GNTC names semi-finalists for 2019 GOAL award

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

Listed are students chosen as semi-finalists for the GOAL award showing (from left to right) the student’s name, county of residence, program of study, GNTC campus and nominating instructor:

• Lorayna Alan, Walker, Marketing, Floyd County Campus, Mark Upton
• Sarah Byrne, Bartow, Cybersecurity, Floyd County Campus, Jan Carney
• Grace Dunnaway, Bartow, Criminal Justice, Gordon County Campus, Tyler Gayan
• Brandon Neighbors, Catoosa, Automotive Technology, Walker County Campus, Troy Peco

The four GNTC students selected as semi-finalists for the GOAL award are (top from left to right) Lorayna Alan and Grace Dunnaway (bottom from left to right) Sarah Byrne and Brandon Neighbors.

“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 (TCSG), 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.

According to Waddington, a screening committee of administrators at GNTC selected the four semi-finalists from a list of students nominated by their instructors.

The four semi-finalists will advance to a second round of judging at Rome Floyd Chamber. 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 2019 GOAL winner.

The student judged most outstanding will be announced at the GOAL, Rick Perkins and EAGLE Presentation Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at noon at the Coosa County Club in Rome.

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 22 colleges of TCSG. Three finalists from the region will be named and will compete in the state GOAL competition in Atlanta, April 15-18, and vie to be named as the 2019 statewide GOAL winner. The completion will take place at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead.

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 TCSG functions.

As the grand prize, a new automobile will be awarded to the state GOAL winner.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of Northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma, or a certificate in business, health, industrial, or public service career paths. This past year, 12,785 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. With an annual credit enrollment of 7,499 students, GNTC is the largest college in Northwest Georgia. GNTC has an additional enrollment of 5,286 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training, and Georgia Quick Start. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.

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John Kenyon Assistant Director of Marketing & Public Relations