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WGTC News Releases & Events

The following articles have been recently released by West Georgia Technical College:

Dental Hygiene Students Bring Smiles to Migrant Workers
More Than Just Books: WGTC Bookstore Grows
WGTC SkillsUSA Team Takes National Title
West Georgia Technical College Converting to Semesters
WGTC Athletics Announces New Director, Expands in Fourth Season
WGTC Foundation Accepts Greenville Location
Hit The Road For A Hot New Career
WGTC Students Reopen Kennedy Assassination For Clues and Answers
GED Graduate Gives Back In A Big Way
WGTC Dental Hygiene Department holds annual White Coat Recognition Ceremony
Awards and Honors Abound at WGTC Radiologic Tech Pinning Ceremony
WGTC’s Center for Integrated Manufacturing Welcomes Visitors
WGTC Foundation Accepts $1.55 Million Downtown Building
WGTC Unveils 2010 VOICES Creative Arts Magazine
For Medical Assisting Students, Mock Doctor’s Office Is Very Real
WGTC Graduates 26 Dual Enrollment Students
WGTC Health Sciences Students Win Bowdon Hospital Authority Scholarship
WGTC Enrollment Up 15 Percent
New Agreement Eases Transfer of WGTC Students to Columbus State
WGTC Honors Administrative Professionals
New Partnership Brings Childcare to WGTC Campus
WGTC Students Take Gold in SkillsUSA Championship
WGTC Nursing Student Margo Benjamin Wins GreyStone's Clower Scholarship
Josh Turner to Perform at 2010 Black Tie & Boots
WGTC Phi Beta Lambda Students Dominate State Competition
WGTC Announces Yard Sales for Charity
WGTC Students Use Workforce Skills to Protect the Past
Troup County's Best Kept Secret
WGTC Welding Program Celebrates with Tradition, Togetherness
Rachel Strickland Chosen As WGTC GOAL Winner
Dental Hygiene Students Help Screen For Cancer
West Georgia Technical College and Kaplan University Announce Articulation Agreement
ESL Students Learn More Than Language
WGTC Cosmetology Students Show Skills in Competition
Two Foundations Merge to Support Technical Education in West Georgia
West Georgia Technical College Instructor Babs Russell Nominated For Award for Excellence
Tuskegee Drumline to Perform at Callaway Center in LaGrange
WCTC Foundation Announces Redken Gift
Winter Enrollment Up 20 Percent
Butler Gives Commencement Address
Work Ready Region Sponsors WGTC Leadership Academy

WGTC Dental Hygiene Students Bring Smiles To Migrant Workers
Posted: July 21, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

For the migrant workers in Colquitt County, Ga., life is hard. Making a living means farming in the hot sun thousands of miles from home in harsh conditions with few comforts and no healthcare. Thanks to a group of West Georgia Technical College Dental Hygiene students, a group of migrant farm workers, and their families, received the care they needed.


	WGTC Dental Hygiene students Ashley Tinker, Brenda Shoemaker, Stacey Wells, Miranda Fennell, Felicia Green, Stacie Mayfield and Michelle Kneubuhler take a break with Instructors Lois Manning and Cherie Rainwater. The students spent two weeks in Mountrie, Ga. Providing dental screenings, fluoride treatments and education to a community of migrant laborers.

This June the team of eight students and two instructors traveled to Moultrie, Ga., in the southwestern part of the state as part of a two-week collaborative project to improve the health of migrant workers and their families. Health Sciences faculty and students from Georgia State University, Emory University, Clayton State University and Valdosta State University also participated, providing what is in many cases the only healthcare the workers will receive all year.

Family Farm Worker Health Program was developed as a student service program in 1994 by Georgia State University, and included a diverse group of allied health students and faculty. Through the program, now run by Emory University, students and faculty provide care to the migrant community while learning to face real world challenges, like working with interpreters and collaborating with practitioners of other disciplines.

“Dental Hygiene has been an important part of the program since 2001,” WGTC Dental Hygiene Program Chair Cherie Rainwater said. “The top five nursing diagnoses here are dental cavities, ear wax, ear infections, dental pain and lice. Good oral care will go a long way toward the workers’ overall health and comfort.”

The group of WGTC Dental Hygiene students provided dental screenings, education, fluoride treatments and sealants for both the workers and their children. The students and professors aided a population which is almost invisible compared to the entire community at large and for which there are very few resources.

“This kind of experiential learning is a great experience for our students,” Dr. Skip Sullivan, WGTC President said. “Treating a vulnerable and underserved population helps to give our students the skills they need to be compassionate, capable healthcare providers in the workforce.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Technical College is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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More Than Just Books: WGTC Bookstore Grows
Posted: July 15, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

When new and returning students arrive at the West Georgia Technical College Murphy Campus, one of the first places they stop is the Bookstore. This year, they’ve found more than just the required textbooks and basic supplies waiting for them. An ever-growing list of inventory has made the WGTC bookstore a full-service resource for students, staff and faculty.

“There’s a lot more here than just books,” said Rebekah Witcher, a recent high school grad and former WGTC Dual Enrollment student, now beginning her first term as a full-time college student. “There’s everything from jewelry to ice cream. It’s nice to have this on campus.”

After a comprehensive needs assessment survey, WGTC leadership made a conscious effort to make the bookstore a full-service resource for students, faculty and staff. Nearly doubling in size to 5,000 square feet, the WGTC Bookstore at the Murphy Campus has become a testing ground for new products and services. “We’ve installed a fountain beverage bar and hot food services,” said Ely Elefante, Assistant Director of Auxilliary Services, “and so far, the response has been very positive. We’re constantly looking for new ways to meet the needs of our students.”

The bookstores are more than just a resource for textbooks and WGTC shirts, though. The retail operations bring revenue back into the College. With state-wide budget cuts, it’s more important than ever that WGTC be as financially self-sufficient as possible, and the money that the bookstores generate is reinvested back into the College. The student center on the Murphy Campus was recently renovated and the outdoor patio was expanded. The biology lab was overhauled and so was the Nursing wing. All of that was funded by bookstore revenue.

“College-wide, our bookstores earned about $400,000 in 2008,” said Greg Nelson, WGTC Vice President of Administrative Services. “This year, it’ll be just over $1 million. That’s a 100 percent increase in two years, and it shows that we’re headed in the right direction.”

“A college bookstore has one main goal,” said Dr. Skip Sullivan, WGTC President. “It should provide the essentials for every course the college offers. The fact that we can do that, as well as provide additional conveniences and generate revenue to reinvest back into our students shows that our bookstore staff and leadership are working hard and getting it right.”

And so far, there have been no complaints. “Having a bookstore with this kind of selection is a great resource for us,” said LaTonia Williamson, WGTC Administrative Assistant on the Murphy Campus. “I was a student here, too, and I’m impressed with the way the bookstore has taken off. I’m excited to see what they’ve got planned next.”

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WGTC SkillsUSA Team Takes National Title
Posted: July 14, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Students from West Georgia Technical College’s SkillsUSA team brought home a national bronze medal from the annual SkillsUSA National Championships, held in Kansas City, Mo. in June.

WGTC’s SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl team was composed of students James Sparkman, Tom Mullins, Ryan Daughtery, Cathy Miller and Raven Rice. The team competed against other statewide semifinalists from all over the country.


	WGTC’s SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl team shows off their national third place medal. L-R: Cathy Miller, Ryan Daughtery, Raven Rice, Tom Mullins, WGTC instructor Jan House, James Sparkman and WGTC Vice President of Student Affairs Eddie Gore.

State-wide championships were held at Augusta Tech in April. WGTC’s team demonstrated their knowledge and aptitude in a variety of technical events and brought home the state-wide gold medal in Quiz Bowl, an energetic event that requires fast thinking and teamwork. Quiz Bowl teams must answer questions in academic knowledge, professional development, technical skills and current events, and the WGTC team edged out the competition to take first place, an achievement that took them to the SkillsUSA National Championships.

More than 5,600 students from every state and three territories competed in 96 contests in technical, skilled and service occupations at the National Championships, including 195 postsecondary students and advisers from Georgia.

“I’m so proud of the effort our students put into this competition,” WGTC Science Instructor and SkillsUSA advisor Jan House said. “They studied hard and showed that they have what it takes to compete. West Georgia Tech has a long tradition of performing well at SkillsUSA, and this team kept it up, all the way to nationals.” In addition to mastering English, Math, History, Current Events and Skills USA rules and regulations, the Quiz Bowl competition is excellent training for quick thinking and developing correct responses in life situations such as job interviews.

The SkillsUSA Championships are considered the largest single day of corporate volunteerism in America and valued at $35 million in industry support of donated time, equipment, cash and materials. All contests are run and judged by industry, using industry standards for employment.

“The skills that we used in competition—teamwork, problem-solving, research, strategy—are the same skills we’ll take into the workforce when we leave West Georgia Tech,” said team member James Sparkman. Sparkman plans to begin the Clinical Lab Technician Program in the fall at WGTC. Tom Mullins began the Radiologic Technology program this summer quarter. Cathy Miller and Ryan Daugherty are in their second quarter as Registered Nursing Students. Raven Rice plans on completing her program in Marketing/Management at the end of this year.

“Our students are top competitors and they represented the College well,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “They brought home a national medal, proving once again the excellence that our students bring to the workforce. I’m proud of them all, and congratulate them on a job well done.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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West Georgia Technical College Will Convert from Quarters to Semesters Starting Fall 2011
Year-Long Student Advisement Period to Begin at West Georgia Technical College
New Website TCSGSemester411.com Helps with Info and Answers

Posted: July 12, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

ATLANTA -- Georgia’s 26 technical colleges, including West Georgia Technical College will convert from the quarter to semester system, beginning with the fall semester in August 2011, a change that furthers seamless education in Georgia and improves the state’s workforce development.

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) has made a strong commitment to its 190,000 students to assist them through the conversion with minimal disruption to their studies. Beginning in the summer of 2010 and continuing through summer 2011, West Georgia Technical College and its 25 sister colleges will offer one-on-one advisement sessions and individualized academic plans to all affected students. Emphasis will be made on easing any student concerns about the conversion and their course credits, graduation dates and financial aid.

The start of the student advisement also signaled the launch of a comprehensive new website, TCSGSemester411.com which features a series of entertaining video messages about the quarters to semesters conversion, plus a Frequently Asked Questions page, the new academic calendar and host of other information for current and prospective TCSG students.

WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan confirmed the importance of the conversion. “This is a significant step and every technical college in the state is taking it because it’s in the best interest of our students. We’ve planned carefully and we’ll be implementing extra support to advise our students and make the transition smooth.”

Moving from quarters to semesters will align the technical college academic calendar with those of the state’s K-12 school systems, the University System of Georgia and most of the state’s private colleges and universities. Eighty (80) percent of public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. follow a semester calendar.

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WGTC Athletics Announces New Director, Expands in Fourth Season
Posted: July 6, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College is kicking off a fourth season of intercollegiate athletics with new faces, new sports and bigger goals than ever before.

The Golden Knights Men’s Basketball team closed their third season on a high note, finishing fourth in the state with a 4-6 overall record and 2-5 TCSGAA league record. As tryouts for men’s and women’s basketball and women’s volleyball get underway, new WGTC Athletic Director Walter Dunson has big plans for West Georgia Tech Athletics.

“We’re going to continue the tradition we started last year with Spirit Day, and we’re expanding it to a complete Homecoming event,” Dunson said. “Spirit Day is a great way for us to introduce the teams and coaches to our students and the community, and to show off the growing Athletics program we offer here at WGTC.”

Longtime Carroll County residents will recognize the name of Walter Dunson, who served as the Golden Knights Men’s Basketball head coach last year.

Dunson is a native of Carrollton and graduate of Central High School where he began a sports career that saw him drafted by the Atlanta Braves out of high school. Instead of baseball, though, Dunson chose to play college football on a full scholarship to the Middle Tennessee State University. He was drafted in the National Football League by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round in 1993 and later signed as a free agent with the Phoenix Cardinals for legendary coach Buddy Ryan.

After leaving the field, Dunson worked as Director of NFL Youth Programs for the Atlanta Falcons, leading the youth football program from a few hundred participants in metro Atlanta to over 40,000 participants statewide.

The Boston Herald has called Dunson one of the nation’s most outstanding young motivational speakers, and he joins the Golden Knights after 34 years as a player, coach, director or official from youth sports to the professional level.

President Dr. Skip Sullivan said he believes Dunson can take the Golden Knights to a new level.

“One of the College’s core values is professionalism,” Sullivan said. “We wanted someone who had a wide spectrum of experiences and who could teach the players not only about basketball, but about what it means to be a professional and represent our College.”

Dunson feels that Athletics are a vital part of the collegiate experience, and a great way to show West Georgia Technical College off to the community. “We’re coming into our fourth year, so we’re working hard to build a fan base and let everyone know that the Golden Knights are out there,” Dunson said. “We’re gearing up for intramural softball, flag football and volleyball this year, and we’re even looking at baseball, tennis and golf.”

TRYOUT DATES:
Men’s Basketball:
Wednesday, July 7, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 10, 10 a.m.-Noon
Saturday, July 17, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Women’s Basketball:
Saturday, July 10, 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
Saturday, July 24, 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
Saturday, August 7, 1 p.m.-3 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball:
Monday, July 26, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Wednesday, July 28, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.
Friday, July 30, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

All Tryouts held at East Carrollton Recreation Center
located at 410 Northlake Drive in Carrollton, GA

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WGTC Foundation Accepts Greenville Location
Posted: June 29, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

The Meriwether County Commission last week voted to donate the instructional site on Roosevelt Highway to the West Georgia Technical College Foundation.

The facility, currently owned by the County, currently serves as an instructional site for West Georgia Technical College, which operates the location as an instructional site and Workforce Development Center. After a contract is drafted, the West Georgia Technical College Foundation will take ownership of the building.

With the Meriwether County Commission’s recent vote to turn the facility over to West Georgia Tech, the College will expand program offerings at the location. “We offer dual enrollment classes here, as well as GED, Patient Care Assisting and math and English classes,” said Susan Cross, WGTC Greenville Site Manager. “The Greenville site is a great learning environment with excellent instructors, and I’m excited to see the College expand to serve this community.”

“The County Commission’s vote shows that education is an important priority in this community,” said Dawn Cook, WGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement. “The West Georgia Technical College Foundation is tremendously grateful for their support of technical education and our students.”

“When all aspects of government are working together then we are really serving the people,” said Rita Rainwater, Meriwether County Administrator. “This is a giant step in helping a lot of people to find employment and to be trained for jobs that will support their families.”

Freddie Hines, Chairman of the Meriwether County Commission felt that the choice was an easy one to make. “West Georgia Technical College provides a valuable service to our citizens and the entire community.”

WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan agreed. “We’re happy to be the premier education partner in Meriwether County, and we’re just getting started. This generous donation will help the College to invest in that community for many more years to come.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Hit The Road For A Hot New Career
Posted: June 24, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

National news outlets like CNN reported recently that a trucker shortage was on the horizon as the economy bounces back, and West Georgia Technical College is prepared to help meet the need.

The U.S. trucking industry will need to hire about 200,000 drivers by the end of this year, and will need to add another 200,000 by the end of 2011, according to the state of logistics report from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. As the economy is expected to improve, more goods and materials will need to be moved over land, and that requires qualified drivers. West Georgia Technical College is rapidly helping to meet the coming need.

WGTC offers classes in Commercial Truck Driving and Commercial Straight Truck and Passenger Driving. Classes are taught at the Carroll and Lagrange Campuses, as well as the CEC in Newnan and instructional sites in Greenville and Columbus, and vary by location. Students must be 18 years old to driving within the state, and 21 for interstate driving.


	WGTC Commercial Truck Driving graduates (L-R) Jonathan Byrd, Zach Teal, Levi McConnell, Josh Patterson, Rusty Perren, Jeffrey Bray and Mike Courson are ready to take the wheel and drive into a career that’s in demand.

“Commercial Truck Driving is an important part of West Georgia Tech’s academic offerings,” said Program Chair Ray Benefield. “We’ve got 28 tractors and 30 trailers, which makes ours the largest instructional fleet in the state, and in a region like West Georgia that depends on manufacturing, truck drivers are essential to economic success.”

“Our program is 10 to 15 weeks long,” said Terry Turner, CDL Instructor at WGTC Carroll Campus. “When students graduate, they’ll have all their hours and will have finished the state tests. They’re ready to hit the road and make a good living.” In 2008, the trucking industry in Georgia provided 243,477 jobs, or one out of 14 in the state, according to the American Transportation Research Institute. Total trucking industry wages paid in Georgia in 2008 exceeded $11.9 billion, with an average annual trucking industry salary of $49,006.

“We’ve been teaching Commercial Truck Driving here for nearly 20 years,” said Jim McNair, WGTC Dean of Trade and Technology, ”and we’ve got a tradition of excellence here. Our standards are high, we make safety our first priority and our faculty are the best in the business.”

On Thursday, West Georgia Technical College graduated seven more new truckers ready to join the transportation workforce. Among the graduates was trucker Mike Courson, a 13-year veteran of the road. After losing a leg to complications from diabetes, Courson returned to WGTC to earn his recertification and get back behind the wheel doing what he loves.

“Trucking is a great career and I wouldn’t do anything else,” Courson said, smiling. “Like I told my wife, climbing back up into the cab of a truck was like coming home. I’m strong, healthy, and ready to get back to work doing what I love.”

“The transportation workforce is important to me because I’ve been a truck driver myself,” said WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan. “There are over 34,000 trucking companies in Georgia, and most of them are small, locally-owned businesses. Trucking is absolutely vital to our economy, and I’m personally proud that we’re helping to fuel West Georgia’s economic engine.”

To find out more about West Georgia Tech’s Commercial Truck Driving Program, contact WGTC Admissions at 770-537-6000.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

IN THE NEWS: http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/09/news/economy/truck_driver_shortage/

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WGTC Students Reopen Kennedy Assassination For Clues and Answers
Posted: June 17, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

A presidential motorcade rolled slowly through a green park. The admiring public cheers as the President and First Lady wave to the crowds from the long black convertible. A 1958 Cadillac follows the Presidential car, led by a chrome cavalry of rumbling motorcycles. Secret Service agents watch from behind mirrored sunglasses, past a grassy knoll. Suddenly, shots ring out from a book depository window, and the course of American history is changed forever.

This time, however, the event didn’t take place in Dealey Plaza in Dallas and nobody was hurt. Last Tuesday, students from West Georgia Technical College meticulously recreated the events of November 22, 1963, staging a reenactment of the Kennedy Assassination on the WGTC LaGrange Campus as part of the College Composition and Rhetoric class.


	WGTC student Terra Taylor reacts as First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in a reenactment of the Kennedy Assassination. Peter Pardue plays President Kennedy while Rebaz Dezayee and Derek McDowell play Secret Service agents. CPR dummies take the roles of Governor and Mrs. Connally.

With teamwork and collaboration, the students put on a realistic recreation of the assassination scene in the circular drive at the WGTC LaGrange Campus. Each student was assigned a role to play and understood how their character influenced the events that unfolded in Dallas that day. “It was great to see the students really put themselves into it,” said WGTC Automotive Technology Instructor Russ Cook, who drove fellow instructor Jim Biagi’s 1958 pink Cadillac in the student motorcade. “They really went to every possible length for accuracy and worked out the challenges among themselves. It was great to watch their process.”

College Composition and Rhetoric is a required class for all WGTC degree-seeking students, and explores the analysis of literature and articles about issues in the humanities and in society. Students practice various modes of writing, ranging from exposition to argumentation and persuasion. “My students learn with unique assignments like this one,” said English Instructor Trish Ivey, who uses these historical events as a teaching tool. “The Kennedy Assassination gives the students plenty of material to research and investigate. Now they’ll write a nine paragraph in-class essay – giving their hypotheses about the people or entities that they believe assassinated President Kennedy.”

WGTC student Peter Pardue played the role of President Kennedy and found new insight into the assassination. “I was twelve years old when President Kennedy was killed,” Pardue said. “It’s one thing to view the film and read the reports, but actually sitting there in the car, thinking about what the shots sounded like, really humanized the whole thing for me. I won’t ever forget this.”

Students in College Composition and Rhetoric spent the entire term investigating the assassination. From the Warren Commission Report to the most far-fetched conspiracy theories, students pursued every lead to determine who had the resources, opportunity and motivation to kill an American president. “It’s a writing class,” Ivey said. “They’re learning how to organize ideas and communicate them clearly on paper. The JFK assassination is just the topic; the purpose is to make them good communicators.”

“I’ve never done anything like this in school,” said student Terra Taylor, who played the role of Jacqueline Kennedy. “Learning this way really grabbed me! Ms. Ivey encouraged us to dig into the research and find our own answers, and the whole process was so fun and insightful for everyone. You can tell she cares about her students and pushed us to work hard for the grades. She really brought out the excitement in everyone.”

“Experiential learning is one of the best ways we can reach a student,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “In technical education, students learn by doing, and at WGTC, we’re proud of taking that to the next level. Our faculty are always coming up with new and creative ways to engage the students, and I’m proud of their innovation.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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GED Graduate Gives Back In A Big Way
Posted: June 10, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

In 2009, Jamel McLeod found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Expelled from Alexander High School in Douglasville and facing criminal charges, Jamel, just 17 years old, was forced to make the sort of decisions that can change the course of a life.


	WGTC GED instructors Betty Storer (left) and Laurie Blackwood (right) are thrilled to have recent GED grad Jamel McLeod as a volunteer tutor.

“I told him that he was caught in a bad situation,” said Jamel’s mother Dionne McLeod, “but there was no reason to believe that his life had to be over. He just needed to make some big changes.”

That change began when Jamel enrolled in the Adult Education GED program at West Georgia Technical College’s Douglas Campus. For five months, Jamel studied writing skills, social studies, literature and mathematics, preparing to pass the series of five tests that stood between him and a GED diploma. Successfully passing these tests demonstrates that a student has acquired a level of learning comparable to that of a high school graduate.

“He was such a driven student,” GED examiner Laurie Blackwood said. “Jamel studied hard and applied himself, and passed the GED test in April.” Then Jamel did something that surprised everyone, including his parents and instructors – he asked to come back as a volunteer tutor.

“I saw so many kids my age not trying as hard as they should,” he said. “This is important, and I felt like they should work hard, and maybe just needed some encouragement. I thought that if I could do it, anyone could. So I volunteered.”

WGTC’s Adult Education program uses volunteers to help students with reading comprehension, writing skills, math and other basic skills they need to pass the GED test. Typical volunteers are retirees, former teachers and WGTC staff. “He’s the youngest volunteer tutor we’ve ever had,” Director of Adult Education Karen Kirchler said. “It speaks highly of his character that he felt compelled to serve other students like he did.”

The need for GED education is overwhelming: Well over 80,000 adults in West Georgia Technical College’s seven-county service area lack a high school diploma, with thousands of those unable to read at even the most basic level. In Georgia, 25,000 16- and 17-year-olds drop out of high school every year. Without basic language skills and a GED diploma, many of these people live with few job prospects and little hope for the future.

In 2009, over 4,000 adults enrolled in classes through WGTC’s Adult Education program. GED tests were administered to about 1,400 people and 1,007 received their GED diplomas. For Jamel and many others, this achievement has defined their lives, changed their outlook and opened the door to a world of possibilities.

With his inherent ambition, new-found focus and the GEd that he earned, Jamel sees a bright future for himself. “I want to sing professionally,” he says, “but I know that’s not guaranteed, so I’m thinking about a technical education for my next step. Maybe heating and air conditioning. That’s a good career, and I like to work with my hands.”

Though Jamel’s story is inspirational, it’s not uncommon. “Our instructors like to say that a GED isn’t a diploma, it’s a passport,” WGTC Vice President of Adult Education Dr. Richard Robinson said. “Graduates have – at long last – that most basic of education credentials that can lead to a sense of self-worth, a better job and other educational opportunities. Every instructor in our Adult Ed program can tell you stories of extraordinary students who overcome huge personal challenges to succeed. They’re all an inspiration to us and keep us dedicated to what we do.”

Even returning as a volunteer tutor to other students, Jamel thinks he’s taken more out of the GED program than he’s put into it. “It changed my life, really. If all of this hadn’t happened, I’d still be in high school, barely passing. I had the support of my mom, my stepdad and my grandmother, though, and I couldn’t have done it without them, and the instructors at WGTC, too. Laurie Blackwood and Betty Storer gave me the help and direction I needed to turn a bad situation into a good one.”

“I’m so proud of him,” Jamel’s mother Dionne said. “He was always a reserved and quiet kid, but now he’s outgoing and excited about his future. He’s really done well for himself.” His mother isn’t the only one impressed with Jamel’s startling change – when his criminal case went to court, the judge expressed her surprise and delight at his progress.

“Adult Education is one of the most important programs we offer at West Georgia Tech,” President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “We all feel fortunate to meet so many brave and ambitious students like Jamel, and I know with the skills and knowledge he’s earned here, he’ll succeed at whatever he does. I wish him the best for his bright future.”

In addition to GED testing, West Georgia Tech also offers English As A Second Language, Workplace Education classes and GAP training for Georgia WorkReady Certification. For more information about West Georgia Technical College’s Adult Education Program, please call 770-838-3192.

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WGTC Dental Hygiene Department holds annual White Coat Recognition Ceremony
Posted: June 8, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

The WGTC Dental Hygiene Department held the annual White Coat Recognition Ceremony Thursday May 27 at the Douglasville First Baptist Church. The ceremony was attended by family and friends of the graduates as well as members of the Advisory Committee, WGTC Administration, faculty, local hygienists and dentists. The community honored the 15 WGTC students who have earned an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in Dental Hygiene.


	Graduating Dental Hygiene students (L-R) front row: Lisa Melvin, Michelle Kneubuhler, Heather Boyles, Meg Mowery, Stephanie Childs, Erika Raye Back row: Kendall Freeman, Nicole Winske, Sherita Scott, Khuong Tran, Vanessa Childress, Amanda Raines, Martha Dignan, Tiffany Kessler, Erica Tessereau

“As Clinic Coordinator of this program I want to acknowledge every one of these students for their commitment to quality care, for their hard work getting to this day, for the teamwork, and for excelling on so many levels," said Cherie Rainwater, Program Director and Clinical Coordinator.

The ceremony is one of long tradition in the hygiene profession. In the beginning graduates received white caps as a symbol of entry in the profession and their completion of this phase of their education. The school program pin has been that symbol for many years. Now the white lab coat with the pin is the standard of recognition. It was a momentous ceremony with not only accomplishments of students being recognized with awards but the “passing of the light” and all graduates and hygienists repeating the hygiene oath.

“Many of the Health Sciences programs have ceremonies like this,” said Cecilia Owens, WGTC Dean of Health Sciences. “It’s a way of marking the achievement and reminding the students that being a healthcare provider is an important responsibility. I congratulate all of these students on their determination.”

“I’m proud of these graduates for making a great career choice in their education, and I commend the hard work they invested to achieve their goal,” said WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan. “They have bright careers ahead of them, and I know they’ll represent West Georgia Technical College well.”

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Awards and Honors Abound at WGTC Radiologic Tech Pinning Ceremony
Posted: May 24, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Radiographers, alumni and friends gathered as graduates of West Georgia Technical College’s Radiologic Technology program received the pins that signify their successful completion of the program on May 13. The ceremony, held at the Callaway Conference Center on WGTC’s East Campus in LaGrange, honored the 14 WGTC students who have earned an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in Radiologic Technology.

2010 WGTC Radiologic Technology Graduates

Several local radiographers, many of whom are WGTC alumni, were on hand to welcome their new colleagues to the growing field. Jamie Roberson, President of the Radiological Association for the Development of Students (RADS), thanked the radiographers attending from the affiliated clinical sites that have served as mentors and clinical instructors as the students completed clinical rotations in their facilities during the past two years.

Special guest speakers Peggy Chapman, instructor at the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation in Warm Springs, Georgia, and her daughter, radiographer Jessica Brooks, shared the unique story of how technical education affected their lives and family. Brooks works as a weekend radiographer, which allows her the freedom to stay home and care for her children, while her brother Jason Chapman, also a WGTC Radiologic Tech graduate, pursued a medical degree and is now a physician, completing his surgical residency.

“While Jason’s career allowed him to complete his ambitious goal of becoming a doctor, I’ve been able to achieve my goal of spending time with my children while pursuing a career that I feel is challenging and rewarding,” said Brooks. “Technical education allows you the freedom to achieve any goal, and you have the skills you need to pursue your dreams.”

Wanda Barbee, Program Director of the LaGrange Radiography Program, recognized the students that were inducted into the National Technical Honor Society this year at West Georgia Technical College. Students must have a 3.5 overall GPA, an acceptable work ethics grade, and be nominated by one of their instructors to be inducted into the honor society. Radiography students inducted this year were Amanda Bowie, Chasity Garrett, Jonathan Gianangeli, Erica Plotner, Meagan Vann, and Patricia Wyble.

Rebecca Levens, Radiology Manager at West Georgia Health, congratulated the graduating class on their accomplishments and the level of educational excellence they received. “Of the 33 radiographers presently on staff at West Georgia Health, 28 are graduates of West Georgia Tech,” she said. “The skills you’ve earned here make you a vital part of the healthcare industry.”

Several students were recognized with awards for achievement and excellence. Levens presented Amanda Bowie the Edward Mallinckrodt Award of Excellence for having the highest scholastic average in the class. The award had been presented nationally for many years by the Covidien Pharmaceutical Company in recognition of outstanding students in radiography. The J. T. Mitchell Award for High Clinical Achievement, named in memory of the first medical director of the radiography program, was given to Patricia Wyble. Kimberly Whitaker, Clinical Coordinator of the LaGrange Radiography Program, presented the C. T. Cowart Best All Around Award to Jonathan Gianangeli. This award is named in memory of Dr. C. T. Cowart a dedicated physician who taught in the early program.

The WGTC Radiologic Technology program boasts a 100 percent pass rate for graduates on the American Registry of Radiologic Technology certification examination. WGTC grads are currently employed in radiology departments in the LaGrange, Atlanta, Newnan, Columbus, and Carrollton areas, as well as Alabama. Some choose to continue their education in post-certification areas such as radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, computed tomography, sonography, and mammography.

“These graduates made a great career choice in their education, and they worked hard to achieve their goals,” said WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan. “I congratulate every one of them.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, WGTC is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC’s Center for Integrated Manufacturing Welcomes Visitors
Posted: May 24, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College’s Center for Integrated Manufacturing held its first-ever open house this week. Recent high school grads as well as adult learners toured the 25,000-square-foot facility at WGTC’s East Campus in LaGrange.

The CIM provides a unique educational experience to students studying one of nine trade programs. In a bright open laboratory, potential visitors saw technical education in action and had the chance to speak with instructors and learn more about programs like Applied Manufacturing, Drafting, Electronics, Electrical Control Systems, Industrial Mechanical Systems and Machine Tool Technology. Taught in one integrated facility, these and other technical education programs teach students the practical skills they’ll need to join Troup County’s growing workforce.

“By exposing students to the entire manufacturing process, they get a more complete education,” Jim McNair, WGTC Dean of Trade and Technology said. “They see the production flow, the exchange of ideas. It’s a far more comprehensive approach to teaching the subject than we were doing before.” Since opening in 2006, the CIM has boasted a 100 percent graduate job placement rate for all of the trade and technical programs offered at the center.


	WGTC Instructor Billy Garrett (left) speaks with George Williams about the programs offered at the CIM.

“I’m just looking for something for the future,” said George Williams, who found out about the CIM through the Department of Labor. “I like everything I see here.”

“The CIM’s integrated approach to technical education doesn’t just benefit the students,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “It also benefits the manufacturers. We’re proud to a partner to Troup County industry, and we’ll keep training a skilled workforce to fuel West Georgia’s economic engine.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, WGTC is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Foundation Accepts $1.55 Million Downtown Building
Posted: May 24, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

The West Georgia Technical College Foundation Board of Trustees voted unanimously to accept the Peoples Bank building on Adamson Square. The Carrollton City Council voted last month to purchase the building and transfer it to the Carrollton Payroll Development Authority, which will then lease the property to the WGTC Foundation. Details of the lease are being finalized at this time.

Renovations on the historic property will begin when the lease agreement is signed. West Georgia Technical College will use the facility as executive, administrative office and classroom space, with an economic development presence. A recent appraisal valued the property at $1.55 million, making this the largest building donation in West Georgia Technical College Foundation’s history.

“The City of Carrollton and the partners involved recognized a great opportunity, and they worked very hard to make this happen,” said Dawn Cook, WGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement. “On behalf of the students we serve, I want to thank them for their generosity.”

Carrollton Mayor Wayne Garner said bringing WGTC into the downtown area will be an economic boost for local businesses and bring the heart of the WGTC organization back into Carrollton where it originally had its roots. The College’s administration moved to Waco about 10 years ago, and in 2009 it merged with West Georgia Technical College in LaGrange. “We’re excited about bringing West Georgia Tech back into Carrollton where they should have been all along.”

WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan agreed. “The City of Carrollton has been proactive about investing in the economic vitality of downtown Carrollton,” he said, “and the College is going to be strategically positioned at the heart of our growing seven-county service area for many years to come. This is good for Carrollton and it’s good for our students. Everyone benefits.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, WGTC is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Unveils 2010 VOICES Creative Arts Magazine
Posted: May 19, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College unveiled the seventh annual issue of VOICES, the College’s creative arts magazine. VOICES showcases the original poetry, prose, nonfiction, sculpture, photography and art by 41 WGTC students and five staff members. VOICES has been published every year since 2004 and is the only creative arts magazine produced by a Georgia technical college.


	WGTC English instructor Kyle Taylor (left) congratulates Digital media student Lisa Lynn Ramos on winning first prize in the art category.

The reception took place at the WGTC Douglas Campus. Faculty, staff and students all gathered to see the 2010 cover unveiled, congratulate this year’s winning contributors, hear recitations of some of the published work and enjoy refreshments. The readings showed the literary spectrum of the work published in the 2010 VOICES and ranged from Linda Geiger’s emotional poem “A Measure of Wealth” to Lisa Lynn Ramos’ humorous “Jamona (Old Maid).”

“West Georgia Tech is the only technical college in Georgia that publishes an annual creative arts magazine,” said WGTC Vice President of Student Affairs Eddie Gore. “It shows that we have some of the brightest and most talented students in the state and I’m personally very proud of this year’s edition of VOICES.” The 2010 issue of VOICES will compete in the Community College Humanities Association annual literary magazine competition, which recognizes the best creative arts publications from community and technical colleges around the country.

April Jennings of Franklin found her original photography published for the first time. “I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures,” said Jennings, who will start WGTC’s Dental Hygiene program in the fall, “but I’d never thought of it as more than a hobby. When I saw the call for submissions, I entered some of my photographs. It feels good to be published.”

Choosing the winning entries was a difficult task, said Carol Pearson, WGTC English Department Chair. “Every entry we got was original and interesting. Some were funny and some were heartbreaking, but they were all expressive.” First, second and third place prizes were awarded in the categories of Art, Poetry and Prose.

“The magazine continues to showcase the creative spirit that is alive and well at our College,” said Kyle Taylor, WGTC English Instructor and VOICES Editor-in-Chief. “The entire editorial staff is very proud of this year’s issue of VOICES.”

WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan agreed. “We have some of the brightest and most creative students in the state, and we encourage their expression,” he said. “The life experiences and creativity that our students bring is part of what makes this such a dynamic and successful college, and I congratulate all of them.”

Copies of the 2010 VOICES are available at all five WGTC campuses.

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For Medical Assisting Students, Mock Doctor’s Office Is Very Real
Posted: May 17, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College’s 14 Medical Assisting students participated in a simulated doctor’s office training exercise last week, in preparation for their upcoming clinical education, where they will see real patients in the offices of local physicians.

The event was designed to bring the students’ classroom education into a practical setting and help them feel confident for their first day of training at a clinical site.

Students took turns playing the role of patients, each with a unique collection of symptoms. WGTC Health Sciences faculty and staff filled in other roles, playing doctors, nurses and other support personnel.

Medical Assisting students practice skills.

WGTC Medical Assisting student Tanya Richards (left) checks the temperature of fellow student Sherie Ray during a doctor’s office simulation exercise on the WGTC Murphy Campus.

“Everything they’ll have to do in a doctor’s office, they did it here today,” said WGTC Medical Assisting Program Chair Jamie Shell, who organized the event on WGTC’s Murphy Campus. “They took vital signs, collected blood and urine specimens, gave injections, took accurate notes, made critical decisions and even coped with a simulated emergency. We want them to be ready.”

“We want to see these students treat their patients with courtesy, respect their privacy and make important decisions quickly and accurately,” said Cecilia Owens, WGTC Dean of Health Sciences. “These exercises help them to perform the tasks assigned to them by their supervising physician and to be a benefit to the healthcare profession on the whole.”

Ken Smith, Director of Instruction for the WGTC Murphy Campus, played the role of the doctor and enjoyed the acting challenge. “These students did great,” he said, “Even under the stress of the simulation, they all kept their cool and performed the tasks at hand. I was barking orders like a real doctor might, and I couldn’t fluster them.”

“This hands-on experiential education is critical to technical education,” said WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan. “Exercises like this one are just another way we make sure that our graduates are workforce-ready.
I know that when these students leave West Georgia Tech, they’ll have the skills they need to provide great healthcare in our community.”

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WGTC Graduates 26 Dual Enrollment Students
Posted: May 13, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Dual enrollment students from area high schools were awarded certificates from West Georgia Technical College on May 5, 2010. Twenty-six students earned technical certificates of credit in Criminal Justice or Patient Care Assisting.

“Dual enrollment is designed for high school students who want to pursue a career that requires technical training, allowing students to jump-start their college education while still in high school,” said Eddie Gore, WGTC Vice President of Student Affairs. Students acquire valuable experience while preparing for gainful employment in business and industry, and earn credit at both the high school and college levels. Classes are taught by college-level instructors from WGTC.

Rebekah Witcher, a senior at Haralson County High who just earned a technical certificate in Patient Care Assisting, said deciding to enroll was an easy decision. “I wanted to work with patients and see if a career in nursing is right for me, and I’m glad I did it. I feel like I accomplished something important.”

“All of the dual enrollment students work very hard,” Pat Sailors, WGTC Patient Care Assisting instructor said. “For nine months, they do what most people consider the most menial jobs in nursing homes, but these are important jobs. The work these students do brings a quality of life and comfort to the patients, and they should be proud of the work they did.”

Though dual enrollment technical certificates are designed to give students the job skills and training they need to be workforce-ready, many will pursue further education in their field. Joshua Wilburn, a 2006 WGTC Dual Enrollment alumnus told the graduates that they’ve taken the first important step toward a rewarding career. “You can go as far as you want to in the medical field,” said Wilburn, who will enter Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon this fall, pursuing a career as a pediatric surgeon. “This experience you’ve earned in high school gives you a distinct advantage when you apply for a university or technical college.”

West Georgia Technical College offers dual enrollment options for high school students at all five WGTC campus locations, as well as instructional sites in Greenville and Franklin. High school students can pursue certificates in more than 20 programs, including welding, automotive technology, video game design, computer repair and dental assisting.

“Dual enrollment takes dedication,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “These students have pushed themselves and accomplished something truly remarkable. They have leveraged their time in high school to get a College certificate they can continue to build on at West Georgia Tech or use to get a job right now. Each one of these 26 graduates deserves to be commended for the hard work they put into their education.”

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WGTC Health Sciences Students Win Bowdon Hospital Authority Scholarship
Posted: May 7, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

WGTC students Beverly Thompson and Lauren Brock have won the Bowdon Hospital Authority Scholarship, which awards $500 to two students each quarter in West Georgia Technical College’s Health Sciences programs.

Brock, a 2008 graduate of Bowdon High, plans to enroll in WGTC’s Dental Hygiene Program. Thompson, a former science and mathematics teacher at Carrollton Junior High, is earning her Associate Degree in Nursing. Both Thompson and Brock live in Bowdon.

“We have exceptional students here,” WGTC Health Sciences Dean Cecilia Owens said. “Lauren and Beverly are great examples of the determination, commitment and excellence we see in all of our students, and I congratulate them both.”

Beverly Thompson, 2010 BHA Scholarship winner

In a weakened economy, more people turn to technical education for job training that prepares them for the workforce, but paying for an education remains a challenge. Even with federal financial aid and Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship, ancillary costs can prevent a student from pursuing the training they need for a good career. For programs like Nursing, Dental Hygiene and Automotive Technology, the cost of specialized tools, uniforms and supplies can add up and scholarships can help bridge the gap.

The scholarship was established by a 2009 endowment of $100,000 by the Bowdon Hospital Authority to the West Georgia Technical College Foundation to fund scholarships for students in Health Sciences programs. Scholarship applicants must be a resident of Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, or Haralson County in Georgia or Cleburne or Randolph County in Alabama. Students must have a 3.0 GPA and meet the College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. All other factors being equal, preference may be given to a resident of the 30108 ZIP code.

“Bowdon Hospital Authority is committed to doing all it can to help our citizens and the citizens of this area receive quality healthcare,” said Michael Steed, Chairman of the Bowdon Hospital Authority. “Our members are honored to support the students of the Allied Health curriculum provided by West Georgia Technical College. We face shortages in nurses, technicians and basically every healthcare job,” he said. “West Georgia Tech’s graduates excel and they stay in this area for their careers.”

Lauren Brock, 2010 BHA Scholarship winner

Brock confirmed Steed’s statement. “I love WGTC,” she said. “I’m going to finish my education here, work in a dental practice and stay right here in my hometown of Bowdon, Georgia.”

“We are so thankful for the support of the Bowdon Hospital Authority,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “They understand that in order to have adequate healthcare, our community has to have people trained to provide it. WGTC has 13 great healthcare programs filled with bright, motivated students who will provide their community with quality care someday. The Bowdon Hospital Authority’s investment in healthcare education means we all benefit.”

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WGTC Enrollment Up 15 Percent
Posted: May 4, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Spring Quarter classes are underway at West Georgia Technical College, marking 12 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth for West Georgia Technical College.

Preliminary figures show a 15.6 percent increase over the combined spring 2009 enrollment of West Central Technical College and West Georgia Technical College. The two colleges merged July 1. Prior to last year’s merge, West Central saw eight consecutive quarters of double digit enrollment increases, and the upswing has continued for the four quarters since the merger.

Raw numbers show a total of 6,945 students enrolled at Georgia’s second largest technical college, a 951 student increase over spring 2009. “We continue to see remarkable growth, notably at our Douglas and Coweta Campuses this quarter,” Vice President of Student Affairs Eddie Gore said. WGTC’s Douglas and Coweta Campuses both saw enrollment increases of about 40 percent over spring 2009, a significant jump that proves a growing need for technical education.

“The enrollment increases we’re seeing are significant and we only expect them to increase,” said Dr. Skip Sullivan, WGTC President. “We’re doing everything we can to meet those needs, including building a new campus in Coweta County.”

The current West Georgia Technical College facility in Coweta County is home to the CEC, a unique partnership between WGTC, the Coweta County School System and local Coweta businesses. Through dual-enrollment, Coweta County high school students are earning technical college certificates of credit that propel them into living wage occupations. Fueled by the West Georgia Technical College Foundation, WGTC will expand its presence in Coweta County and build a new full-service, state-of-the-art campus. Groundbreaking on the new facility is expected this summer.

With unemployment still high, more people are seeking the kind of workforce education that a technical college provides, and technical colleges are experiencing unprecedented growth. The Technical College System of Georgia reports a 19.3 percent increase in enrollment statewide over spring 2009. “We are offering the type of fast-paced, hands-on, real world education that people need to be competitive in today’s job market,” said Sullivan. “Our economy demands a skilled workforce and our students come here for those skills. Many of our programs have a 100 percent job placement rate, and I think that proves that technical education is a smart choice in this economy.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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New Agreement Eases Transfer of WGTC Students to Columbus State
Posted: May 4, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Technical college students will be able to more easily further their education, thanks to an agreement signed Monday between presidents of Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College and West Georgia Technical College.

Articulation agreement signing by Presidents of Columbus State University, Columbust Technical College, and West Georgia Technical College.

L-R: Presidents Skip Sullivan of West Georgia Technical College, Timothy Mescon of Columbus State University and Bob Jones of Columbus Technical College sign articulation agreements Monday, April 26 at Columbus State. (Columbus Technical College Photo by Scott Gossard)

“As a taxpayer in Georgia, I believe we sit in the same boat,” Columbus State President Tim Mescon said. “We’re providing seamless education for our students. It’s incumbent for us to provide as many options to students as we can.”

The articulation agreement signed by Columbus Technical College President Bob Jones, West Georgia Technical College President Skip Sullivan and Mescon ensures that students can transfer academic credit from the two-year colleges to Columbus State. The agreement expands articulation agreements that had been in place between various departments at the schools. Under the new agreement, technical college students approved for admission to Columbus State will be able to select a degree plan before transferring and ensure their academic credits go with them.

“Students who go to Columbus Tech and West Georgia are, by and large, local and, by and large, stay local,” Jones said. “We want to make it possible for them to get higher education credit.”

Sullivan called it a “red letter day for our students. It’s an excellent example of putting our students first.”

Academic affairs leaders from the three schools had been working on the concept of the articulation agreement for nearly two years. Work intensified this year with deans, department chairs and faculty helping finalize specifics.

Inessa Levi, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Columbus State, said she wanted to thank the following CSU faculty for their work on details of the agreement related to their academic areas: Tina Butcher, associate provost for undergraduate education; Dorinda Dowis, chair, Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology; June Goyne, director, School of Nursing; Linda Hadley, dean, D. Abbott Turner College of Business and Computer Science; Vicky Langston, chair, Department of Accounting and Finance; David Rock, dean, College of Education and Health Professions; and Glenn Stokes, interim dean, College of Letters and Sciences.

The agreement covers about 40 technical college courses where credit can be transferred more easily to Columbus State, with an emphasis on core courses.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Honors Administrative Professionals
Posted: April 26, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College recognized its 67 administrative and support staff with a luncheon on Wednesday, April 21 as part of the national commemoration of Administrative Professionals Day.

“Administrative and support staff are critical to the continued success of the College,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “Without these talented and dedicated employees, we wouldn’t have students to teach. This event is just one way we’re making a College-wide effort to show appreciation for the extraordinary work they do.”

The luncheon, held on the Murphy Campus in Waco, included a reading by keynote speaker Lauretta Hannon, award-winning Georgia humorist, writer and public radio commentator. Hannon, author of The Cracker Queen—A Memoir of a Jagged, Joyful Life, spoke about the commitment that technical education demands from support staff. “Technical education serves everyone, and you’re the first line of contact for so many people,” Hannon told the crowd. “What our students see in you will set the tone for their experience with the College, and I know it’s not an easy job.”

Hannon, who served as Director of Communications and Marketing for Atlanta Technical College before her critically-acclaimed memoir was published in 2009, commended the WGTC administrative and support staff for the work that they do. “Even a bad day at work here is a good day,” Hannon said. “On a bad day, we understand the urgency of our mission, we remember the students we serve and we hold each other up.”

Susan Belcher receives Admin Professional of the Year Award from Dr. Skip Sullivan

Susan Belcher of the WGTC LaGrange Campus accepts Administrative Professional of the Year Award from WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan.

West Georgia Technical College’s Administrative Professional of the Year Award was also announced at the luncheon. The 2010 winner is Susan Belcher, administrative assistant to the Provost and Campus Director in LaGrange and a 13-year veteran of WGTC. Chosen by College faculty and staff via secret ballot, the Administrative Professional of the Year Award recognizes exemplary dedication to the College. “Susan has been a loyal WGTC employee for years and has set a high standard for dedication,” Said Dawn Cook, VP of Institutional Advancement. “It’s an honor to be able to recognize her hard work and commitment to our College.”

“Thank you,” an emotional Belcher told her colleagues. “Knowing this award came from you means more than you know.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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New Partnership Brings Childcare to WGTC Campus
Posted: April 26, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College and Community Action for Improvement have entered an innovative agreement that will bring childcare back to the WGTC LaGrange Campus. CAFI will offer Head Start and Early Head Start programs at the Fort Drive facility, serving children from six weeks to five years old.

The childcare center, located across from the Callaway Conference and Testing Center on WGTC’s East Campus, is expected to open May 1. “We’re a vested member of this community and we’re responsive to LaGrange’s needs,” Dr. Skip Sullivan, WGTC President said. “We’ve worked hard to find a way to utilize this facility’s full potential as a full-service center for early child development. This new partnership with CAFI is a great way to do that.”

CAFI Executive Director Jerome Anderson agreed. “This partnership has so many far-reaching benefits,” he said. “There’s a real need for quality childcare for underserved families here and we’re happy to have the chance to provide it. The West Georgia Technical College staff has gone out of their way to make sure this happens for the community.”

Head Start is a nation-wide program that promotes school readiness for children from low income families by enhancing their social and cognitive development. The program focuses on early education, positive self-worth and nutrition. CAFI already runs an existing Head Start facility in LaGrange, serving more than 200 children.

Founded in 1966, CAFI also runs community-based programs to prevent homelessness, provide the elderly with energy assistance and offer home weatherization to low income families and the handicapped.

“We’re so excited to join up with WGTC to expand our childcare operations,” Anderson said. “In fact, we’re looking forward to serving the families of WGTC students. If we can help remove one barrier from higher education by providing affordable childcare, we’re happy to do it.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Students Take Gold in SkillsUSA Championship
Posted: April 22, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Students from West Georgia Technical College’s SkillsUSA team won four medals at the state-wide competition, including a first place win that will take the competitors to the national championships.

WGTC students and SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl gold medalists (from left): Tom Mullins, James Sparkman, Raven Rice, Ryan Daughtery and Cathy Miller.

SkillsUSA, formerly known as VICA, is a national organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in technical, skilled and service occupations, holding championships that showcase the best in technical education students. Participants demonstrate their excellence in several events at contests that begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. Contests are run with the help of industry, trade associations, and labor organizations, and test competencies are set by industry.

State-wide championships were held at Augusta Tech April 16-17. WGTC’s team demonstrated their knowledge and aptitude in a variety of technical events and brought home the state-wide gold medal in Quiz Bowl, an energetic event that requires fast thinking and teamwork. Quiz Bowl teams must answer questions in academic knowledge, professional development, technical skills and current events, and the WGTC team edged out the competition to take first place.

“I’m so proud of the effort our students put into this competition,” WGTC Industrial Mechanical Systems Instructor and SkillsUSA advisor Jim Biagi said. “They studied hard and earned the right to compete at the national level. West Georgia Tech has a long tradition of performing well at SkillsUSA, and this team kept it up. ”

WGTC’s SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl team includes James Sparkman, Tom Mullins, Ryan Daughtery, Cathy Miller and Raven Rice. The team will advance to compete in the national championships in June, held in Kansa City, MO. More than 5,400 students come from throughout the country to compete in 91 occupational and leadership areas at the national level SkillsUSA championships.

Other WGTC medalists include Christian Brown, who won second place in Employment Applications, Chris Little, who won third in Criminal Justice, and Joseph Johnson, who earned a bronze in HVAC.

“Our students are top competitors and they represented the College well,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “As graduates, they’ll take their skills and determination into the workplace and apply them in ways that help drive economic growth in our community. I’m proud of them all, and congratulate them on a job well done.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Nursing Student Margo Benjamin Wins Greystone's Clower Scholarship
Posted: April 22, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College student and Douglasville resident Margo Benjamin was awarded GreyStone Power’s 2010 Tim B. Clower Scholarship. The Clower Scholarship, which awards $2,500 each to two deserving technical college students, is made possible by GreyStone Power’s Operation Round Up program. Operation Round Up is funded by GreyStone Power members who volunteer to round up their electric bills to the next dollar. Margot Benjamin

“I’m grateful to the GreyStone members who chose to give back,” Benjamin said. “This scholarship makes a big difference for me and I know it does for every other recipient, too.”

“We are so pleased to present these technical school scholarships to such worthy students,” GreyStone Power President/CEO Gary Miller said “The scholarships are in the honor of former President/CEO Tim B. Clower, who served as an advocate of technical education for over 25 years and was instrumental in bringing technical education schools into the areas that GreyStone serves.”

“This affords some students the opportunity to go to school,” said WGTC Financial Aid Director David Robinson. “Through this scholarship, GreyStone’s members are giving back to the community, and we hope our students will in turn give back to our community in the future!”

“GreyStone Power sets the standard for giving back in the community where they operate,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “The Clower Scholarship is just one example of how the leadership, staff and members of GreyStone Power are committed to education, and West Georgia Technical College is proud to have them as a premiere community partner.”

Benjamin, who holds a bachelors degree in Psychology from Georgia State University and maintains a 4.0 GPA, expects to graduate from the Associate Degree Nursing program in December 2011 and continue her nursing education. “I have big goals,” Benjamin said, “And the Clower Scholarship from GreyStone Power will go a long way toward helping me reach them.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Josh Turner to Perform at 2010 Black Tie & Boots
Posted: April 21, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Ending the suspense, West Georgia Technical College Foundation announced today that this year’s entertainer for the annual Black Tie & Boots fundraiser will be country superstar Josh Turner.

Country Music Superstar Josh Turner, featured entertainer at West Georgia Technical College Foundation’s 2010 Black Tie & Boots

“We’re pleased to welcome Josh Turner to West Georgia Technical College,” said Dawn Cook, VP of Institutional Advancement. “The community has come to expect an elegant and exciting event from us, and Josh Turner will make our ninth annual Black Tie & Boots one of the best ever.”

Turner, known for his hits “Long Black Train,” “Why Don’t We Just Dance” and “Your Man,” is one of Nashville’s hottest young performers. He’s joining Chris Young and Newnan native Alan Jackson for this year’s 15-city Freight Train Tour, before riding to Waco for WGTC’s Black Tie & Boots on August 14 at the Murphy Campus Conference Center.

Past country artists who have performed at the annual concerts are Mark Wills, Patti Loveless, Diamond Rio, Collin Raye, Crystal Gayle and Lee Greenwood, Jo Dee Messina, Sara Evans and Blake Shelton, who rocked the crowd at last year’s event.

The concert includes valet parking, a professional photographer, and a seated dinner. Corporate sponsorships which include concert tickets and admission to a ‘meet and greet’ reception with Josh Turner are now available. Corporate sponsors will also receive acknowledgment in concert advertising, preferred seating and other benefits, depending on level of sponsorship.

“As our sponsors know, this is an unforgettable evening,” Cook said. “It is a black tie event with a wonderful meal and a stellar performance from one of today’s top performers in country music. It is a great way for organizations to reward their employees for a job well done or simply to share an evening with family and friends.”

Past Black Tie & Boots events have sold out, Cook said. A limited number of individual and group tickets will go on sale July 1 at $125 per person or $950 per table, but corporate sponsorships which include tickets are available now.

“Black Tie & Boots is one of our premiere fundraising events of the year,” Cook said. “The proceeds go toward student scholarships, program improvements, facility upgrades and faculty development. In this economic climate, more students are seeking a technical education that prepares them for the workforce and the need for scholarships is greater than ever. Our Foundation is committed to supporting the College by giving $20,000 in student scholarships this year because of Black Tie & Boots and events like it.”

The Foundation will also award its third annual “Spirit of Giving Award.” Last year’s award went to Orchard Hills Investment Group, who donated 38 acres of prime Coweta County real estate to the WGTC Foundation for the construction of a new full-service, stand-alone campus.

President Dr. Skip Sullivan said the College has come to rely on the Foundation’s support.

“When you look at the way they are supporting our students with scholarships, our faculty with reimbursement for continuing education, our plans for future growth through facility improvements, the WGTC Foundation is an essential part of our College going forward. We cannot do what we need to do for students without the Foundation and its support.”

For more information about becoming a sponsor or to purchase tickets, contact Cook at dawn.cook@westgatech.edu or (770) 537-6010.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Phi Beta Lambda Students Dominate State Competition
Posted: April 14, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Students from West Georgia Technical College’s two Phi Beta Lambda chapters excelled at the state competition in Atlanta, April 9 – 11. Phi Beta Lambda, a division of Future Business Leaders of America, hosts annual competitions for post-secondary students studying business. Competing students demonstrated their knowledge, professionalism, and leadership potential in a variety of business-oriented events, including Hospitality Management, Accounting, Cybersecurity and Macroeconomics.

Of the 24 WGTC Phi beta Lambda students who attended, 21 students placed in at least one event, with 11 students earning awards in both of their competitive events. In addition, of the 21 students who placed, 13 students qualified to attend the national competition in Nashville, Tennessee July 8 – 12. Under the leadership of WGTC faculty advisors Jeremy Eason, Carol Pearson, Karen Carpenter and Joey Sanders, WGTC students brought home a combined 29 awards in 21 different events. The WGTC South Chapter Phi beta Lambda also brought home state-wide placements, including first place for chapter contributions to the March of Dimes.

“I’m so proud of the effort our students put forth,” WGTC Business Administrative Technology Instructor Karen Carpenter said. “Up against tough competition, they represented the College well and proved their skill.”

Phi Beta Lambda’s National Awards Program recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas. Through state-based competition at the spring State Leadership Conferences, students compete in events testing their business knowledge and skills. Top state winners then are eligible to compete for honors at the National Leadership Conference each summer.

“These students are a great example of the value we place on academic excellence,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “As graduates, they’ll take these skills into the workplace, and apply them in ways that help drive economic growth in our community. I’m proud of them all, and congratulate them on a job well done.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Announces Yard Sales for Charity
Posted: April 14, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

West Georgia Technical College students, faculty and staff will hold yard sales on the WGTC Carrollton and LaGrange campuses to raise money for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. The yard sales are scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at both campus locations, from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The yard sales, organized by student and staff volunteers, are open to the public. Interested sellers can rent space in the open parking lots on either of the two WGTC campuses and sell their goods, keeping their earnings. WGTC will collect the rental fee for the spaces as contributions to Relay for Life.

Relay for Life is the main volunteer-driven cancer fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. Relay events are held in local communities, campus universities, military bases, and online. Although the main objective of Relay is to raise money for cancer research and cancer patients, the event is held to spread cancer awareness, celebrate the lives of survivors, remember those who lost their lives to cancer, and unite a community in the fight against cancer.

“Relay for Life is just one of the ways our students volunteer,” said Tjazha Mazhani, WGTC Student Activities Coordinator. “Students give time and raise money for the Special Olympics, Children’s Hospital of Atlanta and the March of Dimes.”

“The popularity of Relay for Life here at West Georgia Technical College shows how important community involvement is for our students,” Dr. Skip Sullivan, WGTC president said. “They live in these communities and see the importance of service. I know that WGTC graduates make great additions to the workforce precisely because of this altruistic spirit, and I’m proud of them.”

Last year, WGTC’s student, faculty and staff Relay for Life efforts raised approximately $3,500 towards cancer research and prevention. This year, organizers expect to top that figure.

For more information on Relay for Life and ways to get involved, contact Tjazha Mahzani at 770-537-5722.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Students Use Workforce Skills to Protect the Past
Posted: April 9, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

On Broad Street in Manchester, a long-neglected landmark is coming back to life, thanks to the help of West Georgia Technical College students. With hundreds of volunteer hours from WGTC students and local contractors, The President Theatre is being restored to its original mid-century beauty and will serve as a community arts center for Meriwether County.

Built in 1935, The President Theatre served the Manchester community as a source of news, entertainment and civic pride. Originally operated by the Martin Company of Columbus, The President was named in honor of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who maintained a favorite personal residence in nearby Warm Springs. First elected in 1932, President Roosevelt would serve three presidential terms, returning to his Little White House in Meriwether County for therapeutic polio treatment.

“As the community changed, the popularity of the hometown theatre waned,” President Theatre Community Arts Center Director Regina Garrett said. Before it was abandoned, the last thing the old vaudeville and cinema theatre hosted was a church. “It just sat dormant for years, and now we’re going to make it a community arts center again.”

Under the guidance of Trades & Technology Instructor Jim Biagi, West Georgia Technical College students volunteered their time to run temporary electrical systems throughout the building. The roofing and flooring contractors will use this power system to complete renovations to the 75 year-old building. “Helping out on a project like this is good for our students,” Biagi said. “Not only is it good for our community in Meriwether County, but it gives our students the kind of real world experience they can use when they join the workforce.”

West Georgia Technical College students have a long tradition of volunteering their services. Drafting students have created museum-quality replicas of historic buildings, Dental Hygiene Students have screened race fans for oral cancer at a NASCAR event and Nursing students have performed free blood pressure checks. “Our students are members of this community and their dedication to it shows,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “We’re proud of our presence in Meriwether County, and we’re proud to be able to contribute to a project that’s going to enrich the arts here for decades to come.”

The President Theatre Community Arts Center is expected to open in early 2011. The facility will seat 300 people and will be home to cultural and community events.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Troup County's Best Kept Secret
Posted: April 9, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Secluded among the trees in the LaGrange Industrial Park, a 25,000-square-foot facility sits on the cutting edge of technology, humming with the sound of economic growth.

For years, LaGrange proudly laid claim to being Georgia’s textile capitol, though the last three decades have brought change to the community’s industrial landscape. A new economic era came to West Georgia when Kia Motors began operations in Troup County, and the auto manufacturer—along with Hyundai in neighboring Alabama and all of their respective first and second-tier suppliers—brought new economic opportunities to the area. West Georgia Technical College responded to the need for manufacturing technicians with the innovative Center for Integrated Manufacturing.

The Center for Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) at West Georgia Technical College is a direct result of LaGrange’s new manufacturing environment and provides a unique educational experience to students studying one of nine trade programs. In a bright open laboratory, students are busy drafting designs, creating rapid prototypes, operating milling machines, overseeing extraction robots, repairing equipment and preparing to join Troup County’s skilled manufacturing workforce.

“The Center for Integrated Manufacturing is an asset for local businesses,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “The CIM offers the chance for a student to put their hands on every aspect of the industry and gain real, practical experience.”

Students in Applied Manufacturing, Drafting, Electronics, Electrical Control Systems, Industrial Mechanical Systems, Machine Tool Technology and other technical education programs learn the practical skills they’ll need to join the growing workforce. Troup County Chamber of Commerce reports that there are currently 66 industrial and manufacturing businesses operating in the county, employing approximately 10,000 workers, and more are needed. In 2005, the National Association of Manufacturers reported a severe and widespread shortage of qualified workers, impacting companies regardless of size, industry or geographic location.

“West Georgia Tech’s CIM program has been tremendous for us,” said Eddie Mabe, Human Resources Manager for Emerson Network Power. “The deans and faculty have bent over backwards and gone above and beyond to help Emerson with our need to fill skilled positions.” In addition to credit classes for WGTC students and dual enrollment options for high school students, the CIM offers industry training through partnerships with local businesses. “Not only has WGTC assisted with training potential candidates for hire,” Mr. Mabe continued, “but they also help with training our current workforce and set schedules to accommodate us and our production schedules.”

“Academically, these programs were taught in isolation,” said Jim McNair, WGTC Dean of Trades and Technology. “We’ve removed the barriers and reenvisioned how we train for industrial technology. Now the students learn how their expertise fits into the greater context of manufacturing from start to finish. Better yet, we can show employers and business partners how we teach from a holistic viewpoint. It makes our students desirable employees.” Since opening in 2006, the CIM has boasted a 100% graduate job placement rate for all the trade and technical programs offered at the Center.

“By exposing students to the entire manufacturing process, they get a more complete education,” Jim Biagi, CIM Director said. “They see the production flow, the exchange of ideas. It’s a far more comprehensive approach to teaching the subject than we were doing before.”

“We’ve got space available in the CIM,” Dr. Sullivan continued, “And there are jobs in those fields. This is an asset to Troup County and we’re proud to be providing the workforce training that’s fueling West Georgia’s economic engine.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Welding Program Celebrates with Tradition, Togetherness
Posted: March 17, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Students in West Georgia Technical College’s Welding Program celebrated the end of a successful term with a barbeque on Tuesday, March 16. The event, held at the end of each academic quarter, has become a popular tradition among students and instructors. Many former students return to visit and share news, and current students are often joined at the barbeque by family members.

“Our students work so hard,” said Welding Program Instructor Scott Eidson. “We all look forward to this event because it lets the students and faculty interact in fellowship. We’re celebrating the end of a long but safe and successful quarter and starting a new one. This is our 14th time doing this, and it’s a tradition we all love.”

With 80 students, including dual-enrollment students from five area high schools, WGTC’s Welding and Joining Program is a popular part of the College’s School of Trade and Technology. Tuesday’s barbeque was attended by nearly 150 people, including Carroll County leaders and program directors from other Georgia technical colleges. Students and faculty cooked more than 100 pounds of beef, pork and chicken on smokers designed and built by students.

“Events like this show how important teamwork is here at West Georgia Tech,” said WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan. “When you work hard together and learn together, you develop a kind of family bond, and we encourage that. These students are going to join the workforce and be valuable contributors to their team, and we want to reinforce how important that is and show them that we’re proud of their achievements.” Other WGTC programs celebrate student accomplishments in similar ways. The Commercial Truck Driving program holds a quarterly cookout as part of their graduation festivities.

West Georgia Technical College’s Welding and Joining Technology program is a sequence of courses designed to prepare a graduate for entry-level employment in welding and joining. The program provides learning opportunities which introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention and advancement. Additionally, the program provides opportunities to retrain and upgrade present knowledge and skills.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Rachel Strickland Chosen As WGTC GOAL Winner
Posted: March 15, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Rachel Strickland, a Registered Nursing student at West Georgia Technical College, has been named as the College’s winner of the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership. Strickland was chosen by a panel of local leaders over three other nominees for the award.

“Rachel brings so much to her Nursing classes; she’s a critical thinker and her professionalism really shines,” said Laura LaCagnina, a nursing Instructor, who nominated Strickland for the honor. “Her fellow students recognize her talents and look up to her as a leader, and I was proud to nominate her for this honor. She’s an exceptional young lady.”

Strickland, a resident of Douglasville, came to the WGTC Associate Degree Nursing program from an unconventional background. The child of missionaries, Strickland lived in more than a dozen countries through Asia and South America and was homeschooled. “I speak three languages, but my very first day in a classroom was the day I started college,” Strickland said. “With my background, technical education was a good option for me.” Strickland will graduate West Georgia Technical College’s Associate Degree Nursing program in June 2010, and plans to continue her education to become a nurse anesthetist, using her skills to help the world’s most vulnerable people. “I think nursing is a calling, just like missionary work,” Strickland explained. “I definitely feel called to help those who need it.”

“You can see why I am always very proud of all of our students,” President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “West Georgia Technical College students are driven to excel and passionate about their education. Many of them overcome incredible challenges to reach their goals, and Rachel is a perfect example of that commitment.”

GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. Local GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 27 technical colleges as well as the two Board of Regents colleges with technical education divisions.

Strickland will be competing on March 30 at Middle Georgia Technical College to represent the Central Region in the state GOAL competition. The statewide GOAL winner participates in a variety of speaking engagements including graduations and appearances at the Georgia General Assembly.

A mother of two daughters, Strickland said she is using this award to show her children that anything is possible if you work for it. “I’ve lived all over the world,” Strickland said, “and I believe that this is the only country where you can achieve anything with hard work. I tell my girls to aim for the stars, even though you might hit the ceiling. If you aim for the ceiling, you’ll never get off the ground.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Dental Hygiene Students Help Screen For Cancer
Posted: March 15, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Students from West Georgia Technical College’s Dental Hygiene Program assisted physicians from the Atlanta Head and Neck Cancer Coalition perform free cancer screenings at Atlanta Motor Speedway March 6 and 7. Dental Hygiene Students Stacie Wells, Tarren Beavers, Nicole Winske, Tasha Daniel and Brenda Shoemake volunteered for two days during the E-Z-GO 200 and Kobalt Tools 500 races.

Early detection of oral, head and neck cancers is a priority of the racing community. NASCAR legend Bobby Hamilton died in January 2007 from complications of head and neck cancer at the age of 49. According to the American Cancer Society, this year more than 40,000 Americans will be diagnosed with cancers of the head and neck – which include cancers of the oral cavity, larynx and pharynx – and 7,550 will die.

WGTC Dental Hygiene students take a break from helping to screen race fans for head and neck cancers on March 7 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Pictured are Stacie Wells, Tarren Beavers and Cherie Rainwater, Director for Dental Hygiene. Other students who volunteered were Nicole Winske, Tasha Daniel and Brenda Shoemake.

"When Bobby was diagnosed he immediately became an advocate of early detection of head and neck cancer," said Lori Hamilton widow of driver Bobby Hamilton and head and neck cancer advocate. "He asked everyone around him to get tested, promoted it to anyone who would listen and became a huge believer in the screening process. It doesn't hurt, is free and the 10 minutes it takes to do it could save your life."

“We encourage our students to become involved in the community,” said Cherie Rainwater, Director of West Georgia Technical College’s Dental Hygiene Program. “Volunteering to help screen for cancers is not only a good way to help the public, but students gain valuable experience they’ll use again in their careers.”

The screening event was organized by Dr. Edie Hapner, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology at Emory University School of Medicine. “The Dental Hygiene students participated as room assistants to the surgeons, physicians, and dentists who completed the medical screening,” Dr. Hapner said. “The West Georgia Technical College Dental Hygiene students and their instructor, Cherie Rainwater, were integral to making the largest free head and neck cancer screening in Georgia successful.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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West Georgia Technical College and Kaplan University Announce Articulation Agreement
Posted: March 10, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

A new agreement between West Georgia Technical College and Kaplan University offers students more options for continuing their education than ever before.

Articulation agreements are designed to help students make a smooth transition from an associate degree program to a bachelor program without experiencing duplication in learning. Qualifying students who earn an associate degree at WGTC in an articulating program may be eligible to begin a baccalaureate degree at Kaplan with junior status.

“We have some of the most motivated and ambitious students in the state,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “We’re always looking for new ways to give them more opportunities to build on the skills they learn here at West Georgia Technical College.”

Pat Hannon, WGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs agreed. “The mission of West Georgia Technical College is workforce and economic development. We have a responsibility to our students to find opportunities where the knowledge, skills and competencies they learn here are transferrable to senior colleges. This agreement with Kaplan University is a great option for our students looking to continue their education.”

The articulation process applies to graduates of WGTC’s Criminal Justice Technology and Accounting programs and can result in a savings of money, time and effort. West Georgia Technical College alumni and employees will receive a 10 percent discount on their tuition at Kaplan University.

“With the cost of college increasing precipitously, this agreement provides greater access to bachelor’s and master’s degree programs for West Georgia Technical College students and staff who are interested in continuing their education at a regionally accredited university,” said Jaime Cocuy, Vice President for Kaplan University’s Strategic Alliance Organization. “Many Kaplan students, like those at West Georgia Technical College, are working adults who appreciate our rigorous academic programs, student-centered services and convenient online platform.”

The articulation agreement is one more in a long series of such partnerships for West Georgia Technical College. WGTC alumni are already taking advantage of articulation agreements with Mercer University, Southern Polytechnic State University, Strayer University and University of West Georgia.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Technical College is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

Click here for more information on Articulation Agreements

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ESL Students Learn More Than Language
Posted: March 4, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

ESL students at West Georgia Technical College learn about local history and culture at LaGrange Art Museum LaGrange, Georgia—For many immigrants and visitors, learning English can be a daunting task, but instructors at West Georgia Technical College use local arts and culture to build confidence in students learning English as a second language.

West Georgia Technical College’s English As A Second Language Program (ESL) assists immigrants with limited English proficiency in acquiring the basic skills necessary to navigate governmental, educational, workplace, banking, healthcare, and other key American institutions. “Part of teaching ESL is preparing the students to be good citizens,” WGTC Adult Education Director Mary Edmondson said. “LaGrange offers so much in history, culture and the arts, and we expose the students to that so they feel invested in the community where they live, work and raise children.”

ESL students at West Georgia Technical College learn about local history and culture at LaGrange Art Museum Led by instructors Nancy Smathers and Deborah Bailey, 16 ESL students from West Georgia Technical College visited the LaGrange Art Museum on February 2 for artist Annie Greene’s exhibit Spinning Yarns: Southern Stories From the Past. The students, natives from Brazil, Korea, El Salvador, Mexico and Guatemala, each chose a favorite piece of work from the exhibit to present to the group. “Annie Greene’s yarn art shows everyday scenes, like shopping or eating a meal with family,” ESL instructor Nancy Smathers explained. “It lends itself well to the vocabulary the students are learning, and really stimulates conversation.”

ESL students at West Georgia Technical College learn about local history and culture at LaGrange Art Museum. Adults of all nationalities are welcome to attend ESL classes at West Georgia Technical College. Students must be at least 16 years of age and speak a language other than English as their native tongue.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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WGTC Cosmetology Students Show Skills in Competition
Posted: March 3, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Winners were announced on the West Georgia Technical College’s Lagrange Campus for the SkillsUSA Competition on Tuesday February 2, 2010. Twenty-five juniors and seniors in the cosmetology program competed for the chance to advance to the SkillsUSA Championship held in Augusta, Georgia.

WGTC Cosmetology students compete in Skills USA

From left to right: WGTC Cosmetology students Michi Clay, Latrina Cameron, Amanda Mallory show their competition entries.

The contestants had six hours to prepare their entry, and some entries came in the final minutes. Students were judged on the cut, color, and style of their entry. The top three finalists were Michi Clay, Latrina Cameron, and Amanda Mallory. Michi Clay, the overall winner, will advance to the final championship in Augusta, competing against students from 27 other technical colleges.

SkillsUSA is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers and high school and college students who are preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations. SkillsUSA Championships showcase for the best career and technical students in the nation. Contests begin locally and continue through the state and national levels. Students at West Georgia Technical College compete in SkillsUSA competitions in a variety of events.

Cosmetology instructor Vanessa Clark said, “I am very proud of all our students. They each displayed a well-planned presentation. They had been made aware of the contest a week in advance and each used the time to create some very unique combinations. I am very proud and pleased with their creative approach to the contest.” The judges for the competition were local professionals and former graduates of West Georgia Technical College’s Cosmetology Program and include Renee Winslow and Tabatha Cummings, both from Farasha Spa, and Kimberly Hurston, manager at Great Clips Salon, both in LaGrange.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Technical College is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Two Foundations Merge to Support Technical Education in West Georgia
Posted: February 24, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

In the final act precipitated by last year’s college merger, the West Central Technical College Foundation was cleared Wednesday by the Georgia Secretary of State to begin operating under the West Georgia Technical College Foundation name.

Last year, two state technical colleges, LaGrange-based West Georgia Tech and Waco-based West Central Tech, merged to form West Georgia Technical College, the state’s second largest technical college.

This approval completes the merger of the colleges’ two separate private, non-profit, fundraising organizations under the West Georgia Technical College Foundation.

The new college has campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties. Last fall more than 7,300 students were enrolled in degree, diploma or certificate programs.

“While the College merger took about 10 months to complete, the Foundation merger was a separate process taking over a year,” Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dawn Cook said.

“This is truly a milestone, as the West Georgia Technical College Foundation, Inc. is the first foundation within the Technical College System of Georgia to complete its merger,” Malcolm Jackson, West Georgia Technical College Foundation President, said.

Beverly Smith, Executive Director of Stewardship and Development for the Technical College System of Georgia agreed. “I commend the excellent work of both the West Central and West Georgia Technical College Foundation Boards during the merger process,” Smith said.

Cook said the merger means the Foundation is ready for the future. “Merging the foundations of West Central and West Georgia Tech ensures that the College is poised to meet the economic growth needs throughout our seven county service area,” Cook said. “Through our inaugural major gifts campaign, Invest in the Next Generation, the West Georgia Technical College Foundation is raising funds to build a new Coweta County Campus, provide more scholarships and grants to students, create a Healthcare Fund and expand the adult education and literacy programs.”

The new West Georgia Technical College Foundation is a private, non-profit corporation whose purpose is to solicit, receive, invest and administer gifts for the benefit of West Georgia Technical College. The Foundation is administered by a Board of Trustees comprised of business and community leaders within the West Georgia region.

“The Foundation plays an integral role in making a difference in the lives of the students we serve in West Georgia,” College President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “I commend them on their hard work to complete the merger and their dedication to continue to support the College.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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West Georgia Technical College Instructor Babs Russell Nominated For Award for Excellence
Posted: February 24, 2010
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist; PHONE: 770-537-6056; EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

Babs Russell, Business Administrative Technology Instructor, was selected by a committee of her peers to serve as West Georgia Technical College’s nominee for the Rick Perkins Award for Excellence, honoring technical education’s most outstanding instructors. The award, given by Technical College System of Georgia, recognizes and honors technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. Annually, all 28 technical colleges, plus the four Regents system schools with technical divisions, each nominate an instructor to represent their college for the statewide honor. Nominees then compete on a regional basis.

Named in memory of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Georgia Technical College who received the TCSG’s Commissioner’s Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death, the award is the Technical College System of Georgia’s version of an “instructor of the year” award.

“West Georgia Technical College is fortunate among our peer colleges for having some of the most dedicated and credentialed faculty anywhere,” WGTC President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “The fact that the Rick Perkins Award is named for one of our instructors proves that we have a legacy of excellence in our faculty, and Mrs. Russell is no exception. She was nominated by her colleagues for her commitment to our students.”

The state Rick Perkins Award winner serves as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia. He or she will make many public appearances throughout the year, including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, Governor Sonny Perdue and the Georgia Technical College System Leadership Conference.

“Mrs. Russell is a dedicated professional,” Pat Hannon, West Georgia Technical College Vice President of Academic Affairs said. “She goes above and beyond, inside and outside of the classroom, and I know she’ll represent our faculty and our College well.”

“Being the Rick Perkins nominee, representing our College's committed, student-centered faculty who are professionals in their chosen fields, is truly the highest honor of my career,” Russell said. Russell, a Villa Rica resident and 15-year veteran of West Georgia Technical College, serves as the Program Chair for the Business Administrative Technology program. She is an alumna of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. Russell also holds a Masters in Business Education from University of West Georgia and serves on the Business Education Advisory Board for Villa Rica High School.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Tuskegee Drumline to Perform at Callaway Center in LaGrange
Posted: February 22, 2010

WHAT: Eighth Annual Tuskegee University Percussion Showcase
WHERE: West Georgia Technical College, LaGrange East Campus, Callaway Conference Center, 303 Fort Drive, LaGrange, Georgia 30240
WHEN: Thursday, February 25, 2010 - 7 p.m.
CONTACT: Angela Warner, WGTC Marketing Specialist
PHONE: 770-537-6056
EMAIL: angela.warner@westgatech.edu

The Tuskegee University Marching Crimson Piper Drumline will be performing on Thursday, February 25 at 7:00 at the West Georgia Technical College LaGrange East Campus Callaway Conference Center. As part of WGTC’s Black History Month celebration, the Percussion Showcase will feature a variety of classic band cadences, choreography and step performances by members of the Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma band honor societies. The event is free to the public.

Founded in 1881, Tuskegee University has a long tradition of excellence in music. Known for their exceptional showmanship and precision, the Marching Crimson Pipers have been perennial favorites at the Honda Battle of The Bands in Atlanta, where the 10 best marching bands from historically black colleges gather to show their musical skill.

“We’re proud to bring the Crimson Piper Drumline to LaGrange,” said Warren L. Duncan, Tuskegee University Director of Bands and Chairman of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts. “This is our eighth year playing at the Callaway Center, and we look forward to returning every year.”

“We are very excited to have Tuskegee University Drumline performing at West Georgia Tech,” President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “There is always something entertaining happening at the Callaway Center, but having the drumline from TuskegeeUniversity is a treat for our guests.”

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

For more information, please contact Grover Sims, WGTC Georgia Fatherhood Coordinator at 706-756-4588.

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WCTC Foundation Announces Redken Gift
Posted: February 1, 2010
Contact Ben Chambers, 770.537.5756

The West Central Technical College Foundation today announced a $25,000 donation by Redken, a global hair care products leader headquartered in New York.


Redken representative Steve Broader (center) presents a ceremonial check to WGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dawn Cook in the College’s Carroll Campus salon. The two are flanked by students and instructors from the College. College students provide cosmetology services at reduced rates at each of West Georgia Tech’s campuses.

The gift is part of the WCTC Foundation’s major gifts campaign, “Invest in the Next Generation.”

“We are tremendously thankful for the support of Redken,” College President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “We have a longstanding relationship with the company through the use of its products in our cosmetology program and in the College’s retail salons at each campus. This gift solidifies that friendship and partnership.”

Redken has also recognized West Georgia Technical College as a Redken Premier School. West Georgia Tech joins North Georgia Tech
as the only two Premier Schools in Georgia.

“We are particularly honored to be given the title ‘Redken Premier School’ as it gives our instructors and students access to more cutting-edge training directly from Redken experts – the best in the business,” cosmetology program chair Gail Conaway said.

The Premier School program puts Redken specialists in contact with instructors in “train the trainer” events that prepare instructors to teach the most advanced hair care and styling techniques in the industry.

WGTC Cosmetology instructors in training with a Redken colorist.

West Georgia Technical College cosmetology instructors, clockwise from bottom, Denise Boykin, Dale Patterson, Vanessa Clark, Gail Conaway and DeeDee Patterson share information during a training session with a Redken colorist.

Conaway said she and four other WGTC instructors have already begun training with a Redken colorist.

Redken representative John Miller said Redken values its longstanding relationship with West Georgia Tech.

“West Georgia Technical College has a great program,” Miller said. “With a retail salon on each of their five campuses, West Georgia Tech is teaching a huge number of new cosmetologists every year. We could not be more pleased that we have cemented our relationship with the College with this gift and with the Premier School program. As a Premier School, they have access to a tremendous amount of expertise and skill which will keep them on the very forefront of our industry.”

The Invest in the Next Generation campaign is raising funds in four areas, the Coweta Campus Fund, the Student Scholarship and Grant Fund, the Healthcare Fund and the Adult Education and Literacy Fund, Vice President of Institutional Advancement Dawn Cook said.

Cook said teams are now in the process of making proposals for support to numerous businesses, organizations and individuals.

Cook encouraged those interested in the campaign to visit the College’s website, www.westgatech.edu, to give online.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Winter Enrollment Up 20 Percent
Posted: January 21, 2010
Contact Ben Chambers, 770.537.5756

Winter Quarter classes are underway at West Georgia Technical College, and students again are enrolled in record numbers.

Preliminary figures show a 20.9 percent increase over the combined winter 2009 enrollment of West Central Technical College and West Georgia Technical College. The two colleges merged July 1.

Raw numbers show a 1,252 student increase for a total of 7,250 students enrolled at Georgia’s second largest technical college. The total is just 65 students shy of the College’s record-breaking fall quarter which just ended.

“We continue to see remarkable growth, notably at our Douglas Campus this quarter, but really across several campuses,” Vice President of Student Affairs Eddie Gore said.

“The opening of the College and Career Institute on the Douglas Campus last fall continues to attract dually enrolled high school students,” Gore said, “and that led the College to an all-time high of 392 high school students who are also taking college courses at West Georgia Tech.”

The number of students taking classes at the Douglas Campus, including CCI, is up over 43 percent to 1,720 students, making it the brick-and-mortar campus which serves the most students.

Interestingly, Gore said, the College’s number one campus by students served this quarter is online.

“Our by-campus student count shows that more students are taking classes online than at any single location the College has,” Gore said. “Enrollment in online classes more than doubled over last winter to a total of 1,919 students. That figure puts West Georgia Tech’s online enrollment in the top five statewide.”

President Dr. Skip Sullivan said the growth in the first three quarters of the merged West Georgia Tech has continued a trend that the old West Central Tech was already seeing.

“Prior to the merger, West Central had eight consecutive quarters of year-over-year, double-digit enrollment growth. The first three quarters as a merged College have continued that string,” Sullivan said.

“We are offering the type of fast-paced, hand-on, real world education that people are demanding in today’s economy,” he said.

Gore said that these preliminary numbers would continue to fluctuate as students get settled into classes.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Butler Gives Commencement Address
Posted: January 19, 2010
Contact Ben Chambers, 770.537.5756

District 18 State Representative Mark Butler (R-Carrollton) delivered an uplifting address to West Georgia Technical College graduates January 14, encouraging them to stay grounded and invest in relationships.
Butler, a Carrollton resident, addressed graduates at the College’s winter commencement exercises just four days into the state’s legislative session and a day after Governor Sonny Purdue delivered his State of the State address in the House chambers in Atlanta.

“I believe it was a great signal to our graduates that Rep. Butler took time out of a very busy and hectic legislative calendar to honor them,” President Dr. Skip Sullivan said. “As a College, we certainly work to honor the hard work of our graduates, and we deeply appreciate Rep. Butler for being here to celebrate these achievements with us and sharing such appropriate thoughts. He is a true friend to the College and steadfast supporter of technical education across the state.”

First elected in 2002, Butler has worked on and supported several legislative initiatives including the newly created Mental Health Ombudsman. This new position will protect the rights of citizens and work to make the mental health delivery system in Georgia more effective and efficient. He was also asked by Governor Sonny Purdue to co-chair the Human Resources taskforce. The work of this taskforce led to the largest restructuring of state government in 30 years after Representative Butler was asked by the Governor to carry this historic legislation to successful passage.

Through his position on the powerful Appropriations Committee, Representative Butler has been able to successfully advocate for over $100 million to build reservoirs which are much needed in the West Georgia area and tens of millions of dollars for public building projects in the 18th district.

Representative Butler earned his college degree from Auburn University in Public Administration. Locally, he is a member of Kiwanis Club and the Carroll County and Haralson County Chambers of Commerce. He is self-employed as a real estate appraiser and is a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Butler spoke just before West Georgia Tech awarded about 100 associate degrees and technical diplomas. An additional 250 students were recognized for completion of a technical certificate of credit.

Graduation was held on the College’s Murphy Campus in Waco, Georgia. For more information, visit www.westgatech.edu.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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Work Ready Region Sponsors WGTC Leadership Academy
Posted: January 12, 2010
Contact Ben Chambers, 770.537.5756

About 20 employees from several Troup County manufacturers recently earned their Managerial & Supervisory Leadership Certificates through the Leadership Academy at West Georgia Technical College thanks to the state’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Certified Work Ready Region.

AMP sponsored the program at the request of Troup County leaders who were concerned about preparing the next generation of leaders in business and industry.

Dr. Peter Snell, West Georgia Tech’s Executive Director of Economic Development, said that today’s economic climate poses a growing challenge for organizations and their succession management.

Snell said estimates are that about 1 in 5 executives at Fortune 500 companies currently are eligible for retirement and about 80 percent of the managers in the federal government currently are eligible for retirement. Percentages of those eligible for retirement in state, local, and municipal governments are unknown, Snell said, but expected to be alarmingly high.

“Many prospective retirees are postponing retirement just long enough for the market to recover so that they can afford to retire,” he said.

Snell said this means is that there will be a recruiting war for supervisory, managerial and leadership talent when the economy improves.

“Many, if not most, organizations are unprepared or underprepared as they attempt to delay the identification of replacements for executive,” he said. “Some will be forced to recruit externally and be faced with bidding wars with others who are also trying to recruit scarce supervisory, managerial and leadership talent. Many will look internally only to realize that their pool of succession candidates are severely lacking with skills necessary for these roles.”

The Leadership Certificate program offers employees of Troup County manufacturers an avenue to prepare for future leadership roles that are certain to percolate from an improving economy.

The sponsorship of AMP allowed West Georgia Tech to offer the Managerial & Supervisory Leadership Certificate through the College’s Leadership Academy.

The mission for the Technical College System of Georgia and each of its technical colleges is to facilitate economic and workforce development, President Dr. Skip Sullivan said.

“We are committed to the economic and workforce development of Troup County. Our collaboration with Troup County Certified Work Ready Community and the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Certified Work Ready Region illustrates that commitment,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan credited Diethard Linder, who serves as chairman of the LaGrange Development Authority, and others with the hard work to provide employees of manufacturers in Troup County the luxury of participating in the Leadership Academy at no charge, compliments of AMP.

Snell said WGTC’s Leadership Academy collaborated with Linder to develop a Managerial & Supervisory Certificate program that was tailored to the request of AMP and included seven customized courses: 1) Frontline Leadership & Mentoring, 2) Managerial Leadership, 3) Leadership Overview, 4) Effective Meetings & Presentations, 5) Organizational Behavior & Communication, 6) Professional Ethics & Etiquette and 7) Project Management, Teams, & Participation. The success Mr. Linder’s efforts and the Leadership Academy have also led to its duplication in Upson County and scheduled to begin in January, again, compliments of AMP.

The Georgia Work Ready initiative was launched in August 2006 by Governor Sonny Perdue and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce to improve the job training and marketability of Georgia’s workforce and drive future economic growth for the state.

Work Ready Certificatesare available to individuals in Troup County for free and are designed to provide employers with valuable documentation that illustrates they have met a minimum set of education and skill standards. This documentation may then be used by an employer to match an employee’s skills to current and future job opportunities through an occupational profile.

There are four assessments including Reading for Information, Applied Mathematics, Locating Information and Work Habits (Talent Assessment). For more information about free Work Ready Certificates, please contact the WGTC Economic Development Division at 706.756.4586 or visit www.westgatech.edu.

Customized Job Profiles also are available to employers for free and designed to provide valuable documentation that illustrates the minimum set of education and skill standards for a specific position. A trained profiler works collaboratively with groups of employees to complete a job analysis. This collaboration includes selecting the most critical job tasks, then analyzing these tasks to identify the minimal and optimal skills and skill levels required for an employee to perform effectively.

By matching the customized job profile with an employee’s Work Ready Certificate, an employer can make reliable decisions about hiring and training. Results are typically associated with decreased employee turnover, decreased training, decreased cost for training, increased productivity, and ultimately increased revenue.

Skills Gap Training is also available for free for individuals in Troup County who want to improve their scores and gain a higher-level certificate. For more information about free Skills Gap Training, please contact the WGTC Adult Education Division at 706.756.4587 or visit www.westgatech.edu.

Certified Work Ready Community provides Troup County with a means to illustrate to employers their commitment to economic and workforce development with its “validated” local workforce that is ready for employment. More simply stated, when a new business inquires about locating in Georgia, they will be inclined to begin with looking at those counties that are CWRC. Those that have not achieved CWRC may be overlooked. CWRC is being accomplished in Troup County through collaboration between WGTC, LaGrange-Troup County Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority of LaGrange, local business and industry and Troup County School System. This collaboration required a formal plan to improve the community’s work ready status and minimum percentages of the workforce obtaining the WRC.

Certified Work Ready Region helps Troup County build upon its CWRC status with participation in AMP that was developed as a strategic manufacturing partnership between Coweta, Heard, Meriwether, Talbot, Troup and Upson. AMP promotes regional manufacturing resources.

“Coordinated through the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development, the Georgia Work Ready initiative will be the catalyst that will cement in place the linking of education, workforce and economic development together and will ensure our state has the talent to fill the jobs of the 21st century economy,” Snell said.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and additional class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers over 130 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the second largest of the state’s 28 technical colleges and one of the fastest-growing two-year colleges in the nation.

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