Jacquelyn Beck to represent GNTC in ’24 regional GOAL competition
Jacquelyn Beck, a Health Care Assistant student, will represent Georgia Northwestern Technical College at the 2024 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership regional competition.
Jennifer Stephenson, instructor of Medical Assisting at GNTC, nominated Beck, a resident of Rockmart and former U.S. Marine, for the award. Beck graduated from the Medical Assisting program in 2023 and reenrolled in 2024 as a Health Care Assistant student to get her prerequisites for the nursing program. She attended classes at GNTC’s Floyd County Campus in Rome.
“Jackie always has a ‘can do’ attitude,” Stephenson said. “Even though she was of similar age as her classmates, she was always the class leader — probably her military background shining through.”
Beck won the gold medal in Medical Assisting at the 2023 at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference after earning the gold medal in the category at
the 2023 SkillsUSA Georgia competition.
Although Beck faced many family and financial challenges to get into the Medical Assisting program, she completed the program and now works at Harbin Clinic Immediate Care, where her attention to detail and conscientiousness quickly made her an indispensable team member, Stephenson said.
Beck said she chose a tech
nical education because it “provides high quality education that can be used immediately after completion of short, but important, certification programs.”
Her education is helping propel her to “a long-lasting and fulfilling career in the medical field, allowing me to utilize the skills I learned throughout my life and during my time attending technical college,” she said. “Attending
GNTC has helped me realize my potential, provided one-on-one tutoring and given me an opportunity to expand my knowledge so I can achieve my future goals.”
If chosen on March 12 as a regional GOAL winner, Beck will compete at the state level against regional winners from the other regions of Georgia at the GOAL and Rick Perkins State Conference April 29 through May 2 in Atlanta.
A panel of leaders from business, industry and government will choose the Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG) GOAL winner for 2024 and recipient of the GOAL medallion. The 2024 Student of the Year and state GOAL winner will serve as TCSG’s student ambassador during a number of system and college functions throughout the year.
Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia will award a new automobile as the grand prize to the state GOAL winner.
Ashley Marie Cowan, a Respiratory Care student from Adairsville, was originally named GNTC’s 2024 GOAL winner but is unable to represent the college this year.