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.