OTC's GED Program recognized for advances

Ken Bryant, Chief GED® Examiner at Ogeechee Technical College, recently received notification that the Official GED testing center at the College was one of only three small-sized centers in Georgia to have the largest growth in the number of GED test-takers between calendar years 2008 and 2009. Kim Lee, Director of the GED Testing program for the State of Georgia, stated in her notification to Bryant, “your accomplishment and commitment to GED testing is significant and an inspiration for others to follow.”
Bryant is responsible for coordinating Ogeechee Tech’s GED testing and operates the Assessment Center located on the College’s main campus. “This is an honor and I appreciate being recognized for this accomplishment,” stated Bryant. OTC president, Dr. Dawn Cartee, stated, “We are very proud of Ken and all the good work he does. Our success in the growth of test-takers for the GED examination is primarily due to his hard work and dedication to this program.”
The GED test, or General Educational Development test, offers those who have not completed high school the opportunity to prove their level of knowledge and receive a GED certificate which is the equivalent of a high school diploma. “Students leave high school for a variety of reasons. One misconception is that a student who seeks a GED has failed or been expelled, and often those are not the reasons at all,” stated Bryant.

For information on GED testing at Ogeechee Tech, call Ken Bryant at 871-1693.

Statesboro/Bulloch County: Good Timing

Growth in retail and construction

Todd Manack is driving his SUV slowly past Statesboro Crossing, a two-year-old retail center just south of the downtown area of the Bulloch County seat. For Manack, the estimated $250-million investment that created Statesboro Crossing is evidence of the value of timing and persistence in the chancy world of real estate development.
“The significance of all this investment to me is that if we had not closed on this property when we did, and if we had not tied up the lease deals when we did, it absolutely would not have happened,” says Manack, president of Manack Signature Properties, agent for the sale of the 50-acre site on which Statesboro Crossing sits. “The window [of opportunity] was closing.” In the period between the 2007 closing with Atlanta-based Ewing Southeast Properties and the fall of 2008 grand opening of anchors like T.J. Maxx, Hobby Lobby and Books-A-Million, the recession and attendant credit crunch that occurred would have slammed the window shut, he says.
“The recession deepened beyond the point where I think the big-box companies would have not felt comfortable pulling the trigger on this project,” Manack says. “Yet, having said that, since they’re here, as far as I know, they’ve all been very successful.” Manack says the 175,000 square feet of retail space is responsible for 400 jobs.
It’s easy to see how in 2007 national retailers would have had an interest in Statesboro and Bulloch County. At that time, new privately owned residential construction had jumped from $68 million in 2005 to $101 million, and bank deposits had risen 50 percent, more than double the state growth in that category, according to data collected by the University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development.
By 2008, steadily rising annual retail sales cracked the $1-billion mark for the first time, due in large part to that huge economic engine humming sweetly on the campus of Georgia Southern University (GSU), whose 19,000 students and 2,000 staff and faculty members offered the continuing promise of a robust customer base for community retailers. With GSU just finishing a decade of record growth and a projected increase of 1,000 students in the fall enrollment, the university is scouting for sites to expand its accommodations.
Enrollment Growth “We’re going to be aggressively trying to acquire facilities around us already in existence and make them Georgia Southern residency halls or build new residency halls,” says Dr. Brooks Keel, president of GSU. “The good news is, even in bad economic times, we have the opportunity to build residence halls through issuing bonds and using revenues generated by the students to pay for those. We don’t have to rely on state budgets.”
Further demand for housing comes from the two-year-old requirement that freshmen students live on campus during their first year of classes. “And there are a lot of juniors and seniors who want to live in the residency halls as well,” Keel says. “We have to get into a lottery system to do that.”
In the fall of 2009, the University System of Georgia approved GSU’s request to offer a Ph.D. in Log-istics/Supply Chain Management, a nice fit for a campus located just 53 miles from Savannah, whose port traffic, trucking and rail lines make it a logistics center for the state and buttresses the university’s mission, Keel says. The logistics advanced degree is the only one of its kind offered in Georgia.
“Workforce development is one of the main reasons universities exist,” Keel says. “I sometimes think that we in the hallowed halls of academe don’t like to think of us as training workforce, but that is what we do.”
GSU provides another form of workforce development as the source of more than 6,700 regional jobs tied directly and indirectly to the campus. “Georgia Southern is responsible for about $700 million annually in economic impact on the region, and has been for the last four or five years” Keel says.
Dr. Dawn Cartee, president of Statesboro’s Ogeechee Technical Col-lege (OTC), has recently been leading the scramble to find space for her institution’s rising enrollment, a demand she links to recent economic conditions.
“We’ve had double-digit enrollment increases for the last four quarters,” she says. “Our goal for this fall is 3,000 students; a couple of years ago we were at 2,100. It’s not that surprising in this economy. But it has been a challenge with growth coming so quickly [and] trying to do some creative scheduling. We’ve put a large number of classes online, offering more in the evenings and expanding to the weekends, possibly, just utilizing our facilities to the maximum potential.”
But help is on the way with the recent approval of a 25,000-square-foot, $6-million expansion of the college’s crowded health services building. The construction process on that addition has begun, and it is expected to be open in January 2012.
A program unique to OTC is opening a career path long closed to the Southeast Georgia region’s population – funeral services professional. Ogeechee Tech’s associate degree in Funeral Services Education is opening opportunities for students that heretofore seemed unreachable, Cartee says.
“We have the only public funeral services program in the state,” she says. “Others in the state are private, and our tuition in that program is a fraction of what you pay to a private school.”
Specialty Foods Andy Oliver is another Statesboro businessman who benefited from fortunate timing when the national economy began coming apart in the fall of 2008. “When the bottom fell out in October of ‘08, we had basically made all our sales for the fourth quarter of that year, so we didn’t feel the economic effect of that time,” says Oliver, president and owner of Braswell Foods, a 64-year-old Statesboro producer of some 300 different products, including jams, jellies, salsa and sauces.
“In fact, we had one of our best years that year. This past year we were up five percent in sales, but that’s after three or four years of double-digit growth. We’re a small company in the scheme of things, but in the specialty food business we’re probably one of the largest. “
The Braswell label can be found in the catalogues of companies like the high-end retailer Williams-Sonoma and other kitchen-connected shops and marketers. With annual sales in excess of $20 million and 100 employees, about 15 percent of Braswell Foods’ raw materials come from the orchards and fields of Georgia, including the brand’s signature and earliest product, pear preserves.
“The best kind of pear preserves to make is with a hard baking pear,” Oliver says. “Well, the rest of the country does not grow a hard baking pear. Essentially, Georgia is the only place in the country where you can get a really hard pear. “They are great for cooking because they don’t dissolve to mush.”
Oliver tries to use Georgia-grown products whenever possible to save on shipping and handling costs. Keeping suppliers close, he says, is also a matter of pride. “People don’t realize Georgia is about the second or third largest blueberry-producing state in the country,” he says.
Although few of Braswell Foods are made from Bulloch County crops, agriculture there does produce $54 million in annual farm gate revenues, providing an important contribution to the local economy.
“Agriculture is big business here. We’re still a leading agriculture county in the region and the state,” says Bulloch County Commission Chairman Garrett Nevil, a retired banker. “And that economic sector is quite diverse. Fortunately for us, agriculture here has been good over the last couple of years, helping our economy during these tough times. Braswell Foods has done some very successful marketing and is now nationwide and probably worldwide.” And out of this world, too, according to Nevil. “Did you know one of the astronauts requested Braswell’s products be sent to the Space Station?” he asks. “I think it was the pear preserves.”
Already a regional trade center, Bulloch County has also secured the right to enjoy a similar title for its medical services, says Bob Bigley, CEO of Statesboro’s East Georgia Regional Medical Center. “Since 2005, our admissions have grown 33 percent, surgeries have grown 35 percent, ER visits have grown 25 percent and births have grown 21 percent,” says Bigley, as he shares the latest study on the rising demand for his hospital’s services.
“We’ve added a new vascular lab to be able to do interventional vascular procedures. We’ve just added our second cardiac catheter lab as we received approval to do interventional cardiology, and last week we started doing our first coronary stents.” Big-ley expects his hospital to do more than 1,200 cardiac catheters this year. “What we’re finding is that as we’ve added more advanced clinical services, people realize they don’t need to drive to communities farther away to receive healthcare,” he says. “And the continued strength in the local economy and the increasing market share from the surrounding counties is supporting our growth. We have more patients coming to us from contiguous counties than we’ve ever had.”
School Construction The current malaise in the national economy has produced bargains for Statesboro’s Dr. Lewis Holloway, superintendent of the Bulloch County School System, who is presiding over an unprecedented spurt of new building construction. Two new high schools were completed in the past year, and now under construction are a middle school and high school and two new elementary schools to help serve the system’s 9,400 students.
“Right now our construction cost is about $94 a square foot, when two or three years ago we were spending $140 a square foot,” Holloway says. “Our district is growing about 250 students per year, and with these buildings we think we’ll be able to accommodate our students out about 10 years on this growth cycle. But most of this construction is not about accommodating growth. Most of it is about replacing facilities that were 60 years old and needed to be replaced with more energy-efficient materials. We also added 10 classrooms at three schools to replace portable buildings.”
The savings in construction costs have contributed to improvements in teaching technology and allowed some novel approaches to the learning pro-cess at two elementary schools now being built.
The schools will feature floor art of the solar system in the hallways, models of the planets, their names, distance from the sun and size, all drawn to scale – well sort of.
“If we took the largest planet, Neptune, and made it as large as we could, eight feet in diameter, then Venus, proportionally, would be only four inches and Earth would be eight inches,” Holloway says. “We also wanted the planets to be proportional [in distance] going down the hallway, but we found out that would require a hallway that was over 20 miles long. We didn’t have a school quite that large in our plans.”
Adjustments were made to get the solar system inside the school hallway. “We want to make these schools like a museum, so that anywhere a student is standing in the building outside their classroom there will be things to look at, learn from and be awed by.”
The school system’s new buildings and other improvements totaling more than $42 million are being funded by the general Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and an education SPLOST, both derived from county retail sales, a fact that underscores the value of stores, especially to Peggy Chapman, president of the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority.
“The retail sales carry an important role in funding our infrastructure and are so important to things like improvements in educational facilities and technology,” Chapman says. “But I think there is another factor in such growth that is sometimes overlooked: Entrepreneurs have invested heavily in this community. You take Talbot’s, the high-end women’s shop that was opened here by an entrepreneur. We have high-end hotels brought here by local investors, and local entrepreneurs have opened restaurants and developed housing for university students. I think our local folks have invested back in the community, and that allowed other investors to see their investments would be well placed, and that is part of how Statesboro Crossing was born.”
For Statesboro mayor Joe Brannen, the retail growth here has kept the wheels of progress turning through difficult economic times. “Statesboro Crossing’s impact on our retail growth has been huge,” he says. “It has impacted our tax base in a positive way, and that’s only going to grow over the next few years. All of that means a lot to our city now, but I think the best is yet to come.”
Community Snapshot
Local Leaders
Peggy Chapman President Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority 912.489.9115 peggychapman@statesboro-chamber.org
Joe Brannen Mayor of Statesboro 912.489.8661 joebrannen2@yahoo.com
Garrett Nevil Chairman Bulloch County Commission 912.764.6245 mfitzgerald@bullochcounty.net
Population (2008 estimated) County, 67,761; Statesboro, 27,158
Per capita income County, $22,110; Georgia, $33.499
Unemployment (March 2010 preliminary) County, 9.5 percent; Georgia, 10.4 percent
Top Employers Georgia Southern University, Bulloch County Board of Education, East Georgia Medical Center, Walmart Super Center, Briggs & Stratton
Sources Development Authority of Bulloch County, Georgia Department of Labor, U.S Census Bureau

Laura Saunders OTC’s new Director for Admissions

Laura Saunders is Ogeechee Technical College’s new Director for Admissions. Statesboro is now considered home to Laura (she has lived here since 1991), but she has lived in Massachusetts, Kansas, Missouri, and North Carolina in the past. Married to Mark Saunders for 24 years, they have two children, 15 year old Ben who is an avid baseball player, and seven year old Allison, “future world leader” according to Laura.
Laura has a Bachelors degree in Middle Grades Education and a Masters in Public Administration. She worked at Georgia Southern University for a total of 17 years, both in Admissions and as an academic advisor in the College of Education.
Being a baseball mom is Laura’s primary hobby since son, Ben, is on the Statesboro High School baseball team as well as on the Georgia Generals traveling team. “We spend most weekends and many weeknights watching Ben pay baseball, which I love doing,” stated Laura. Laura’s additional hobbies include photography, reading when she has the chance, and her dogs, Jessica and Pepe, and cat Pumpkin.

Welcome, Laura, to Ogeechee Tech!

Rosalind Ivey Retires from Ogeechee Technical College Board

The Ogeechee Technical College Board of Directors recently honored Rosalind Ivey for nine years of dedicated service to the College. A resident of Claxton, Georgia, Ivey was a board member representative from Evans County, which is one of Ogeechee Tech’s service delivery area counties. Ivey is an employee of South Georgia Bank in Claxton, and works with a number of community organizations, including Evans County Cares and the Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Dawn Cartee, president of Ogeechee Tech, presented Ivey with a framed sketch of the Joseph E. Kennedy Building, which is OTC’s flagship building which bears the name of Evans County resident and former State Senator, the late Joseph E. Kennedy. “Rosalind has been a dedicated member of this board and has represented Evans County well. She has worked hard to help improve Ogeechee Technical College and to make it a better place to go to school and work,” stated Cartee. Cartee (left) is pictured presenting the Kennedy Building print to Ivey (Center) while Ogeechee Tech Board president, Dr. Dale Grant, assists.

Ogeechee Tech set to begin Summer Quarter

Ogeechee Technical College begins Summer quarter 2010 on Tuesday, July 6, according to OTC President, Dr. Dawn Cartee. “We anticipate a solid increase in the number of students who will attend our College this Summer, based on the number already enrolled and the trend that has been set over the past several quarters,” stated Cartee. Ogeechee Tech has experienced record enrollment for each academic quarter of the past year.“A challenging economy tends to send people back to school, and part of Ogeechee Tech’s increase can be attributed to that fact, but our ever expanding program offerings, affordable tuition, and accommodating
schedules, both on campus and online, have also created the perfect storm for increased enrollment,” stated OTC’s vice president for Student Affairs, Ryan Foley. Foley’s responsibilities at the College include overseeing the Admissions and Financial Aid efforts. “Our Admissions and Financial Aid offices have been slammed this week as many students try to finish up last minute details in order to be ready to begin class on July 6,” stated Foley.
While Summer quarter typically sees fewer students attending than other quarters, Ogeechee Tech’s year-round schedule keeps a solid number of students in class during the summer. “We are seeing numbers for Summer that we were not even hitting for Fall quarter several years ago. The sustained increase has been a huge help to us in having tuition funds available to offset State budget cuts that we may have experienced,” stated Cartee.Even at this late date students may still be able to enroll for Summer quarter, according to Foley. “We encourage prospective students to come out and at least see if they are eligible to start classes Summer quarter. If they aren’t, they will at least have a jump on Fall quarter,” concluded Foley.

Tom Safrin joins Ogeechee Tech as Criminal Justice instructor

Thomas Safrin is Ogeechee Technical College’s new Criminal Justice instructor. Tom has an extensive history in public safety, including two years in EMS, and 15 years in Law Enforcement with the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Savannah Police Department, and Savannah-Chatham Counter Narcotics Team. He worked with the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) at the Southeast Georgia Police Academy in Savannah (at Armstrong Atlantic State University) as a Police Academy instructor, as Training Director at the Georgia Police Corps Program at the GPSTC main campus in Forsyth, and with the U. S. Department of State-Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement Civilian Police in Iraq, including serving as Police Advisor/Regional Operations Commander of the Northern Region.

Tom has a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Justice Administration from Columbus State University, a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology from Saint Leo University, and an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from Saint Leo.

Tom says that he, “has been married to my wonderful wife, April, for 19 years, and I have three beautiful children, Anthony, age 17, Kyra, age 11, and Meghan, age 7”. Tom’s hobbies include spending time with his family, riding his 2008 Harley Davidson Fatboy, physical fitness/defensive tactics/mixed martial arts, and watching movies.

Ogeechee Tech Funeral Service Education Student Presented GFDA Scholarship

Charles Blewett, a student in the Funeral Service Education program at Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro, was presented a $1000 scholarship at the Georgia Funeral Directors Association annual conference on St. Simons Island, Georgia recently. GFDA annually presents a scholarship to an Ogeechee Tech FSE student who works at a member firm and who meets the academic criteria set forth by the association. A resident of Effingham County, Blewett works with Thomas C. Strickland and Sons Funeral Homes in Effingham and Chatham Counties. Georgia Funeral Directors Association president, Bryan Evans, of Platt’s Funeral Home in Evans, Georgia, presented the scholarship check and a certificate commemorating the recognition. Ogeechee Tech instructor, Crystal Vinson, was on hand for the presentation.In making the scholarship presentation, Evans stated, “It is an honor to assist deserving students by supporting them financially. We trust this is money well spent by investing in the future of funeral service.” Blewett thanked the assembled group of conference attendees and said that the funds will be put to good use.

Ogeechee Tech Rad Tech Students Pinned

Eleven Radiologic Technology students who completed their program of study at Ogeechee Technical College were recognized at a pinning ceremony on June 10 at the College. Students celebrated with family members, friends, faculty, and staff in the Joseph E. Kennedy auditorium. Students and faculty members participated in making presentations at the event, and a special slide show was presented commemorating the students’ time at Ogeechee Tech. Rad Tech instructors, Matt Dunn and Jan Martin, affixed an Ogeechee Tech Rad Tech pin to each student’s uniform. A reception immediately after the pinning ceremony was held in the Kennedy lobby.

OTC Vet Tech Students Receive Pins

Veterinary Technology students at Ogeechee Technical College celebrated the completion of their program of study with a pinning ceremony on June 9. Held in the auditorium of the Joseph E. Kennedy Building on Ogeechee Tech’s main campus, the ceremony provided an opportunity for reflection about their time spent in the Vet Tech program, and allowed family members, friends, and College officials to join in recognizing students for their accomplishments in completing the program.Eight students were spotlighted as they lit a ceremonial candle, and received their Veterinary Technology lapel pin to be worn on their uniforms. Following the ceremony, attendees moved into the lobby of the Kennedy building for a reception.

Lyman Monroe Joins OTC Fire Science

Ogeechee Technical College’s new Fire Science Program Director and Instructor, Lyman Monroe, is a decorated and dedicated fire and emergency service professional with 38 years experience. He holds a Masters Degree from Jacksonville State University, a BA, from the University of Illinois at Springfield, and an Associate’s Degree from Illinois Central College. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and has taught as an adjunct faculty in the emergency response to Terrorism program.
Mr. Monroe is a founding member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and served as an in house faculty member to DHS’s Center for Domestic Preparedness whose primary mission is to train our nation’s first responders to deal with and manage terrorism related responses. A type 2 Incident Commander, he can manage large scale, multiple discipline, and jurisdictional disasters. A recognized SME (subject matter expert) in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive incidents, and Incident Management, he has trained personnel from all 50 states and protectorates.
Monroe is a preferred presenter/lecturer at the bi-annual Homeland Security Summit in Arlington, Virginia. In 2007 he traveled to Guam to be the lead controller in Guam’s emergency operations center for DHS’s worldwide Top Officials (TOPOFF) terrorism exercise.
It is not all work and no play; he is a Bagpiper with Savannah Pipes and Drums, an accomplished blacksmith, and enjoys kayaking and water sports. Welcome, Lyman Monroe, to Ogeechee Tech!

Sonography Students Receive Pins at OTC

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Ogeechee Technical College held a pinning ceremony on June 3 at 7:00 p.m. in the Kennedy Auditorium. Eight Sonography students received their pins with family members and friends looking on. Following the ceremony, the students hosted a reception in the lobby of the Kennedy Building. The students who received their pins are pictured here.

Regional Law Enforcement Academy at Ogeechee Tech Recognizes Students

The Regional Law Enforcement Academy of Ogeechee Technical College celebrated the completion of the program by another group of students on June 8. An awards ceremony was held in the Joseph E. Kennedy Building auditorium, with a reception following in the Kennedy lobby. Twenty LEA students completed the Academy, marking the largest group so far to complete the program. A large number of family members and friends were on hand to witness the students receiving their certificates of completion, along with several special awards.
LEA faculty and staff members, Greg Rabeler, Chris Findley, Jim Mitchell, and Shelly Brinkley, and Dean Teresa Allen were on hand to acknowledge the accomplishments of the class, and to welcome the guest speaker for the occasion, Chief David Lyons, of the Garden City Police Department. The Regional Law Enforcement Academy provides Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) certified training at Ogeechee Technical College’s Evans County Workforce Development Center in Claxton.

Congressman John Barrow Tours Ogeechee Tech

Congressman John Barrow toured Ogeechee Technical College Wednesday, June 2, and one of his stops was at the College's Imaging Sciences Department. OTC is the only college in Georgia to offer certification to become a Radiology PACS Specialist and Barrow is shown in front of a PACS image as he listens to the benefits of the program. Barrow also learned about the College’s Photovoltaic program.

OTC Rad Tech Students Hold Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A

Ogeechee Technical College Radiologic Technology students, through the Rad Tech Student Club, recently held a Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A in Statesboro. Students distributed Spirit Cards prior to the event which allowed customers to come into the local restaurant for dinner on the Spirit Night with 10% of the sales for the evening going to the Club. In addition to the percentage of sales, students bused tables, carried trays, and generally assisted diners in order to earn tips. A spinning wheel allowed those attending to earn a coupon for free food after making a contribution. The proceeds from the event will be used to fund the students’ national seminar and pinning ceremony. In addition, the evening was a great way to raise awareness about Ogeechee Tech’s Rad Tech program, according to Rad Tech Program Director, Jan Martin.
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

The Student Chapter of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (SCNAVTA) from Ogeechee Technical College recently held a pet pageant to help generate support for the club’s efforts in supporting pet rescue causes. Contestants were garbed in a variety of creative outfits while many of their owners also dressed to compliment the pet contestants’ costumes. After parading across stage, a brief bio was presented about the pet and his or her interests and hobbies. A panel of judges critiqued each contestant and the audience voted on their favorites by placing contributions in containers with each contestant’s picture affixed. The pet pageant is an annual event at Ogeechee Tech, and is always a hit with employees and students.
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

Cynthia Sims Honored as One of Nine Regional Finalists for the TCSG Student of the Year

Atlanta – Cynthia Simms, a student in the Computer Information Systems program at Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro, was recognized as one of nine regional finalists in the Technical College System of Georgia’s 2010 student of the year competition.

The acknowledgement came during the TCSG’s annual GOAL award banquet at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency Hotel on May 27.

GOAL, the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership, recognizes the best of the best students from among this year’s record-breaking state technical college enrollment, which is expected to surpass 185,000 students.
“It’s a great achievement to be named one of the nine best students in the Technical College System of Georgia,” said TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson. “Cindy Simms is an outstanding student who excelled and earned her place as one of the regional finalists for this year’s student of the year award. I commend her strong effort and thank her for being such a fine representative for Ogeechee Technical College.”

Simms and her nominating instructor, Terry Hand, were introduced to the audience of 400 banquet attendees that included the TCSG leadership, college presidents and their staffs, and other dignitaries.

“Cindy is a great representative for Ogeechee Technical College. Her unique story and dynamic personality make it easy to understand why she was chosen to be a finalist in the GOAL competition,” stated OTC president, Dr. Dawn Cartee. “Our GOAL nominees consistently do well from year to year, and that speaks volumes about the quality of the students we have at Ogeechee Tech.”

Judging for the GOAL award starts at the 28 technical colleges and one Board of Regents college with a technical division, then moves to the regional and state levels. In each step of the competition, the students are interviewed and judged on their academic accomplishments, leadership qualities, community involvement and future aspirations.

The competition for the award is intense, for not only is the winner named Georgia’s technical college student of the year, the student also gets the keys to a brand-new Chevrolet Cobalt, presented by Chevrolet and the Atlanta Chevrolet dealers, sponsors of the GOAL award program.

The 2010 state GOAL winner and student of the year is Brian Jones, a practical nursing student at North Georgia Technical College

About the TCSG: the Technical College System of Georgia oversees 28 technical colleges throughout the state. Affordable access to quality technical education programs that remain in demand despite the downturn in the national economy is a big reason why enrollment at the TCSG colleges is up by almost 25% over last year.

TCSG colleges offer small classes, hands-on experience and focused instructor attention in more than 600 programs, including healthcare, automotive repair and manufacturing technologies aerospace, agribusiness, life sciences, and energy and the environment. The TCSG also manages the state’s adult education and GED programs as well as Quick Start, an economic development incentive for attracting new investment to the state and promoting job creation.

Author Kathryn Wall to Visit Ogeechee Tech

Ogeechee Technical College’s Southern Authors series will welcome Kathryn Wall on June 9 at 9:30am in the auditorium of the Joseph E. Kennedy building. Wall has a number of novels to her credit, including In for a Penny, And Not a Penny More, Perdition House, Judas Island, Resurrection Road, Bishop’s Reach, Sanctuary Hill, The Mercy Oak, and Covenant Hall. Wall’s latest book, Canann’s Gate will be the subject of her presentation at Ogeechee Tech. In addition to a discussion about her latest book, Wall will relate stories of how she came to be a writer, and will answer questions from the audience. Canann’s Gate is a murder mystery set in nearby Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. In addition to the presentation, a meet and greet will be held in the Kennedy lobby from 10:45 to 11:30am. Wall’s website is http://www.pennynovels.com/index.html. During the meet and greet, Wall’s books will be available to purchase and have signed by the author.
“We hope everyone will come out to hear this great southern author. The presentation is free of charge, and the public is invited to attend,” stated OTC Library Services Coordinator, Dr. Lynn Futch. For more information about the presentation, call Futch at (912) 871-1606
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958
Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

Screven Announced as Work Ready County

Governor Sonny Perdue recently announced five new Certified Work Ready Communities, a designation communicating a county has the skilled workforce needed to meet business demands and drive economic growth, as well as the educational foundation to build a pipeline of workers ready to create ongoing success.
“By earning Work Ready Certificates and building a culture of lifelong learning, these communities gain a valuable competitive advantage,” said Governor Perdue. “These counties have developed the tools necessary to attract new industry and jobs, give their citizens confidence and boost opportunity.”
The five new Certified Work Ready Communities of Excellence are Polk, Screven, Telfair, Turner and Wilkes. These counties represent the seventh group to complete their Work Ready Certificate goals and successfully meet at least the required minimum increase in their county’s public high school graduation rate.
The new Certified Work Ready Communities of Excellence achieved the following:
Polk County: 1,891 Work Ready Certificates earned (251 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 64 to 74.9 percent
Screven County: 359 Work Ready Certificates earned (74 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 72.2 to 78.6 percent
Telfair County: 516 Work Ready Certificates earned (98 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 73.8 to 78.5 percent
Turner County: 335 Work Ready Certificates earned (60 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 62.8 to 72.3 percent
Wilkes County: 645 Work Ready Certificates earned (205 percent more than goal); increased public high school graduation rate from 79.8 to 88.7 percent
To earn the Certified Work Ready Community designation, counties must demonstrate a commitment to improving public high school graduation rates through a measurable increase, and show a specified percentage of the available and current workforce have obtained Work Ready Certificates.
Each community created a team of economic development, government, and education partners to meet the certification criteria. Ogeechee Technical College’s Vice President for Economic Development, Dr. Ben Thompson, worked with Screven County Team Leader Gayle Boykin to coordinate Work Ready efforts in Screven County. The goal was accomplished through partnerships with a number of local groups, including the Screven County Industrial Development Authority, the Screven County Chamber of Commerce, the Screven County Board of Education, the East Central Georgia Consortium, local industries, and Ogeechee Technical College. “Without a true team effort the Work Ready designation for Screven County would not have been possible. The combined work of so many will help benefit the county’s ability to attract industry and jobs,” said Thompson.
Additionally, Wilkinson and Lanier Counties have reached their Work Ready Certification goals by earning 374 and 124 Work Ready Certificates, respectively, and are now focusing on attaining their public high school graduation rate increase goals to become Certified Work Ready Communities.
Once counties attain their Certified Work Ready Community goals, they are able to maintain their status by ensuring a small percentage of their available workforce continue to earn Work Ready Certificates, engage local businesses to recognize and use Work Ready, and continue to increase their public high school graduation rate until they reach a threshold of 75 percent.
To continue their work, each county will receive a $10,000 grant. Their Work Ready Community teams will also receive a two-year membership to their local chamber of commerce and a budget for additional Work Ready outreach materials. Counties that are fully certified receive road signs and a seal denoting the year they achieved certification.
Georgia’s Work Ready initiative is based on a skills assessment and certification for job seekers and a job profiling system for businesses. By identifying both the needs of business and the available skills of Georgia’s workforce, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs. The Certified Work Ready Community initiative builds on the assessments and job profiling system to create opportunities for greater economic development.
For more information on the Work Ready initiative please visit the Web site at www.gaworkready.org.
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations
Phone: (912) 688-6958
Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

OTC's Holloway Receives Recognition at GSU

Shenavian Holloway, a Student Affairs Assistant at Ogeechee Technical College, recently received recognition for public speaking at Georgia Southern University. Holloway placed second out of 500 students who were required to give a persuasive speech to other students, department chairs, and vice-presidents at GSU. Holloway’s speech topic was “Why going green benefits GSU and its students.” The text of the speech was submitted to the Statesboro Herald and to the GSU campus paper, The George-Anne. “I was excited to have placed so high, especially given that I am a non-traditional student and a little older than most of the students. It was a great experience,” stated Holloway. Holloway is working toward a Bachelor of Arts in History, with a minor in Psychology. Congratulations Navi!
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

Successful Blood Drive Held at Ogeechee Tech

The American Red Cross Bloodmobile visited Ogeechee Technical College recently with a goal of 44 units of blood. The drive was very successful and surpassed the goal with a total of 60 units of blood collected. Nancy Martin, Senior Account Manager with the American Red Cross Blood Services, stated, “The efforts of Ogeechee Technical College have always been greatly appreciated and their support of the community blood program will go a long way toward replenishing blood supplies and ultimately saving lives.” Various organizations on the OTC campus sponsor each blood drive visit. The most recent bloodmobile was sponsored by the College’s Medical Assisting program. Students and faculty members from the program recruited donors, assisted with the drive the day of the event, and also gave blood. “A blood drive is not only a great community service project, but for our medical program students it is good clinical experience,” stated Academic Dean, Teresa Allen.
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

OTC Graduates Look to Future

By CHARLES MINSHEW Herald Intern
A fire alarm briefly interrupted the ceremony but it didn’t take away from the pomp and circumstance of Ogeechee Technical College’s Spring Commencement Thursday night. More than 1,400 students were eligible to receive degrees, the largest number in OTC’s history. Thousands of friends and family filled Hanner Fieldhouse to celebrate with the more than 300 graduates who participated in the ceremony. Georgia Southern University president Dr. Brooks Keel was the commencement speaker for the ceremony. He spoke to the graduates about the importance of a vocational education. “Vocational education removes all barriers - age, race, gender, class, disability,” Keel said. “We must prepare our future workforce for the realities of today’s hard economy.” OTC president Dr. Dawn Cartee offered her personal congratulation to the graduates, as well. “You have accepted the challenge of learning something new,” Cartee said. “I am sure that you feel exhilaration for what you accomplished and the knowledge and skills you’ve gained are your reward, something that can never be taken away from you.” Graduates of all programs at Ogeechee Tech were excited about their degrees. Melissa Wilson, of Bryan County, earned her GED certificate Thursday night. She plans to attend classes at OTC. She said that she hopes anyone who wants to earn a GED should take advantage of the OTC program. “If you’re out there and didn’t graduate high school, go back and do it. It’s all worth it,” Wilson said. One graduate, who only identified himself as “Tex,” said that he plans to try to open his own business. “As far as my degree goes, I’m trying to further my knowledge of automotive technology and I plan to open my own shop one day,” he said. Ashley Deason of Guyton earned a diploma in diagnostic medical sonography. Her brother, Brandon, earned a diploma in industrial electrical technology and a certificate of commercial wiring. Brandon said that he plans to continue to work for an electrician while Ashley said that she would be looking for a job. Keel offered advice to the graduates about finding their passion in life. “Remember that these skills will take you anywhere you want to go,” Keel said. “So, pack your bags and get on board with life. You’ve got a long ways to go. Just remember, there is no finish line.”

Inside Bulloch Business with Jan Moore-OTC's Cartee looking for more ways to boost students

This past week, Ogeechee Technical College president Dr. Dawn Cartee announced an articulation agreement between Ogeechee Tech and the University of South Carolina at Beaufort.Now, OTC graduates will be able to transfer their OTC associate degree class credits to USC Beaufort, and not have to repeat those core classes when they attend the university to pursue a bachelors degree in Hotel/Restaurant Management.
I think it is a very good thing that OTC grads have this option to further their education, but the fact remains that the student would not be able Dr. Dawn Cartee to use the HOPE scholarship program, and it would be out-of -state tuition for Bulloch County residents that choose to attend the university until they are able to establish residency in South Carolina, Bryan, Chatham, or Effingham Counties.
That prompted me to ask Cartee about the options her students had in attending a local university or college under the same scenario. "Right now, we don't have a formal agreement with any other institution," she said. "It is a top priority of mine, and something I have been working on for some time. Unfortunately, as it stands, if one our students enrolled in Georgia Southern, for example, after receiving a degree from OTC, they would have to repeat those core classes in math, science, English, etc."Cartee said it becomes a huge financial burden. "HOPE pays for tuition at OTC just like it does for any college or university in Georgia," she said. "But as you know, it is limited to a certain number of course hours. If you have to take your core courses twice, you will run out of HOPE well before you finish your four-year degree."Cartee said she feels very strongly that students need to have options, particularly with the uncertainty in today's job market, and in the economy in general. "We are all here to serve students, people that come to get an education so that they become productive citizens and support themselves and their families," she said. "We are blessed in that there are a number of educational opportunities in addition to OTC in this area from Georgia Southern to East Georgia College, as well as Armstrong and Savannah State. I just want us all to work together with the student's best interest in mind."I asked Cartee if accreditation was an issue preventing local colleges and universities from accepting technical college credit hours if a student enrolls in that school. "No, there isn't based on the guidelines and regulations that have been provided to me," she said. "In fact, schools in our surrounding states readily accept the transfer of credits from technical colleges. That is where I want us to be."Ogeechee Tech is going through the process of receiving accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the organization responsible for accrediting colleges and universities in the South. "We will be submitting our candidacy for accreditation in November 2011, and hope to receive our accreditation in 2013," she said. "At that point, there should not be an issue with course transfer. But until that time, I am going to continue to work with our surrounding colleges and universities to create avenues for people to receive credit for the education that they have." Cartee estimates that ten percent of OTC graduates enroll in a four-year degree program. Cartee said next quarter's enrollment should eclipse 3,000 students, and the college will be converting to a semester calendar from a quarterly calendar in fall 2011.
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

Ogeechee Technical College will hold its 2010 commencement exercises at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 13 at Hanner Fieldhouse on the Georgia Southern University campus in Statesboro. Nearly 1400 candidates are eligible for graduation, and hundreds are expected to be on hand to receive Associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and GED certificates at the ceremony which annually attracts thousands of family members, friends, and other supporters. This will be a record number of graduates to walk at a commencement for Ogeechee Tech, according to OTC registrar, Michelle Meyer. Dr. Brooks Keel, president of Georgia Southern University, will be the guest speaker for the evening. Faculty, staff, administration, and Board of Directors members from Ogeechee Tech will also be on hand to recognize the accomplishments of the graduates. “This is always an exciting time for us as we prepare for another large group of students to graduate. We know that it is a special time for the graduates, but their families and friends also join in the festivities to make it even more special,” stated Dr. Dawn Cartee, president of Ogeechee Tech. “Doors will be open at Hanner Fieldhouse at 6:00 p.m. for those who want to make sure they get a good seat with the best view of their graduate,” stated Meyer. All candidates for graduation who will walk at the ceremony have been invited by the Ogeechee Tech Alumni Association to attend a rehearsal reception the day of commencement. The Alumni Association also adds to the excitement of the evening by dropping miniature beach balls, emblazoned with the Alumni Association logo, on the graduates as they recess out of the auditorium. Ogeechee Tech will continue with the custom of having the color guard from the Georgia State Patrol and the State Patrol bagpipe player lead the procession into the auditorium. They will also present the colors during the National Anthem. “Commencement represents the celebration of accomplishment, and we are proud of our students for reaching this milestone,” concluded Cartee. For additional information or questions about commencement exercises for Ogeechee Tech, call the Registrar, Michelle Meyer, at (912) 486-7865.
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

OTC Ag Students Visit Organic Farming Operation

Relinda Walker (right) explains her organic farming operation to students from Ogeechee Technical College’s Agribusiness program during a recent visit by the class to Walker Farms in Screven County. Walker grows a variety of organic crops, including beans, squash, potatoes, carrots, and a variety of other products. Aside from supplying a number of different retail and food service businesses with her products, Walker regularly participates in the Main Street Farmers’ Market in Statesboro. According to Elliott Marsh, OTC Agribusiness program director, exposing the students to all aspects of agriculture, including organic operations, is important to providing a broad view of the industry they are studying. “This type of operation is different than many of the larger non-organic operations that the students see, but it is important that they realize that organic production is becoming more prevalent, and that it is a viable option as a business,” stated Marsh. For information about Agribusiness education at Ogeechee Tech, visit www.ogeecheetech.edu, or call Elliott Marsh at (912) 688-6034.
Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu

Main Street Farmers’ Market Celebrates Ogeechee Tech Day

Saturday, May 1, was Ogeechee Technical College day at the Main Street Farmers’ Market in Statesboro. OTC President, Dr. Dawn Cartee and husband Jamey, were honorary Market managers for the day, and Ogeechee Tech employees and students participated in the activities of the Market. Several Health Science programs had representatives present to check blood pressures and to promote wellness, including a display which illustrated the amount of fat in several popular snack foods. Agribusiness, and Wildlife and Plantation Management instructors were on hand to discuss their programs and Ogeechee Tech’s Donny Collins was the musical entertainment for the day.The highlight of the Market was a cooking demonstration by chefs from the OTC Culinary Arts program. Chefs Tony Pisacano and Bryan Richard were assisted by President Cartee in preparing dishes made with products available at the Market. In the picture above, Dr. Cartee takes pointers from Chef Tony on whipping cream to be used in a fresh trifle. “The Farmers’ Market is a great event each Saturday here in Statesboro, and it offered a prefect venue for promoting several of our programs which are related to the mission of the Market, namely heath and wellness, wholesome foods, and sustainable agriculture,” stated Cartee. The chair of the Main Street Farmers’ Market, Debra Chester, stated, “Ogeechee Tech has supported our Market since its inception, and this is a great way to help the College showcase some of their programs while providing an educational and entertaining addition to our Market.”The Market is held each Saturday from 9a.m. to 1p.m. from April to November in downtown Statesboro.

Contact: Barry Turner-Executive Director for Public Relations

Phone: (912) 688-6958

Email: bturner@ogeecheetech.edu