Chattahoochee Tech students Jessica Hollis, Kelly Beyermann, and Connie Curry recently competed in the State Leadership Conference for Phi Beta Lambda.

(Marietta, Ga. – April 21, 2015) Three Chattahoochee Technical College students attended the 2015 Phi Beta Lambda State Leadership Conference at the Westin Atlanta Hotel on April 9-12, 2015. The conference is attended by many students from two-year and four-year colleges, including more than 280 competing in business events such as Accounting, Client Services, Word Processing and Social Media Campaign.

“Phi Beta Lambda provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate abilities and skills learned in the classroom,” said Lisa Houston, Business Administrative Technology Instructor and Phi Beta Lambda Organization Adviser. “We’re very proud of these three students on their accomplishments.”

At the State Conference Awards Banquet, Business and Administrative Technology student Kelly Beyermann of Woodstock received first place in Personal Finance and was nominated to Who’s Who in Georgia Phi Beta Lambda. Beyermann, along with fellow Business and Administrative Technology student Jessica Hollis of Villa Rica received second place in Business Ethics. Hollis also received fourth place in Project Management. Logistics and Supply Chain Management student Connie Curry of Kennesaw competed in both Justice Administration and Word Processing. Beyermann and Hollis will compete and represent Georgia at the Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference in June at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago.

Since the chartering of Phi Beta Lambda at the Paulding Campus of Chattahoochee Technical College in 1999, the college has sent one or more students, with the exception of 2013, to compete at the annual Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference. Houston, Campus Life Assistant Bernita Akinsipe and Accounting Instructor Nate Akins also attended the conference with the students and served as competitive event judges and administrators.

About Future Business Leaders of America/Phi Beta Lambda: Phi Beta Lambda is the college division of Future Business Leaders of America and is the world’s largest and oldest business organization. With nearly a quarter of a million members, Phi Beta Lambda offers opportunities for students to prepare for successful employment in the workforce through leadership opportunities, academic competitions, and attending conferences. Meetings are held each month at the Marietta Campus. For more information about Phi Beta Lambda, visit www.fbla-pbl.org.   If you are interested in joining Phi Beta Lambda, please contact Lisa Houston at lisa.houston@chattahoocheetech.edu.

(Jasper, Ga. – April 22, 2015) The prices for going to prom are not cheap, especially when adding in formal clothing, accessories, activities, transportation, and a nice meal. Chattahoochee Technical College Cosmetology Instructor Jeannie Ingram and her students at the school’s Appalachian Campus are wanting to help with one of those expenses. Pickens High School students attending the prom Saturday, May 2, are eligible to make an appointment for a free hair styling for their special night.

“I thought it would be a great way to connect with the high school and potential students while giving back at the same time,” said Ingram. “It’s also a great experience for my current students.”

Those interested in participating should bring a picture of how they would like their hair styled and any makeup they want to have applied. Current trends include loose beach waves and side swept styles, according to Ingram.

Chattahoochee Technical College’s Cosmetology Program is taught at the diploma-level and emphasizes specialized training in theory; safety; sanitation; state laws, rules and regulations; chemistry; anatomy and physiology; skin and nail care; hair coloring; reception; lab and salon management. The curriculum meets licensing requirements of the State of Georgia Board of Cosmetology. After examination and receipt of a Master Cosmetologist license, graduates are employable as cosmetologists, salon owners or managers, estheticians, nail technicians, platform artists or industry sales representatives. Courses are offered Appalachian, Marietta and North Metro Campuses.

“Since receiving my license I have had the opportunity in my career to enjoy everything this license can offer, salon/spa owner, industry rep, test salon for new products and one of the most enjoyable things – an international platform artist,” said Ingram. “I love the career I have, and want nothing more than to share all of my experiences and knowledge with my students.”

Appointments will be available between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. that day at the salon in Building D. For more information or to schedule an appointment e-mail Jeannie.Ingram@ChattahoocheeTech.edu.

Grill Sergeants took the top prize for team members Antoine Guerrier, Savannah Casey and Tevin Mathis.

(Marietta, Ga. – April 23, 2015) Garbage cans took on a new use at Chattahoochee Technical College’s Mountain View Campus Thursday. The college’s White Hat Brigade – a student organization for Culinary Arts students – held a barbecue competition with 15 students competing in four teams for recognition and prizes. Prizes, which included Chattahoochee Technical College paraphernalia and cutlery, were donated by the White Hat Brigade and Mercer Culinary.

Students were asked to enter two of the three categories of brisket, pork shoulder, or pork ribs. Side dishes were also required, which could include everything from cole slaw and macaroni to jalapeno poppers and potato salad. Students had approximately 4 hours to cook over the open flames in a galvanized garbage can that had been bought specifically for the event. Each category was judged on taste/flavor, presentation, and texture/tenderness.

This was not the first time for the event, which was last held five years ago. According to Program Director Chef Hillary Gallagher, the students showed an interest so the event was revived. Each fall students in the program have the opportunity to compete in chili cook offs and gingerbread house competitions.

“It is an important facet of the program for students to be involved,” said Gallagher. “Students enjoy the chance to have fun outside the classroom and it gives them additional familiarity that they might not otherwise experience.”

It was the opportunity to participate that drew Culinary Arts Student Savannah Casey of Cartersville to the competition. Casey, who works at Barnsley Gardens in addition to going to school at Chattahoochee Technical College, was a one of the members of the winning team, Grill Sergeants team.

“I did the chili cook off before and wanted to continue to be involved,” said Casey. “In high school I was always finding opportunities to participate so I am happy to carry that over to college as well.”

Teams and results included:

The Big Whisk (third place overall; first in student’s choice):

• Noah Bazarte of Marietta
• Alec Beaty of Marietta
• Karli Painton of Dallas
• Megan Trax of Acworth

Sweet Smoke BBQ (fourth overall):

• Breana Poole of Power Springs
• Sewon Jung of Lawrenceville
• Ronalyn Menorca of Marietta
• Zandra Buser of Marietta

Divine Swine (second overall):

• Christina Sanchez of Smyrna
• Ashley Laster of Marietta
• Montinque Baugh of Acworth
• Rashaan Evans of Atlanta

Grill Sergeants (first overall):

• Antoine Guerrier of Douglasville
• Savannah Casey of Cartersville
• Tevin Mathis of Kennesaw

According to Guerrier of the winning team, the secret to the brisket and ribs prepared by the three team members “was all about the rub.”

Chattahoochee Technical College offers diploma and degree programs through its respected Culinary Arts program at the Mountain View Campus. The 62-hour degree program prepares students for the culinary profession. The program emphasizes a combination of culinary theory and practical application necessary for successful employment. Graduates who are current practitioners will benefit through enhancement of career potential. Those entering the culinary arts field will be prepared to pursue diverse opportunities as cooks, bakers or caterers/culinary managers.

(Marietta, Ga. – April 28, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College is introducing a new tool to help prospective and current students navigate the daunting and challenging course of career exploration with VirtualJobShadow.com. The system, which was purchased by the Technical College System of Georgia for all 23 of the state’s technical colleges, uses three to four-minute videos to capture a day in the life of workers in different career fields. Professionals featured in the videos provide advice to job seekers on topics that range from educational requirements, needed skills, working conditions and personal comments about the joys and challenges of the work.

“Virtual Job Shadow is a free online career planning and career exploration resource that provides all the tools and resources for charting a career path by choice, not chance,” said Chattahoochee Technical College Career Services Coordinator Annette Davis.

According to Davis, the tool offers job seekers more than the ability to watch the videos that are available. Other features include employment outlook/earnings information, a post-secondary school search, career search, job and internship search, career assessments, interactive features such as pop quizzes, playlists, and interactive career videos and a link to Chattahoochee Tech’s Twitter feed.

More than 3,000 students utilize the resources of Career Services each semester. From taking assessments to figure out the best career path and program of study to finding internships and job opportunities related to that career path near graduation, Career Services provides information, events, and advice to better prepare students and graduates. This new tool by Strivven Media will help make that process more useful and relatable, according to Davis.

“Job and career searches continue to update and grow with technology,” she added. “Trends now include applying online, networking and attending related events. However, it’s still always important to have a general idea of your goals for a career. This can be done via career assessments, informational interviews, meeting with career advisors, research, and job shadowing.”

For more information on Career Services at Chattahoochee Technical College visit www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu/career-services/. Non-CTC students and graduates can send an e-mail to Career Services at career.services@chattahoocheetech.edu for access to the Virtual Job Shadow program.

(Dallas, Ga. – April 30, 2015) David E. Loos II of Waleska wanted to find a cure for cancer, according to Chattahoochee Technical College Program Director Quentina Pittman-Howell. It was that motivation to cure the disease that had claimed the life of his grandmother Susan Jenness that led him to pursue an associate degree in nursing at the college where he was on schedule to graduate in December 2014. However, the 24-year-old passed away May 15 that year.

“It has been overwhelming for us and how many lives he touched in such a short period of time,” said his mother Patricia Ann Loos.

His mother, father, and sister were surrounded by several of Loos’s classmates, friends, instructors, Dr. Ron Newcomb and other administrators in a ceremony coordinated by the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation Wednesday to dedicate a bench in honor of the nursing student. It was a project spearheaded by those he had gone to class with through his time at the college.

“You just couldn’t forget him once you met him,” said classmate and program graduate Jennifer Easterling. “We hope this bench will bring future nurses a place to feel his spirit and his energy and know that they can make it through the hardest 16 months of your life.”

Described as outgoing, friendly, good at math, and inspiring, Loos was one of 38 students in the program’s cohort at that time. Pittman-Howell said that he was a great student, always friendly and eager.

“When you’re a faculty member, you really hope that you have a student who values the profession and wants to be a nurse,” Pittman-Howell said. “I appreciate David because he was in it for the long haul.”

The bench, which is inscribed with his name sits outside the B building at the Paulding Campus in Dallas. While Loos took his classes at the college’s Austell campus, the nursing program is in the process of moving to its new home in Paulding County where students will study just upstairs from it.

“You can see that he had a loving family that loved him, nurtured him, and still misses him,” said Dr. Newcomb. “You can see that he made an impact on lives. You hear that from the students who were in class with him. You can see that he was a smart man because all these students in the nursing program are smart folks. I’m sure he took a lot of pride in being in that program and a part of this great group of people. It is also clear that he would have been a great nurse.”

“It continues to mean so much to us that you all remember him,” said his sister, Meredith Loos, who told the current cohort of nursing students that her brother would have been encouraging them the whole way. “He would be coaching you and telling you that you can do it. Just stick with it, you can do it.”

Steven Hartman, Chief Technology Officer for the Power Generation Services Business in GE Power & Water, takes a selfie with the graduating class during the ceremony. #CTCGrad

(Marietta, Ga. – May 1, 2015) It might seem fitting that the commencement speaker at Chattahoochee Technical College’s 2015 graduation spoke about technology, including taking a selfie with the graduates and instructing them to text their thanks to the people who had supported them in their educational journey. Steven Hartman, Chief Technology Officer for the Power Generation Services Business in GE Power & Water, served as the speaker for the ceremony, texted his own thank you message to his mother who raised three children and only stopped working recently at age 80.

“My advice to you is to work hard, help others and be good,” Hartman said in a speech that quoted C.S. Lewis, Walt Disney, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Culinary Arts students prepare to graduate.

Close to 400 graduates walked in a ceremony in front of a nearly packed house at the Cobb Energy Centre. Earning associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. More than 2,500 graduates were honored in a ceremony for students who finished their programs of study in the Summer of 2014, Fall of 2014 or Spring of 2015.

Hartman also encouraged the graduates of Chattahoochee Technical College to continue learning whether in their jobs or in their personal lives. That was a sentiment echoed by many of the graduates who are already pursuing higher degrees or planning to do so in the near future.

For Caty Carlson of Hiram, who graduated with her father, Clay Carlson (Air Conditioning Technology), Chattahoochee Technical College’s Technical Specialist Certificate offered her the opportunity to earn credit for general education classes close to home and at an affordable price. She is now studying at Kennesaw State University as junior. Soon Carlson will have other CTC alum around the campus as Woodstock residents Meghan Moriarity and Agbeti Tete both chose to study at the Georgia’s largest technical college for its lower tuition, convenient locations and small class sizes.

Jasper resident and Business Management graduate Charlene Higgins is also continuing her education, but she is now at Reinhardt University. While Higgins lives not far from the Appalachian Campus of the college and attended classes both in Jasper and at the Canton Campus, she said she is a big advocate of technical education.

“Sometimes you walk into a place and know it is right,” she said. “That’s the way it was for me and Chattahoochee Technical College. I tell everyone I know about it.”

Vintrice Wright of Marietta couldn’t resist adding her own style to her cap and gown.

Another Business Management Graduate, Vintrice Wright of Marietta, said she too had chosen to go to a school that had a good reputation. Currently employed in an automotive finance position, she is hopeful that her new degree will help her move up into a supervisory position. The self-proclaimed lover of bling and anything shiny decorated her cap for the occasion with a message for her son Kaison.

Fire Science Graduate and U.S. Army Veteran Secunda Hughes of Gwinnett County also hoped that his graduation would send a message. The former paratrooper said that he knows that his graduation will motivate many of his friends to pursue an education.

“I’ve enjoyed the process and hope to take what I’ve learned back to other veterans to help them use their minds to get ahead,” Hughes said. “It’s a hard road to come back, but I know they can do it.”

Radiography graduates posed with Swoop.

Close to 20 military veterans wore red, white and blue honor cords for the ceremony 41 students who completed an associate of applied science or diploma program with a 4.0 cumulative grade point average wore gold cords.

The most popular area of study for graduates was Healthcare Sciences, including Associate Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Radiography, Physical Therapist Assistant, Health Information Management Technology, Medical Assisting, Healthcare Assistant certificates and Healthcare Science certificates. This was followed by programs in the area of business, including Accounting, Business Administrative Technology, Business Management, Marketing Management and programs in the field of Automotive, including Automotive Technology, Auto Collision Repair, Automotive Fundamentals and other Automotive Certificates.

(Marietta, Ga. – May 11, 2015) Students in Chattahoochee Technical College’s Interiors program flexed their design muscles to create a new look for the Tallulah Gorge State Park Visitors’ Center, which includes both a gift shop and offices. Considered one of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern U.S., Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep and spans the border between Habersham and Rabun counties in Northeast Georgia.

“Interiors students taking a commercial design studio course presented a concept to a team from Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites,” said Chattahoochee Technical College Instructor Ginger Burton. “The challenge was to propose design plans for Tallulah Gorge State Park visitor center facilities. The students were able to provide some innovative ideas, and showcase their skills learned through the interior design program.”

The class features long and short term projects which address real-life design situations and begins to develop competence in solving residential and commercial design problems. Assignments include the principles and elements of design, space planning, materials selection, graphic presentation, project documentation and implementation and client presentation techniques. Students worked individually and used multiple design software tools, according to Burton, and the project required an understanding of retail merchandising and use of office space. Each material needed was resourced, along with all furniture, lighting, and cabinetry.  Burton added that all nine students had a unique design concept, and the ideas were well received.

“The time and detail they devoted to this project was fabulous,” said Retail Merchandising Manager for Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites Penny Dunn.

Assistant Park Manager Jessica James-Weems also expressed her enthusiasm in seeing how to better use their existing space, calling the drawings an “eye-opening” look at the center.

Offered at the Chattahoochee Technical College Mountain View Campus, Interiors is designed to prepare students for employment in a variety of positions in today’s interior field. With career opportunities in such areas as the retail sector, architecture and design firms, sales of specialty products, visual merchandising and in several niche areas, students at CTC choose between the diploma or degree programs. Both options provide education in the basics of design fundamentals, color theory, floor plan arrangement, window treatments, material selection, drafting and drawing and lighting. There is also an emphasis on business practices for entrepreneurial students wanting to start a business after graduation. Students focus on both presentation and technological skills before taking part in internships within the industry.

For more information on this and other programs at Chattahoochee Technical College, visit www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu or call 770-528-4545.

(Jasper, Ga. – May 14, 2015) Two Chattahoochee Technical College Automotive Collision Repair students recently learned they had won scholarships through the Collision Repair Education Foundation and the organization’s industry supporters.

“Each year I encourage my students to apply for these scholarships,” said Chattahoochee Technical College Instructor Daniel Bell. “These awards offer opportunities for future professionals to pay for college or obtain vital tools for the industry.”

For the first time, Chattahoochee Technical College had two recipients:

Alfonza Cooper of Atlanta received the 2015 Collision Repair Education Foundation ABRA Auto Body and Glass Tool Grant. The grant includes $2,000 of Snap-On tools for his career. Eight such grants were awarded.

Kevin Galloway of Blue Ridge received the 2015 Collision Repair Foundation’s Atlanta I-CAR Committee Scholarship. The award is up to $5,000 to be used for tuition, room, board and required supplies while studying collision repair in college.

High school and post-secondary collision students attending career and technical colleges had the opportunity to apply for more than $200,000 in scholarships and tool grants. Winners are selected by members of the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s Board of Trustees Selection Committee.

Exclusive to the Appalachian Campus in Jasper, the Automotive Collision Repair program has been in existence since 1968. The 48-credit hour program is available at the diploma level with specializations in paint and refinishing. Students study and practice using the I-CAR curriculum, an industry recognized training that is standard in repair centers and other places of employment for CTC graduates.

For more information on this and other programs at Chattahoochee Technical College, visit www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu or call 770-528-4545.

(Acworth, Ga. – May 19, 2015) According to Chattahoochee Technical College American Heart Association Training Center Coordinator Shelby Martin, Cardiovascular disease is the nation’s No. 1 killer and many of those deaths – about 250,000 per year – occur suddenly and without warning due to sudden cardiac arrest. A victim of sudden cardiac arrest is likely to die within minutes if CPR and defibrillation do not occur. A CPR-trained person can make a positive difference in such a situation.

In honor of CPR Week, which runs June 1-7, Chattahoochee Technical College will be offering free Friends and Family CPR classes. This is a community CPR course and does not meet CPR certification requirements of employment or required professional credentials. According to the AHA, the hands-only CPR technique, which is the one taught in the class, has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR for sudden cardiac arrest, doubling or even tripling a victim’s chance of survival. The hands only technique is also taught online at heart.org/handsonlycpr. Registration is required for these classes.

“When a bystander provides effective CPR to a cardiac arrest victim, they can double or triple that person’s chance of survival,” said Martin. “The best response for a cardiac arrest victim is to have willing bystanders that are trained and equipped. In an effort to raise public awareness of what we can all do to help save a life, we will be offering these classes for free or at a discounted rate.”

Those wanting more information and practice may register for the HeartSaver CPR and AED class at a discounted rate that week. The course, which costs $25, offers a certification for those who need it for work outside of a healthcare setting.  This is also appropriate for community members wanting to go more in-depth than just hands on CPR or those wishing to obtain a certification.

Additionally, those needing certification for a healthcare position, may register for the Basic Life Support classes at a cost of $25. This is a certification course for individuals in the healthcare field needing adult, child and infant CPR, AED and choking prevention. All of these classes are offered at different times during the year at Chattahoochee Technical College’s North Metro Campus at regular rates. Fees for the week of June 1 through June 7 have been reduced or waived in honor of CPR Week.

For more information or to register, please call 770-528-3538 or visit the program’s website at www.chattahoocheetech.edu/american-heart-association.

(Marietta, Ga. – May 29, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College welcomed one of its own as the new chief of police when Charles Spann was sworn in on Friday. Spann, who was originally hired as one of the department’s officers a little more than four years ago, accepted the position to succeed retired Chief Darrell Streefkerk.

“Ever since he arrived at Chattahoochee Technical College, he has invested his time and heart into the department,” said Director of Public Safety Willis Wade. “He was instrumental in helping us move from a security based department to a recognized and certified police department. He readily took on the challenge of setting up the areas of communications and records, as well as developing them to the point that they are fully operational now.”

With a career that started during his years in the United States Air Force, he has experience both in the military and local law enforcement. That experience includes 26 years with the Cobb County Police Department and his most recent tenure at the Powder Springs Police Department.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Spann’s experience includes such areas as investigations in the following areas; crimes against children, crimes against property, Internal Affairs and pre-employment background. Along with his Master Instructor’s license with the Air Force, he holds POST certifications as an instructor, Departmental Training Officer and Public Information Officer. He has served as Chattahoochee Technical College Department Training Officer, Records Administrator, Communications Administrator, Public Information Officer and TAC (Terminal Agency Coordinator). His plans for leading the college’s police department are to continue building on the foundation established by Streefkerk and Wade.

“I want to continue the great job that was done by both the Chief and the Director,” said Spann. “They have established a firm foundation for us to use to continue in the areas of public service, training and morale.”

Spann said that one of the challenges of college police departments is that the work can be quite different from that of local law enforcement agencies. While public safety is the primary function of the department, it is also necessary to create a pleasant environment for faculty, staff, students and visitors to any of Chattahoochee Technical College’s eight campuses.

“I will be encouraging the officers to be more visible,” Spann said. “It is important that our officers are able to relate to all of our faculty, staff and students.”

Currently the Chattahoochee Technical College Police Department includes nine full-time police officers and 24 part-time police officers, who are augmented by security officers and dispatch. Officers are available at each of the college’s campuses.

(Marietta, Ga. – June 2, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College will be expanding its program offerings with a new diploma and certificate program in barbering this fall. The college already offers cosmetology classes at three of its campuses, the new barbering courses will be added to the schedule for the Marietta Campus.

The program’s new instructor Jerome Heath decided to turn to teaching his skillset because of his passion to give back to others. “I’ve always had a desire to see others reach their fullest potential,” he said. “I think the best skills that a student should possess are people skills. It is important for a potential student to have genuine interest in the better good of others.”

While this is a new program to Chattahoochee Technical College, there is evidence that the field has existed for thousands of years. The industry has evolved through the ages as tools and technologies have improved. And according to Health, there are many options available to licensed barbers beyond cutting and styling hair.

“Barbers can represent product manufacturers by educating their peers about the products of various men’s hair care companies,” he noted. “They can serve in the area of education for new barbers in a barber school setting. Barbers can become entrepreneurs owning their own shop and or school. Barbers can serve as product distributors. The technical knowledge that barbers receive in the area of product knowledge places them in a prime position to sell and distribute on behalf of men’s hair care companies.”

Offered at the diploma and certificate levels, classes will be held at the Marietta Campus on South Cobb Drive. The diploma level has been designed for potential students who are new to the hair care industry, while a technical certificate of credit is for those who possess a cosmetology license who desire to hold the master barber license. The program offers a wide variety of courses that give the student a well-rounded barber educational experience. Courses include the history of barbering, hygiene, life skills, personality, professional ethics and self-management.

The diploma program at Chattahoochee Technical College is designed to be taught over four semesters. In the first semester students take general education classes which includes English, math, computers and psychology. In the second semester students are introduced to courses in which they learn shop management, sterilization and sanitation, anatomy and introduction to cutting. In the third semester students begin to experience the lab setting, where, according to Heath, students get to learn in a setting much like a real barber shop. On this level they learn to cut, shave, color and perform facial treatments on live models. The fourth and final level of the program is where our students perform daily services in our lab. This final level also involves state board preparation.

Heath studied at SamVerly College, a private institution in Atlanta and holds a degree in biblical education from Beulah Heights University, a degree from Kaplan University in teacher education. He is presently working on a master of divinity degree from The Interdenominational Theological Seminary.

“I have taught barbering for 22 years and I recently discovered that some of my former students own barbershops in this area,” he said. “I look forward to working with my former students as advisors on our advisory board. They are doing great things. Whenever I encounter them the best way to describe how I feel is fulfillment. They put air under my wings.”

(Acworth, Ga. – June 9, 2015) Gretchen Corbin, The Technical College System of Georgia’s new Commissioner, paid a visit to the North Metro Campus of Chattahoochee Technical College on Monday, June 8.

Focusing on some of the campuses’ most popular programs, Dr. Ron Newcomb, CTC President, led Commissioner Corbin and Julia Ayers, TCSG Assistant Commissioner of External Affairs, on a tour of the campus. The tour began in the Health Education Center where the Commissioner met with students in the Radiography and Physical Therapist Assistant programs. Both programs are highly competitive and students in those programs have had a 100 percent pass rate on their national exams nearly every year since their inception.

“I reside in the Northwest Georgia area myself,” Corbin said, “so I know that we are going to need the expertise of students like you in the years to come. You should be proud of what you are accomplishing here.”

Commissioner Corbin also toured the campuses’ newest additions, a student center that was renovated in 2012 and the newly expanded library that was renovated in 2013. Corbin appreciated the peaceful “study areas” in the library for those students needing a quiet place to study.

In addition to also touring the Industrial and Economic Development buildings, Corbin was also treated to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) demonstration. Corbin was impressed with the fact that CTC is keeping up with advances in technology by teaching courses such as the UAV technology course through its Continuing Education Department.

“We were honored to have Commissioner Corbin visit our campus today,” said Dr. Newcomb. “We appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate what a fine institution we have and how our students are contributing to the growth and the strength of the local workforce.”

Corbin began her term as the new Commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia in January, replacing retiring TCSG Commissioner, Ron Jackson. Corbin was previously the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, a position that she held since 2013. Prior to that she served as the deputy commissioner for global commerce at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, where she had worked since 1998 in a wide variety of roles.

Check out a video here: (click)

TCSG Commissioner Gretchen Corbin visited a Physical Therapist Assistant Program Rehabilitation II course while touring the Chattahoochee Technical College North Metro Campus on June 8. Pictured are, from left, Lori Cano, Ron Webb, CTC Dean of Health Sciences, Heather Eaves, Whitney Tilley, Commissioner Corbin, Rose Rainey, Lauren Steffins, Bradley Mays, Timothy Hourigan, Matthew Herod, and Tyler King.

During TCSG Commissioner Gretchen Corbin’s tour of Chattahoochee Technical College’s North Metro Campus, she stopped by the Radiography program classroom and met the students on the first day of Summer Term. Pictured are, back row, Amanda Skelton and Karin Cutcliff. Second row, Hilary Herlinger, Cheryl Weaver, Commissioner Corbin, Megan Strickland and Brandi Carmichael. Last row, Dax Muse, Radiography Society president.

(Acworth, Ga. – June 12, 2015) The Chattahoochee Technical College Board of Directors met Tuesday at the North Metro Campus for the last time in Fiscal Year 2015. The Board, which elects officers each year, elected members Carl A. Moore Sr. and Tyre L. Rakestraw Jr. as the new chairman and vice-chairman. Their terms will run from July 1 through June 30, 2016.

“We are delighted to welcome both into these leadership positions on the board,” said Chattahoochee Technical College President Dr. Ron Newcomb. “With their individual backgrounds they offer an ideal combination of insight into the needs and wants of students and employers.”

Moore, who will serve as chairman for the upcoming term, is the senior pastor of the Allen Temple A.M.E. Church in Woodstock, where he has served since 1993. He was formerly a high school music teacher and has served as the minister of music for several churches. Additionally, he was employed with IBM Corporation for 25 years.

Rakestraw, who was elected as vice-chairman, is a retired United States Marine and retired educator. He has worked within the Paulding School System, holding various titles since 1970. He is also a member of multiple professional and civic organizations within the Paulding community and state.

The Board also welcomed two new members. John Cornelius Jr., who serves as the Area Manager of Customer Service Organization at Georgia Power, will represent Bartow County. Kevin McGagin, who serves as Vice President of C130J Production Operations at Lockheed Martin, will represent Cobb County. Additionally, Mark Haney was reappointed to a new term. Haney, who serves as President of WellStar Paulding Hospital and Senior VP of Construction and Real Estate, represents Paulding and Cobb counties. Officiating the Oath was the Honorable Mayor Tommy Allegood of Acworth.

“We are fortunate to have these additions and reappointments to the Board of Directors,” said Newcomb. “Their knowledge of workforce development and importance of technical education in this community is vital and will fit well with the board members in place.”

After nine years of service to the Board, Tracy Lewis will be stepping down from her position now that her term has ended. She is the founder and president of FasTrak Delivery and Warehouse Inc. in Cartersville. Lewis said she plans continue to serve as an active member of the President’s Bartow Council.

“Tracy has contributed tremendously to the Board and seen the college through an unprecedented merger and growth,” said Newcomb. “While we are going to miss her direction on the Board of Directors, we look forward to her continued service and commitment to the college.”

(Acworth, Ga. – June 11, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College is pleased to announce that a staff member has received a rarely-given state award recognizing excellence in his field. Jody Darby, who serves as the Executive Director of Student Financial Services, was recently honored with the Georgia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (GASFAA) Past Presidents’ Award for Distinguished Service.

Since GASFAA’s inception in 1967, its primary purpose has been to promote the professional preparation and effectiveness of financial aid administrators in our state through training and development. GASFAA’s membership is made up of more than 750 individuals from across more than 150 colleges, schools, and companies across Georgia.

“The award is in recognition for all that Jody has done to support others within the area of Student Financial Services—not only within GASFAA but also in our own system [Technical College System of Georgia] and in the State of Georgia,” said Catrice Hufstetler, Vice President of Administrative Services. “To put this award in perspective, the pool of candidates is comprised of staff from the technical college system, the Board of Regents [University System of Georgia], and private and proprietary colleges in our state. This is a huge honor.”

Chaired by Cathy Crawley, Director of Financial Aid at Georgia College and State University and GASFAA’s Immediate Past President, GASFAA’s Past Presidents’ Council seeks nominations and selects the recipient. Nominees must be GASFAA members with at least 10 years of service. Those selected for the award—which hasn’t seen a new recipient in seven years—must express leadership performance and have demonstrated contributions beyond what is expected from their respective positions. For more information about GASFAA, you can visit www.gasfaa.org.

Darby shares the honor with his staff.

“I cannot thank my staff enough—past and present. Being able to be active in state, regional, and national boards and activities can come only after I’m certain that students are taken care of first and foremost,” Darby said. “The support of my staff and peers is equally as important as the support from my supervisors above me. Nothing positive happens without surrounding oneself with the right people, and I am truly fortunate.”

Growing up on a family farm in northwest Georgia, Darby said he didn’t realize how a simple work-study position in Dalton State College’s Financial Aid Office would spark an interest in him as a college student fresh from high school and shape his entire career nearly 20 years later. He said student success has always been, and remains, a top professional goal and drives him daily.

“My current and former supervisors, including Catrice [Hufstetler] and [President] Dr. [Ron] Newcomb, have allowed me opportunities to be active in advocating on behalf of our students through professional association involvement, and their support is vitally important and sincerely appreciated,” Darby said. “This award is honestly a recognition of CTC Student Financial Services as a whole. I couldn’t ask for a better team or for better colleagues around the state who assist students and families, daily, in reaching their dreams of a college education and brighter tomorrows.”

Darby holds a Master of Business Administration from Shorter University and a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management from Kennesaw State University. He began working at North Metro Technical College, now Chattahoochee Technical College, in 2001 as the Financial Aid Administrator. He later took a hiatus from the college beginning in 2003, but Darby returned to NMTC in 2007 as Director of Financial Aid. He has been Executive Director of Student Financial Services at CTC since mid-2009. Darby is a May 2015 graduate of TCSG’s Administrative Services’ Executive Academy and will serve as CTC’s representative in TCSG’s Executive Leadership Academy beginning in July. He is a current board member of GASFAA, SASFAA (the nation’s nine-state southern region association) and Cherokee FOCUS. As well, he is an active volunteer for Georgia 4-H and for Distinguished Young Women of Georgia (formerly Junior Miss), and he resides in Calhoun.

(Marietta, Ga. – June 17, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College’s Television Production Technology Program has again been recognized for excellence during this year’s Southeastern Emmy Awards, held Saturday, June 6, at the Grand Hyatt in Atlanta. Student and Kennesaw resident Savannah Pratt’s film “Exploited No More” received the award for Student Production-News, while instructor Ian Feinberg received the Governor’s award from the board of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Southeast Chapter. In addition, student Katherine Hollyday, of Morrow, was nominated for her film “Ms. Donna’s Book Club.”

“Exploited,” focuses on the topic of human trafficking. “Ms. Donna’s Book Club” features an administrative assistant in Chattanooga, Tenn., who created a read-aloud group at her school and the difference it has made in the students there. The two were selected out of 14 students nominated in the Southeast. There were four finalists, including the two from Chattahoochee Technical College and two from the University of South Carolina.

“Both pieces are shot and edited well, and really do a good job at relating the stories of the subjects,” Feinberg said. “You really get a sense of who the people are in the segments and easily relate to their circumstances. That’s what we try to teach our students. It probably sounds like a broken record, but you can have the prettiest pictures and coolest editing, but if it doesn’t tell a story, then it is a poor piece.”

Feinberg’s award recognizes achievements by individuals, organizations or companies which do not fall within the structure of the Chapter’s regular Area Awards. Historically, Board of Governors Awards are for truly outstanding and unique accomplishments or for achievements of some duration and durability.

Feinberg was inducted into the Silver Circle by NATAS last year, an honor for those with more than 25 years of broadcast excellence and community commitment.

An interest in photography led Feinberg to his career. During his high school days a friend of his worked at a local television station. He began going there at night to self-train. The experience paid off when he was hired in the 10th grade.

“I loved every aspect of the work,” explained Feinberg. “In the two and a half years I worked at this station, I did everything – studio camera, building and lighting sets, audio, directing, film playback, shooting and editing film. It was more experience than most college students received in four years.”

Feinberg then attended the University of Georgia where he graduated from Film School. He was hired by WXIA in Atlanta where he worked for 20 years. His career has included many highlights, including travel, celebrities, shooting out of helicopters and planes, as well as several Emmy Award wins.

Now Feinberg has parlayed that same love for the industry into a career teaching at Chattahoochee Technical College. Through this role as the program’s lead instructor, he educates future industry leaders while he continues to direct and produce shows for television. Feinberg, along with other instructors in the program, routinely lead students through the process of shooting programs like the Shuler Hensley Awards and the Regional Emmy Awards presentations. Additionally, this past year his students worked under his direction as part of the crew on Play to Win – a weekly sports show broadcast each Saturday on Atlanta’s Fox 5. He has been with the college since 2001.

“When I graduated college,” said Feinberg, “my favorite professor told me to attach myself to the most talented person wherever I landed, which is what I did. I learned so much from some very talented people.”

Offered at Chattahoochee Technical College’s Mountain View campus in Cobb County, the television production technology program allows students to learn the behind-the-scene skills necessary to produce TV news, documentaries and entertainment shows. They learn to operate cameras in the studio and in the field, as well as producing, directing, writing, lighting, editing, audio, graphics and digital-animation skills. The program strives to stay current with the industry’s state-of-the-art equipment, including a modern, on campus studio that offers students the opportunity to use the tools they need for the job. Graduates of the program have a wide variety of job opportunities in the television and film production fields.

(Acworth, Ga. – July 1, 2015) This past school year, Chattahoochee Technical College students gave back to the community by working with various organizations geared toward serving others. While many students take summers off to explore other opportunities, these students teamed up with groups who help children, the elderly, and animals, as well as those that deal with health, crime prevention, and the environment, among others. On Friday, June 26, 2015, faculty, staff, and students celebrated the time committed to such efforts at the annual awards day.

“Throughout the six counties CTC serves, 1,231 students contributed more than 11,000 hours. The value of that time would equal about $252,000,” said Marian Muldrow, Faculty Director of Service Learning.

The Center for Service Learning urges instructors of the more than 45 different programs of study offered by the college to engage in projects and opportunities for students to participate in with local non-profit organizations. The center supports efforts to include experiential instruction with service in the community in order for students to enhance their career and social skills. Service learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.

Honored at this year’s event was CTC Computer Information Systems Technology Instructor David Busse. Winning the Superstar Award, Busse was recognized for his efforts in Community in Schools’ Reality U program where his students contributed more than 3,500 hours developing a web application for the organization.

“At the end of each semester we have a reflection exercise where I ask the students to think about their experiences interacting with a real client and building real software. We get several ideas about new techniques, new technologies, the dynamics of working as a team, learning to lead a team and so forth,” Busse said. “But what really got my attention was the observation that the students were able to help an organization that was trying to make things better.”

For more information on Chattahoochee Technical College, visit www.ChattahoocheeTech.edu or call 770-528-4545.

(Marietta, Ga. – June 6, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College student Michael Wells, a Criminal Justice Technology student and Sergeant with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, received a first-place gold medal for competing in this year’s SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. The event, held June 22-26 in Louisville, Ky., featured more than 6,000 career and technical education students—all state winners—who competed in 100 different trade, technical, and leadership fields.

For his area of competition, Wells had to complete two written exams, an oral interview, and four scenarios that simulate real life law enforcement situations.

“His knowledge, training and experience prepared him so well for each component of the competition,” CTC Criminal Justice Technology instructor Jennifer Combs said. “He said that the academic knowledge that he’s gained through the Criminal Justice program helped him score well on the written exams.”

Previously, Wells had to complete a single mock traffic stop at the SkillsUSA regional matchup—the competition leading up to the National Leadership and Skills Conference.

“The scenario was a traffic stop, where I could smell marijuana and the driver decided to tell me that he had smoked it two hours ago,” Wells told the Cherokee Ledger News in April. “I am a drug recognition expert, so I took it further than I think they were expecting one of their criminal justice students to take it.”

Wells competed among three other Chattahoochee students – Ryan Shearhouse of Woodstock, who competed in Diesel Equipment Technology; Noah Bazarte, of Cobb County, who competed in Culinary Arts; and Dustin Sherwood, of Douglasville, who competed in Industrial Motor Control. Bazarte, who resides in Cobb County, received a third-place bronze medal in the area of Culinary Arts.

According to a press release from SkillsUSA, “In the Culinary Arts competition, students prepare both hot and cold food and give a presentation. Contestants demonstrate their knowledge and skills through the production of a four-course menu in a full day competition. The contestants are rated on their organization, knife skills, cooking techniques, creative presentation, sanitation food safety techniques, and above all, the quality and flavor of their prepared items.”

SkillsUSA, Contests are run with the assistance of industry, trade associations, and labor organizations, with test competencies set by industry. Leadership contestants demonstrate skills including extemporaneous speaking and conducting meetings by parliamentary procedure.

(Chicago, Ill. – July 9, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College students joined more than 1,600 of America’s best and brightest who recently traveled to the Windy City to “Step Up to the Challenge” as they showcased their talents as future business leaders and vied for the opportunity to win more than $81,000 in cash awards.

Students Kelly Beyermann of Woodstock and Jessica Hollis of Villa Rica received national recognition at the PBL Awards of Excellence Program, held in Chicago, on June 27. Beyermann and Hollis competed in Business Ethics and brought home second place. Beyermann also completed in Personal Finance and brought home third place. The Business Ethics academic competitive event is a performance event challenging students to produce a presentation focusing of the ethical ramifications of controversial business topic from a global perspective. The Personal Finance competitive event is an examination testing the knowledge of major financial topics such as time value of money, tax calculations and retirement planning.

“We are very proud of the accolades these students have achieved and these accomplishments further demonstrate the robust education students receive at Chattahoochee Technical College each and every day” states Nate Akins, Accounting Instructor and Phi Beta Lambda Co-Adviser.

These awards ceremony was part of a comprehensive national competitive events program sponsored by FBLA-PBL that recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas. For many students, the competitive events are the capstone activity of their academic careers. In addition to the competitions, students immersed themselves in educational workshops, visited an information-packed exhibit hall, and attended motivational keynotes on a broad range of business topics.

Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL), held its PBL National Leadership Conference in Chicago on June 24–27. Participants from across the United States attended this exciting conference to enhance their business skills, expand their networks, and participate in more than 55 business and business-related competitive events.

About FBLA-PBL, Inc.

Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda, Inc., the largest and oldest student business organization, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) education association with a quarter million members and advisers in over 6,500 active middle school, high school, and college chapters worldwide. Its mission is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. The association is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C. For more information, visit fbla-pbl.org or contact Mrs. Lisa Houston at lisa.houston@chattahoocheetech.edu.

(Woodstock, Ga. – July 29, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College is pleased to announce the opening of the renovated Woodstock Campus for Fall 2015.

“The location of this campus will truly impact the Woodstock community,” CTC President Dr. Ron Newcomb said. “In terms of a public college in the county, we’re it. The population of Cherokee County is roughly a quarter of a million, and we already had 1,800 Cherokee residents taking one or more classes this past Spring. I believe everyone will benefit from this updated campus.”

Built in the 1930s, the campus sits on the former site of Woodstock Elementary School. The property was leased from the Cherokee County Board of Education in 2004, then deeded by the Board of Education to the state for use by the College in 2013.

“We made improvements to the roofs, windows, HVAC, electrical and plumbing.  It has come together perfectly,” CTC Vice President for Facilities David Simmons said. “Woodstock has a strong sense of pride, and we wanted to reclaim the beauty and history of the original building.  Many of the people living in Woodstock have ties to the elementary school, and the community has been incredibly supportive throughout the process.”

With a budgeted cost of $5.3 million, the 46,011 gross square-foot building includes 13 classrooms, a library, Student Success Center, faculty offices, office space, restrooms, and a plaza area. Students enrolled in the Technical Specialist Certificate program can take the required core classes at this location, along with Criminal Justice, Introduction to Computers, and many healthcare prerequisites. In addition, the campus may be rented for business meetings and community conferences.

“Our three-pronged goal of the campus is to provide academic and continuing education along with customized training for local businesses and industries,” Vice President for External Affairs Jennifer Nelson said. “As a college, our mission is to provide a variety of educational resources and be an asset in the communities we serve.”

The campus is located at 8371 Main St. in Woodstock. A community open house is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 4 p.m. The first application deadline for Fall Semester is Friday, July 31. The first day of Fall Semester is Aug. 17.

(Marietta, Ga. – Aug. 27, 2015) Chattahoochee Technical College was recently recognized by “The Chronicle of Higher Education” for being one of the fastest-growing two-year public institutions between 2003 and 2013. Featured in the publication’s 2015-2016 almanac released this month, CTC was listed at No. 14 among fastest-growing public associate institutions. The data shows a 182.1-percent increase in enrollment from 2003 to 2013, or 6,759 students.

“Being featured [in ‘The Chronicle of Higher Education’] is a testament to our success of providing access to world-class education resources to the communities we serve,” Executive Vice President Trina Boteler said. “During those 10 years, Chattahoochee Technical College has undergone a merger, added programs, and upgraded facilities. We have listened to the demand set forth by our business community for programs that teach the skills needed to fill jobs, and to the input from our students asking to provide more areas to study, complete assignments, and to better meet the needs of a growing and evolving student population.”

President Ron Newcomb said the combination of working with businesses and industries, while also seeking to make career education easily accessible, has resulted in a boon for the college, especially during the economic downturn beginning around 2007.

“Expanding our online offerings, for example, has attributed to our growing student population. This makes it possible for more students to go to college on their schedule, and helps us keep students on a path toward graduation,” Newcomb said.

The institutions selected had at least 500 students in 2003, and were ranked No. 1 to No. 20. All of the top 20 two-year public institutions at least doubled their enrollment over the 10-year span.

For more information on the rankings, visit “The Chronicle of Higher Education’s” website for more information. The publication states that the U.S. Department of Education and many other agencies and organizations gathered and analyzed the data used in the almanac.