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June 2022

TCSG Mourns Loss of Albany Technical College President, Dr. Anthony Parker

Albany Technical College (ATC) announced the passing of Dr. Anthony O. Parker in the early hours of Monday morning, June 6, 2022. As the college moves forward with his objectives, he will be missed for his mentorship, friendship, and leadership.

The passing of Dr. Anthony Parker is not only a tremendous loss for Albany Technical College but also a loss for the entire Albany community and the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). Dr. Parker was TCSG’s longest-serving president, assuming the role at Albany Tech in 1995.

TCSG student organizations select state officers

Each spring, student leaders are elected to their respective state student organizations by their peers as a slate of state officers. During state officer training, they participate in a variety of leadership development activities and interviews with higher education professionals who help appoint them to specific officer positions. This year, the state officer training was held June 2 - 5 at the Unicoi State Park and Lodge. They were appointed to the following positions for their respective student organizations for the 2022 - 23 school year:

Georgia Student Government Association State Officers

President - Justin Smith, Gwinnett Technical College; Vice President - Kesley Paulk, Southeastern Technical College; Secretary - Alaina Lee, Southeastern Technical College

Georgia Phi Beta Lambda State Officers

President - Samantha Byers, North Georgia Technical College; Executive Vice President - Ai'Jona Perry, Southern Crescent Technical College; Vice President of Communication - Lexie Whittemore, North Georgia Technical College; Vice President of Membership - Seth McCracken, West Georgia Technical College.

SkillsUSA Georgia Postsecondary State Officers

President - Emily Pinto, Augusta Technical College; Vice President - Latisha Perkins, Savannah Technical College; Secretary - Paige Buhite, Lanier Technical College; Reporter - Justin McClellan, Augusta Technical College; Parliamentarian - Ashley Watson, Lanier Technical College

In addition, the state officer teams developed their programs of work for the upcoming school year. The training concluded with the Paper Plate Superlatives Ceremony where the officers shared something positive about a fellow state officer!

Student Parents Added as Priority Group for Financial Support for Child Care through Georgia’s Child Care Subsidy Program

The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) announced that student parents will now be considered a “priority group” for receiving financial assistance through the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program. CAPS is a program administered by DECAL that helps pay for childcare for families with no to low incomes so they can work or attend school. CAPS also helps families find high-quality early learning programs; maintain stability in their childcare arrangements; and connect families with resources to help them become self-sufficient by supporting the whole family.

Administered through DECAL, the CAPS Program is funded by the federal Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) as well as state funds. Typically, CAPS serves 50,000 children weekly, but in November 2021, Governor Brian P. Kemp and Commissioner Amy Jacobs designated funds from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) to expand the program by 10,000 children. The expansion is planned to continue through October 2024.

Timyrius Lewis Aims to be first HS Senior to Compete for Oconee Fall Line Tech’s Practical Nursing Program

A few weeks after completing his junior year of high school, Timyrius Lewis plans to be the first-ever high school student to compete for practical nursing classes at Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC).

OFTC’s Practical Nursing program is competitive and requires several core classes to be completed before a student can begin the competitive admissions process. Because of Lewis’s participation in dual enrollment classes, he’s way ahead of the game.

Lewis is a rising senior at Washington County High School in Sandersville and started taking dual enrollment classes in the ninth grade. He’s used the opportunity to start college early to get ahead and pursue a career in the medical field.

Technical College System of Georgia’s “It’s GO Time” Video Series Wins Gold in 43rd Annual Telly Awards

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) announced that the video series “It’s GO Time” won the Gold Award in the Social Video – Series: Education & Discovery category in the 43rd Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders from video platforms, television, streaming networks, and production companies including Adobe, Netflix, Dow Jones, Duplass Brothers Productions, Complex Networks, Jennifer Garner, A&E Networks, Hearst Media, Nickelodeon, ESPN Films, RYOT, Partizan, and Vimeo.

“It’s GO Time” is a video series produced by TCSG’s Adult Education division, in collaboration with Atomic Studios, that features students who made the decision to improve their lives by earning a high school equivalency diploma. Students from different backgrounds—with unique stories to tell—share their experience in the Adult Education program. The video series is intended to inspire more Georgians to pursue free high school equivalency classes to earn their GED, HiSET, or Career Plus credential.

New TCSG video released promoting HVAC programs

TCSG, in partnership with Trade Talks USA, released a new video highlighting the opportunities available to potential students interested in an HVAC career. Filmed at Columbus Technical College and the surrounding area, the video features graduates of Columbus Tech’s Air Conditioning Technology program.