he put his mind to,” shared Susan Putnam. “I watched him rebuild a jeep which he later reluctantly sold, not wanting to part with something he put so much time and effort into.” Susan’s dad was Dan Hatfield, Jr. and was a true Renaissance man, serving as a diver in the Air Force, working at a paper mill as a papermaker in Florida, and he could repair and rebuild cars with no formal training. Susan and her husband, Tom, wanted to honor her father’s passion and talents by helping others who have the same skill to attend college at Wiregrass Georgia Tech. Read more >

Georgia Northwestern Technical College: Offenders at the Floyd County Prison in Rome received real world, hands-on training in the Technical College System of Georgia’s Mobile Welding Lab that was set up on the prison grounds this summer. Watch the Video >