GNTC honors Spring 2025 graduates
Approximately 200 Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) students crossed the stage of the Forum River Center in Rome on Thursday, April 24, to the cheers of their families, friends and instructors.
After students, administrators and faculty marched into place during Processional, Invocation was led by Donny Holmes, program director and instructor of Construction Management at GNTC. Dr. Heidi Popham, president of GNTC, began the evening’s proceedings by welcoming everyone and congratulating the graduates.
“Some of you had an easy journey; some of you met struggles every semester,” Dr. Popham said. “No matter the route you took or the challenges you faced, each of you sits here tonight having surpassed each of those obstacles that threatened to get in the way of your success. You have reached this milestone, and your future is extremely bright.”
Stuart Phillips, vice president of Student Affairs and Student Success at GNTC, introduced commencement address speaker Robert Branum, GNTC’s 2025 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner.
Branum attends GNTC’s Catoosa County Campus in Ringgold. He previously attended GNTC in the 1990s and then pursued a career in Culinary Arts for nearly 20 years.
“At 40 years old, I found myself at a crossroads in life, not by choice but by necessity,” Branum said. He had started out as a line cook, eventually owned his own catering company and became an executive chef; that successful career ended abruptly after an accident left him disabled.
“I dealt with depression,” Branum said. “I dealt with isolation, and I felt I was failing as a father, a husband and a man. At the age of 46, I found myself in a very dark moment. I had to decide if was I going to let my disability define me, or was I going to redefine myself.”
Remembering his interest in computers as a young man, Branum picked up a GNTC course catalog and made an appointment with Dr. Dwight Watt, instructor of Computer Information Systems Technology at GNTC, to discuss a potential career in Cybersecurity. He said he realized that it wasn’t too late to pursue a new passion, and the decision to enroll at GNTC for the fall 2023 semester was life-changing.
“Georgia Northwestern Technical College has given me a second chance,” he said. “I am now focused on my success and my progress, instead of what I had lost.”
“Change is never easy,” he said. “It can be challenging and sometimes overwhelming, but your age, circumstances in life or setbacks do not have to be roadblocks in your life. They can become stepping stones to something more beautiful than you had ever thought possible.”
Legare Price, associate vice president of Student Success at GNTC, recognized High Honor and Honor graduates, as well as veterans, FBLA Collegiate members, SkillsUSA members and Student Government Association members.
Dr. Elizabeth Anderson, vice president of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness at GNTC, presented the graduates, and Dr. Popham conferred the graduates with associate degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Price administered the GNTC Alumni Association Oath prior to Dr. Anderson’s closing remarks.
Listed are graduates who participated in the 2025 Spring Commencement Ceremony showing (from left) the graduate’s name and program of study. This list does not include students who have graduated, but did not participate in the ceremony, or students who registered for the ceremony after the commencement program was printed:
Associate of Applied Science degree
- Matthew Spencer Albritton, Business Management
- Yesenia Alvarez, Business Management
- Hermetta Askew, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Dylan Baleon-Ruiz, Instrumentation and Controls Technician
- Tennie Bandy, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Kevin Barrientos-Torres, Applied Technical Management
- Dalton L. Bearden, Business Management
- Sara Boyer, Respiratory Care
- Paige L. Brackett, Business Technology
- Zackary Broome, Respiratory Care
- Odalis V. Cardoza, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Megan Dianne Victoria Carroll, Health Care Management
- Easton Childs, Construction Management
- Elijah Clark, Criminal Justice Technology
- Nathaniel Conlon, Aviation Maintenance Technology
- Michael Alvin Cruz, Respiratory Care
- Eva Elizabeth Cruz, Figueroa Construction Management
- Abbey Elizabeth Davenport, Drafting Technology
- Mayvelline De La Rosa, Respiratory Care
- Jodi Nicole Dominick, Accounting
- James Brandon Ellerbee II, Aviation Maintenance Technology
- Carmen Yesenia Espino, Business Management
- Yetziel Xavier Figueroa, Criminal Justice Technology
- Stephanie Follins, Culinary Arts
- Brezsea Fugate, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Fabiola Trinidad Garcia, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Linda Gomez, Criminal Justice Technology
- Mary Graham, Business Management
- Roman Guzman, Construction Management
- Brandon O. Guzman Cornejo, Construction Management
- Gabriela Ariana Hernandez, Construction Management
- Javier Hernandez Jr., Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- Allison Hicks, Business Management
- Crystal Hudspeth, Business Management
- Daniel Nahshon Illangovan, Drafting Technology
- Joseph Q. Kinnebrew, Construction Management
- Rebecca Renee Krummert, Business Management
- Destiny Nicole Langley, Accounting
- Jakeem Lawrence, Business Management
- Heather Lebel-Kittle, Business Healthcare Technology
- Dakota T. LeCroy, Respiratory Care
- Monica J. Lee, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Isaac Lopez, Criminal Justice Technology
- Josue Lopez, Construction Management
- Josue Daniel Lopez, Construction Management
- Gavin Lowery, Computer Support Specialist
- Randall Clark Lynn, Business Management
- Ivana M. Martinez Franco, Construction Management
- Robert V. Moore Jr., Construction Management
- Atzi A. Moreno, Business Management
- Cheyenne Skye Overby, Respiratory Care
- Sierra Overby, Business Management
- Bridgette Marie Pedraza, Respiratory Care
- Katie Perez, Business Management
- Herman A. Perez-Bartolo, Accounting
- Hannah Elizabeth Peterson, Industrial Systems Technology
- Melissa Pineda, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Raul Real, Automotive Technology
- Anthony Jayro Reyes, Industrial Systems Technology
- Denisa Reyes, Respiratory Care
- Rolando Reyes Cornejo, Construction Management
- Dorothy Janelle Richardson, Drafting Technology
- Armando L. Rodriguez, Automotive Technology
- Joshua Cole Sexton, Marketing Management
- Rance Edward Smith, Construction Management
- Ryder Mitchell Smith, Construction Management
- Tyler A. Smith, Drafting Technology
- Haign C. Stephens, Construction Management
- Ashley Stuart, Business Management
- Jackson Taylor, Construction Management
- Autumn G. Thomas, Business Management
- Francisco J. Triana, Construction Management
- Lisa Ann VanDuser, Business Management
- Alexander Joseph Watson, Culinary Arts
- Robert Dean White, Business Management
- Marissa Danielle Wood, Respiratory Care
- Katie Worley, Marketing Management
- Brooklyn Danielle Wyatt, Business Management
- Tevin A. Zachery, Respiratory Care
Associate of Science in Nursing
- Morgan J. Bradford
- Tiffany Alexis Dobson
- Charity P. Howington
- Melissa Hughes
- Hope D. Jones
- Chasity Evans Kiser
- Victoria H. McCallie
- Savanna Halie Perkins
- Kimberly Rivera
- Stacie Lalissa Sheram
- Patrick O. Simmons Jr.
- Megan H. Wells
- Alexia Paige Young
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Diploma
- Dorothy Adams, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Charles D. Allen, Precision Machining and Manufacturing
- Erick Alvarez, Welding and Joining Technology
- Patricia Barrett, Accounting
- Xavier Campos, Business Management
- Elias H. Carranza Camacho, CNC Technology
- Casandra R. Chapman, Business Healthcare Technology
- Alexander I. Cortes, Welding and Joining Technology
- Gladys Debora, Accounting
- Taylor Abigail Everett, Business Healthcare Technology
- Blake Taylor Floyd, Electrical Systems Technology
- Giovanni Garza, Auto Collision Repair
- Austin M. Hightower, Auto Collision Repair
- Marvin Ixmay Vicente, Culinary Arts
- Carrie L. Lacey, Early Childhood Care and Education
- Yahir Martinez-Morillon, Air Conditioning Technology
- Logan L. Newberry, Electrical Control Systems
- Hannah K. Pace, Business Management
- Ezau Resendiz Munoz Jr., Auto Collision Repair
- Griselda Reyes, Auto Collision Repair
- Jack E. Showalter, Electrical Systems Technology
- Alfredo Sosa, Industrial Systems Technology
- Alfredo Torres Saldivar, Welding and Joining Technology
- Jesse Lee Turner, Welding and Joining Technology
- Jonathan Valdez, Auto Collision Repair
- Jason Ward Jr., CNC Technology
Technical Certificate of Credit
- Cassidy Andrews, Healthcare Billing and Coding Specialist
- Guadalupe Arias, Clinical Office Assistant
- Vernon C. Ash, Vertical Shielded Metal Arc Welder Fabricator
- Tonya L. Baker, Clinical Office Assistant
- Devon Barnes, Marketing Specialist
- Irma Sophia Bautista, Healthcare Billing and Coding Specialist
- Colton Blake Burk, Advanced Shielded Metal Arc Welder
- Emely Calderon, Microsoft Word Application Professional
- Jhoselin Calderon-Barrios, Marketing Specialist
- Eunice T. Cervantes Abonse, Central Sterile Supply Processing Technician-Adv
- Skylar Chamness, Healthcare Billing and Coding Specialist
- Adriana Natalie Churchill, Marketing Specialist
- Elisama Sarai Cifuentes De Leon, Marketing Specialist
- Brittany E. Davis, Clinical Office Assistant
- Christian Delira, Construction Manager
- Janiyia Dennis, CNA (Nurse Aide Accelerated)
- Isila Diaz-Ambrocio, Salon and Spa Support Specialist
- Leslie D. Dowdy, Clinical Office Assistant
- Harrison James East, Basic Mechatronics Specialist
- Samantha Gray Gonzalez, Clinical Office Assistant
- Nayeli Granados, Administrative Support Assistant
- Taylor Guice, Clinical Office Assistant
- Kylee M. Hendrix, Medical Front Office Specialist
- James W. Holland, Vertical Shielded Metal Arc Welder Fabricator
- Megan Humphrey, Clinical Office Assistant
- Brenda J. Joaquin, Accelerated Phlebotomy Technician
- Jonazia Coriana Johnson, Phlebotomy Technician
- Nuluu Johnson, Marketing Specialist
- Adeline H. Jones, Medical Front Office Assistant
- Tyler Kidd, Gas Tungsten Arc Welder
- Charity Langston, CNA (Nurse Aide Accelerated)
- Amanda Lankford, Medical Coding
- Natoshia Lynn Leight, Healthcare Billing and Coding Specialist
- Caden Long, Basic Shielded Metal Arc Welder
- Byron Elisman Lopez, Electrical Technician
- Laranda Mabry, CNA (Nurse Aide Accelerated)
- Yasmin Martinez, Administrative Support Assistant
- Nairobi Sunev Martinez Vazquez, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
- Danielle Ferranti McCollum, Clinical Office Assistant
- Kaelin McNell, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
- Yanira Mejia, Phlebotomy Technician
- Brayden P. Miller, Vertical Shielded Metal Arc Welder Fabricator
- Evan Mitchell, Vertical Shielded Metal Arc Welder Fabricator
- Ryley Aliceson Mobley, Salon and Spa Support Specialist
- Amanda I. Moore, Clinical Office Assistant
- Caroline Samantha Mulkey, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
- Arlyn Dixie Mull, Accelerated Phlebotomy Technician
- Jackson Logan Mull, Administrative Support Assistant
- Brayden John-Anthony Myles, Gas Tungsten Arc Welder
- Payton M. O’Donnell, Logistics and Supply Chain Technician
- Winiferd Dijanni Palma, Criminal Justice Specialist
- Tania Pastor, Clinical Office Assistant
- Callie Marie Payne, Healthcare Billing and Coding Specialist
- Destiny Pellom, Criminal Justice Specialist
- Tiffany Peters, Child Development Specialist
- Omar Pina Jr., Commercial Wiring
- Amandla C. Ransom, Salon and Spa Support Specialist
- Rhonda Starr Redwine, CNA (Nurse Aide Accelerated)
- Lalita Reed, Clinical Office Assistant
- Jeremiah L. Reese Jr., Marketing Specialist
- Taylor Revette, Medical Front Office Assistant
- Jennifer Reyes, Cosmetology for Licensure
- Yoshelyn Rodriguez, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
- Charles Scott Jr., Administrative Support Assistant
- Courtney Taylor, Self Clinical Office Assistant
- Love Preet Singh, Administrative Support Assistant
- Ashton K. St. John, Advanced PLC and HMI Technician II
- Angela Stanley, Medical Front Office Assistant
- Elijah Thomason, Diesel Engine Service Technician
- Gavin H. Turpin, Aviation Maintenance Technician-Airframe
- David I. Uribe, PC Repair and Network Technician
- Eduardo Valdez, Aviation Maintenance Technician
- Rosalinda Vicente-Esteban, Administrative Support Assistant
- Odalis Maria Vicente-Vicente, Marketing Specialist
- Autumn Elizabeth Wells, Salon and Spa Support Specialist
- Megan Gunn Western, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
- Jarocquez K. Williams, Marketing Specialist
- Carlean Jenae Wilson, Medical Coding
- Sheldyn M. Yancey, Automotive Engine Performance Technician
- Cassandra Young, Accelerated Phlebotomy Technician
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 aviation, business, health, industrial or public service career paths. This past year, 13,775 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,836 students and an additional enrollment of 4,939 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start.
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