ATC Spotlight
Athens Technical College Names Semi-Finalists for GOAL Award
Date: January 26, 2015
Four Athens Technical College students have been named as the college’s semi-finalists for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL), according to Jake Mosley, director of student activities and the college’s GOAL coordinator.
The semi-finalist for Athens Technical College are: Justin Barrow, Physical Therapist Assistant, from Hart County; Darlene Brand, Culinary Arts, from Walton County; Lisa McMillan, Radiography, from Walton County; and Matt Payne, Physical Therapist Assistant, from Clarke County.
The college’s winner will be named at the college board of directors meeting on January 27.
Instructors nominated students who they described as embodying the spirit of the GOAL program. Overall 37 students were nominated on the college level, of which 19 participated in the interview and selection process to become a semi-finalist. All of the college’s GOAL nominees were honored at a reception on January 9. During the reception, Athens Technical College President Dr. Flora Tydings expressed her appreciation for the students “being wonderful ambassadors for the college.”
GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 23 technical colleges, as well as one Board of Regent college with a technical education division. Winners from each college complete at a regional judging in February. In April, all winners come to Atlanta where the nine regional finalist will be announced and compete at the state-level. One student will be named at the statewide GOAL winner.
“The purpose of the GOAL program is to spotlight the outstanding achievement by students in Georgia’s technical colleges and to emphasize the importance of technical education in today’s global workforce,” said Mosley.
According to Mosley, a screening committee of administrators at Athens Technical College selected the four semi-finalists from a list of students nominated by their instructors.
“The next set is for a panel of business, civic and industry leaders from the community to interview and evaluate these four students and select one to be the college’s 2015 GOAL winner, explained Mosley. “The one judged most outstanding will compete in the regional judging. Three finalists from the region will be named and will compete in the state GOAL completion and vie to be named as the 2015 statewide GOAL winner.”
The state GOAL winner becomes the student ambassador for the Technical College System of Georgia and receives a grand prize of a new car provided by Chevrolet, the statewide corporate sponsor of Georgia’s GOAL program.
GOAL nominees from Athens Technical College who participated in the selection process included: Lisa Adams, Cosmetology Stefanie Amendolar, Business Administration Technology Justin Barrow, Physical Therapist Assistant Darlene Brand, Culinary Arts Shuntekia Byrd-Haynes, Social Work Assistant Tiffany Collins, Veterinary Technology Shanna Colvin, Accounting Kimberly Kesler, Biotechnology Lisa McMillan, Radiography Tyler Ohrt, Cosmetology Jennifer Palmer, Computer Support Specialist Levi Patterson, Electrical Systems Technology Matt Payne, Physical Therapist Assistant April Pruitt, Early Childhood Care and Education Katie Tavernier, Paralegal Studies Melissa Tolbert, Business Administration Technology Emily Speir, Dental Hygiene Candice Stone, Criminal Justice Technology Danielle Ventry, Dental Assisting
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