GNTC names semifinalists for GOAL award

Four Georgia Northwestern Technical College students have been selected as the college’s semifinalists for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership, according to Dione Waddington, coordinator for the college’s GOAL program.

Listed are students chosen as semi-finalists for the GOAL award showing the student’s name, hometown, program of study, GNTC campus, and nominating instructor:

Grace Dunnaway of Calhoun, criminal justice, Gordon County Campus, Tyler Gayan

Valina Hopson of Dallas, radiologic technology, Floyd County Campus, Teresa Resch

Jill McBee of Fort Oglethorpe, social work, Walker County Campus, Pam Turner

Macey Morgan of Dalton, business management and nursing, Floyd County Campus, Lisa Russell

“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 Waddington.

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 22 technical colleges as well as one Board of Regents’ college with a technical education division.

The four semi-finalists will advance to a second round of judging at Rome Floyd Chamber where a panel of business, civic, and industry leaders from the community will interview and evaluate the students and select one to be the college’s 2018 GOAL winner. The student judged most outstanding will be announced at the GOAL and Rick Perkins Awards luncheon held on Jan. 30, at noon at the Coosa County Club.

The GOAL and Rick Perkins Awards luncheon is sponsored by The Seven Hills Rotary Club, Rome Floyd Chamber, and Georgia Northwestern Technical College.

All college GOAL winners will compete in regional judging, which will include students from the other 21 colleges of TCSG as well as the Board of Regents’ college with a technical education division. Three finalists from the region will be named and will compete in the state GOAL competition in Atlanta and vie to be named as the 2017 statewide GOAL winner.

The state GOAL winner becomes the student ambassador for the Technical College System of Georgia. They will make many public appearances throughout the year, including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, the Governor, and other the TCSG functions.

As the grand prize, a new automobile provided by Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia will be awarded to the state GOAL winner.