Southern Regional Competition Hosted by ATC

Diane Shumans Local GOAL Winner	Lynne Groover Local Rick Perkins Winner

Jesup –   Eighty-six delegates from the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG)  gathered at the C. Paul Scott Polytechnical Center at Altamaha Technical College recently to participate in the Southern Regional Competition for The Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) and the Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year Award. GOAL is a statewide program of the TCSG honoring excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. The Rick Perkins Award recognizing outstanding technical college instructors with a selection criteria of teaching experience, leadership abilities and professionalism, proven innovation in teaching techniques, community involvement, and a strong commitment to the technical education mission of the TCSG. 

ATC hosted the other nine colleges in the Technical College System of Georgia's Southern Region for the competition. Winners from the regional event will be announced in late May at the statewide competition in Atlanta. Award nominees from the Southern Region and their respective schools are:

Patrick Jenkins (GOAL Winner) and Charlene Heath Duncan (Rick Perkins Winner) of Albany Technical College, Diane Shumans (local GOAL Winner) and Lynne Groover (local Rick Perkins Winner) of Altamaha Technical College, Robert Turner  (GOAL Winner) of Bainbridge College, Lydia Mann (GOAL Winner) and Robin Kern (Rick Perkins Winner)of Moultrie Technical College, Alvie Coes, III (GOAL Winner) and Janice Martin (Rick Perkins Winner) of Ogeechee Technical College, Ashley Tincher (GOAL Winner) and Eddie Murray (Rick Perkins Winner) of Okefenokee Technical College, Jonathon Baker (GOAL Winner) and Cinda Young (Rick Perkins Winner) of Savannah Technical College, Tim Rigsby (GOAL Winner) and Vanessa Wall (Rick Perkins Winner) of South Georgia Technical College, William Rehberg (GOAL Winner) and Ralph Griffith (Rick Perkins Winner) of Southwest Georgia Technical College, Cliff Kirkland (GOAL Winner) and Jackie Spriggs (Rick Perkins Winner) of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

Offering opening and closing comments was ATC President Lorette Hoover.  The invocation was given by Wiregrass Technical College GOAL Winner Cliff Kirkland and introductions were made by ATC GOAL Coordinator Cathy Montgomery. TCSG's Director of Special Populations and Programs Francine Shuman presented the judges while TCSG's Conference Coordinator Dawn Schmeelk and Executive Director of Student Affairs Dr. Nichole Kennedy recognized each winner and presented them with a Ringfolio embossed with GOAL and Rick Perkins logos.

Montgomery shared, “I am very proud of the regional event that ATC hosted today. Our honorees had a great deal of support which is evident by the number of technical college presidents and staff in attendance. It was definitely a group effort to recognize the outstanding students and instructors of the Southern Region.”

Judges for this competition were Robert Chester, Ray Howard, Charlotte Howard, Liz Keith, Jaclyn Cason, Patrick Simmons, Scott Center, Janet Siders, Kathy Megahee, Tom Smith, Carl Swearingen, and Dr. Lynn Cornett.