SAVANNAH – Eleven students from the Savannah Technical College Peace Officer Academy celebrated graduating from the program with a completion ceremony today.

The six men and five women have completed coursework containing the entire Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Law Enforcement Training Course. Their successful completion of the program qualifies them to be state-certified peace officers.

This is the 27th group of students to complete the program since its inception in 2009. To date, the program has graduated 346 P.O.S.T.-certified officers. Many candidates are in various stages of the application process with statewide agencies. Ten of the eleven candidates have been hired by area police departments. Savannah Tech’s Peace Officer Academy has a 97% placement rate.     

Each cohort selects a fallen officer for whom the graduating class will be named. The cohorts have a tradition of giving the family of the fallen officer a challenge coin dedicated to the officer. A challenge coin is a symbol of an unbreakable bond of dedication and allegiance among military personnel and law enforcement officers. The challenge coin tradition started as a military tradition in World War I and was later adopted by law enforcement. 

This cohort honors Officer Anthony Christie of the Savannah Police Department, who passed away on May 25,2018, after his patrol car was struck by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 16. He is survived by his wife, parents and sister.

The Basic Law Enforcement Technical Certificate of Credit provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become competent law enforcement officers. The 18-week cohort program utilizes classroom instruction pertaining to criminal justice theory and the prevailing principles of modern law enforcement, as well as practical application of pertinent enforcement skills. College coursework contains the entire Georgia Peace Officers Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Law Enforcement Training Course so that successful completion of the program will qualify the student to be a state-certified peace officer.

For more information about the Peace Officer Academy visit
www.savannahtech.edu/PeaceOfficerAcademy or contact the office at 912.443.5191 or njones@savannahtech.edu.w

The next class begins in July 2019.

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#1933 | March 15, 2019
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

Peace Officer Academy
912.443.5191 or njones@savannahtech.edu

Savannah Technical College Cosmetology and Barbering students are hosting a ShamRockin’ Hair/Nail Design Special for hair and nail design as a fundraiser for student professional development opportunities. ShamRockin’ services will be offered from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m., on Tuesdays through Thursdays, March 5-7 and 12-14 at the Savannah and Liberty Campuses. The Effingham Campus will offer services from 9 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. only during the same days.

Hair and nail design services include:

• Shamrock Green or gold hair tinsel $5 per accent piece or $15 per head
• Shamrock Green hair chalk: $5 per accent piece or $10 for a full head
• Shamrock Hair Art: $7 per design
• Shamrock nail foil: $3 per nail
• Raw glitter nail: $2 per nail
• Bling nail: $5 per nail

Cash or cards will be accepted as payment. A $5 minimum will be required for card purchases and will include an additional $.50 processing fee. For more information about the ShamRockin’ Hair and Nail Design please visit: www.savannahtech.edu/ShamRockin.

The College’s Cosmetology program emphasizes not only specialized training in the field of cosmetology, but also interpersonal relations development, employability skills and work ethics. The curriculum meets state licensing requirements of the State Board of Cosmetology. Once program graduates receive a Cosmetology diploma and pass their board exams, they are eligible to work as a hair stylist, nail technician, makeup artist, or skin care specialist.

Savannah Tech’s Barbering program prepares students to be on the cutting edge of men’s fashion and trends with training to test for licensure as a Professional Barber. The Barbering program features barbering services such as cutting, trimming, shampooing, styling hair, trimming beards and giving shaves. It is offered at the College’s Savannah and Liberty campuses.

For more information about these programs, visit www.savannahtech.edu/Cosmetology or www.savannahtech.edu/Barbering.

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Cosmetology/Barbering Services Contact Information:

• Savannah Campus: (5717 White Bluff Road, Ste. 2134, Savannah)
  Call for Savannah Appointment: 912.443.5779
• Liberty Campus: (100 Technology Drive, Hinesville)
  Call for Liberty Appointment: 912.408.3027 Ext. 6026
• Effingham Campus (Cosmetology Only): (28980 Hwy 21 South, Rincon)
  Call for Effingham Appointment: 912.754.1127

#1932 | March 1, 2019
Business and Professional Services Academic Advisor: Amber Robinson
912.443.5719 or arobinson@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

 SAVANNAH, Ga. – Paralegal Studies student Renea Hanna has been selected as the 2019 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner for Savannah Technical College.

Hanna is a top-performing student in her program. “In addition to her grades, what I respect most about Renea is her commitment to achieve her goals,” said STC Paralegal Studies Department Head Debra Geiger, Esq. “She balances the demands of school with a full time job. At times, she is faced with the demands of work deadlines, but she never falls behind in her homework assignments. She has also shown herself to be reliable and committed to serving the legal community having volunteered as a juror for the Georgia Public Defenders Council’s annual trial skills training.”

GOAL honors outstanding students at each of the Technical College System of Georgia institutions. She will represent Savannah Tech at the statewide competition in April in Atlanta, where the statewide GOAL winner will be selected. The highly competitive process involves academic success, community engagement and public speaking. Winners are nominated by their instructors and selected after interviews with a panel of business and community leaders.

She is passionate about social justice and equality, both of which largely motivated her decision to pursue a career in the legal field. Hanna has been inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and anticipates acceptance into the Lamda Epsilon Chi Honor Society for Paralegal students this semester. She is on track to graduate this summer with a Paralegal Studies Associate Degree. 

Before training at Savannah Technical College, has worked as a waitress, an office manager, a bookkeeper, a personal assistant, a website manager, a photographer, a freelance artist, a jewelry maker, and held several management positions in both the retail industry and restaurant industry. She currently works as a manager at Gallery Espresso in downtown Savannah and works as an artist and jewelry designer in her free time.

“When I graduate this summer, I will be the first person in my family in three generations to obtain a college degree,” said Hanna. “I now have the direction, confidence, and ambition to push on toward even bigger goals. From here I will work as a paralegal, gaining valuable on-the-job experience, while I pursue my Bachelor’s degree and eventually, my law degree. I am on my personal path toward success and when I am asked how I got there, Savannah Technical College will always be where I begin my story.”

STC’s Paralegal Studies program prepares students for a career in the paralegal profession. The knowledge and skills emphasized in the Paralegal Studies program include ethical obligations; research in state and federal law; legal correspondence preparation; family law matters; basic concepts of real property law; criminal law and procedure; civil litigation; substantive contract law; and wills, trusts and probate. Paralegals, also called legal assistants, work closely with attorneys, judges, prosecutors or public defenders. Graduates receive a Paralegal Studies Associate of Applied Technology degree. Contact Geiger at 912.443.5715 or dgeiger@savannahtech.edu for more information or visit: www.savannahtech.edu/ParalegalStudies.

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#1931 |February 21, 2019
Business and Professional Services Academic Advisor: Amber Robinson
912.443.5719 or arobinson@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College Electrical Construction and Maintenance Department Head James Halford has been selected as STC’s 2019 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year. The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors outstanding faculty members at each of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) institutions. Halford will represent Savannah Technical College in the statewide competition.

“Mr. Halford’s considerable experience as a TCSG student, as well as his 12 years of experience as a TCSG Instructor, make him uniquely qualified to relate to his students and to be the perfect ambassador for technical education across the state,” said STC President Dr. Kathy Love.

He is well-versed in all aspects of electrical and industrial systems and is a proud TCSG graduate. He holds a diploma in Industrial Electrical Technology and four additional credentials from South Georgia Technical College (Residential Wiring Technician, Commercial Wiring Technician, Supervisory Management Specialist and Certified Forklift Operator). He has also earned an Industrial Systems Technology Associate Degree and four additional certifications from Savannah Technical College (Programmable Control Technician, Industrial Maintenance Assistant and Industrial Instrument Assistant).

Additionally, he has had success in his field at all levels, working as a maintenance helper for a large manufacturer, as a journeyman electrician, master electrician and a field supervisor – all of experience helps give him insight to the working world for which he prepares his students. 

Halford has led STC’s college-wide Skills USA efforts for three years. Through his leadership, the College has proudly celebrated 36 state award winners and three national award winners. He was instrumental in our college receiving a $233,000 grant from Georgia Environmental Finance Authority that provided scholarships for students in photovoltaic systems. He also led the installation of a solar array on one of STC’s campus buildings. 

The Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields.  Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the Rick Perkins Award was renamed in memory and honor of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Central Technical College, now West Georgia Technical College, who received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death. TCSG provides oversight for the Rick Perkins Award program through the system office’s programming staff, the presidents’ Academic Improvement committee and the state planning committee.

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#1930 | February 21, 2019

  Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College has selected Kelly Collingsworth as its Career Services Coordinator. In this role, she will interface with business and industry recruiters to identify job openings and provide career development counseling to students and prospective students. She will also assist students with developing resumes and cover letters and job interview preparation. Additional responsibilities include coordinating job fair activities, promoting program services to the community; coordinating with faculty members to assist student in securing employment; developing and maintaining an employment database; participating in community events and volunteer opportunities; serving as the key student affairs staff member responsible for capturing and recording placement data.

Prior to coming to Savannah Tech, Collingsworth worked as a Marketing and Sales coordinator for Savannah Quarters, Outreach Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability at Johns Hopkins University and served as the Executive Director of Keep Bulloch Beautiful.  She has a Master of Arts in professional communication and leadership from Georgia Southern University and a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from Augusta University. She and her husband-to-be, Andrew, enjoy working on their urban farm and residing in the Lowcountry.

Savannah Technical College’s Career Services promotes opportunities for experiential learning, assists workforce development, cultivates and maintains partnerships with employers, and serves as a resources for staff, faculty, and the community. Career Services also supports employers with the recruitment, hiring, and retention of well-qualified teams. Through the use of STC’s online job portal, Career Connections, employers can directly connect with STC’s highly trained pool of students and graduates by posting employment opportunities.

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#1928 | February 19, 2019

Career Services: Kelly Collingsworth
kcollingsworth@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH – The Savannah Technical College Foundation Community Council will host the 2019 Tribute to Community STARs (Savannah Tech Achievement Recognition awards) at noon on Friday, April 12, 2019, in the Eckburg Auditorium on the College’s Savannah Campus, 5717 White Bluff Road. The event, now in its thirteenth year, honors some 20+ individuals, nominated for their service and dedication at work or in the community.

The keynote, “Why Giving Back to Your Community is Important,” will be given by Roger Moss, artistic director of Savannah Children’s Choir. Moss has been a GOAL student of the year judge for the College and was honored as a STAR in 2011.

Roger Moss, Jr. is originally from Chattanooga, Tenn., where he received numerous awards for civic and artistic accomplishments. In Savannah for the past two decades, Moss has continued his community engagement focused around creating opportunities for children.

He is the co-founder of Savannah Children’s Choir, which aims to unite, mentor and transform Savannah’s children into responsible, creative and confident leaders through excellence in choral performance and music education. Also, through education and performance, he strives to instill in the next generation a love of the beauty and variety of American music. He was instrumental in the establishment of Savannah Classical Academy, a charter school that focuses on a classical and academically rigorous education while instilling a commitment to civic virtue and moral character. Currently, he is working to establish a new charter school – the Savannah Exploratory Charter Academy, which will focus on project learning.   

An accomplished singer, he graduated from Wheaton College and sang in the Wheaton College Concert Choir and Men’s Glee Club. His extensive performance career has included singing for the Archbishop of Canterbury, singing to sold-out crowds with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra and performing the role of “Jake” in the Opera Memphis production of Porgy and Bess. He was a finalist in the American Traditions vocal competition.

The Tribute event is held each spring and is sponsored by the STC Foundation Community Council, a group of young professionals charged with expanding the local knowledge and profile of Savannah Technical College and its mission and with raising funds to support the college, its programs and students. The Community Council is co-chaired by Michelle Riley and Vickie Callaway.

Nominations will be accepted through March 8, 2019 space permitting. Sponsorships begin at $1,000 to nominate a STAR and include a table for 10. Tickets cost $100 per person – seating is limited. Call 912.443.3022 for information. Proceeds from the event benefit Savannah Technical College Foundation’s support of students.

Founded in 1984, the Savannah Technical College Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that exists to raise and disburse funds to support the College’s efforts to enhance learning, workforce training and economic development in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties. The STC Foundation recently helped the College purchase 7 West Bay Street as the new location for an expansion of STC’s Culinary Arts program.

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#1927 | February 14, 2019

STC Executive Director Advancement and Communications: Gail Eubanks
912.443.3022 or geubanks@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

Savannah, Ga. – Savannah Technical College is now accepting entries for the 23^rd annual Manufacturing Appreciation Week (MAW) student design competition. The competition is open to all elementary (K-5), middle (6-8) and high school (9-12) students in Georgia.

The MAW Student Design Contest is held annually in conjunction with Manufacturers’ Appreciation Week (April) and is designed to promote awareness of the important role manufacturing plays in the economy of the State of Georgia for elementary to high school students statewide.

Manufacturing is the process of creating physical objects that will be used by someone or used to build something else. Manufacturing provides jobs for approximately 396,000 Georgians. The more than 9,700 manufacturing facilities in Georgia are devoted to making products as diverse as textiles to automotive parts. Students should consider products made in their hometowns, counties or statewide to include Georgia products in their designs to illustrate the role that manufacturing plays in their community.

The artwork submitted to Savannah Tech will be entered in the statewide competition where three winners will be chosen in each of the groups. The first, second, third place and honorable mention in each age category will be honored at the Governor’s Awards Luncheon on April 18, 2019. The first-place winners receive monetary scholarships for $500. The second-place winners receive $300, the third place winners receive $100 and honorable mention receives $50. The top entries will be displayed at the luncheon.

Entries must comply with the guidelines established by the Technical College System of Georgia. Art may be created with paint, watercolors, pencils, markers, crayons, charcoal, etc., but should be completely dry before shipping/delivery. Size for artwork is 11” by 17” and landscape. All work must be flat and 3-D objects cannot be glued or pasted to submissions. Please note designs will not be returned to contestants.

Entries must be labeled on the back, upper-right corner of each submission with the student’s name, grade level, school, school phone number and the words, “Savannah Technical College.”

Artwork must be received by the STC Marketing and Communications Office at the Savannah Campus by 5PM on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 for consideration. Mail or deliver entries to: Savannah Technical College, 5717 White Bluff Road, Savannah, GA 31405, Attention Office of Marketing and Communications. Entries may also be delivered by the same deadline to the Effingham Campus (2890 Hwy 21 South, Rincon, GA 31326) or Liberty Campus (100 Technology Drive, Hinesville, GA 31313).

For more information contact STC Director of Communications Amy Shaffer at 912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu.

For additional information on Georgia Manufacturing Week or the MAW student design competition, visit www.georgiamaw.org.

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#1925 | January 4, 2019

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College has selected Shatealy Sims Johnson as its High School Coordinator. She assists state, secondary, and post-secondary instructional leadership in the planning and development of career programs of study, including dual enrollment opportunities to high school students that lead to either an industry recognized credential, post-secondary certificate of credit, diploma or associate’s degree. She will serve as the primary point of contact for and will collaborate with high school administrators, counselors and staff to promote career and technical education and dual enrollment between high schools and the College.

Previously, Johnson worked at Savannah State University as a loan default manager and as an admissions specialist. She has additional experience in education as a teacher with the Savannah Chatham County Public School System and St. Paul Academy.

She has a Master of Education from Georgia Southern University (2018) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications with an English minor from Savannah State University (2002). Johnson currently serves as the school council president for Woodville-Tompkins High School and is very active in the community. She is also a member of the Nu Rho Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  Johnson is married and is the proud mother of one son who is a graduating high school senior.

The Dual Enrollment program allows high school students to take academic degree level core courses that will transfer to any TCSG or USG institution. Students may take both diploma level and/or occupational courses. Some students may choose to enroll fully into a degree, diploma, or technical certificate of credit program, or they may choose to just take a few courses. Hours taken through the Dual Enrollment program will not count towards a student’s HOPE Grant or Scholarship maximum credit hours. Courses are taught on the college campus, high school campus, online, hybrid, and via distance education.

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#1924 | December 19, 2018
Dual Enrollment Information
High School Initiatives Coordinator: Shatealy Johnson:
912.443.5347 or sjohnson@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH, Ga. —Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah, in partnership with Georgia Film Academy at Savannah Technical College, recently selected five students from the Savannah Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) to participate in the Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah/Georgia Film Academy Mentorship Program. SCCPSS staff and teachers recommended these students based on their award-winning film work. The students are: Daniel Dos Santos, Groves High School; Yan Luis Castillo, Johnson High School; Malik Wood, Savannah Arts Academy; Ian Breen, Savannah Arts Academy; and Wyatt Oswald, Garrison School of Performing Arts.

The Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah/Georgia Film Academy Mentorship Program pairs five public school students from SCCPSS with a current Georgia Film Academy student for a three-month mentorship program. The program is set to begin in the spring of 2019. The Georgia Film Academy program at Savannah Technical College is the perfect pathway for students to develop careers in the film industry. Through the Mentorship Program, students will learn the terms, etiquette, departments and protocol of working on set or in a production office, and participate in classroom sessions and hands-on activities.

Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah will host the students for a special luncheon with visiting filmmakers during its annual film festival in January. The lunch will be held at The Olde Pink House on Friday, January 25th, and will be attended by directors V. Scott Balcerek and Max Lowe, photographer Cira Crowell and the subject of the film, Mothered by Mountains, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita.

Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah is scheduled for January 23-26, 2018, and will screen over 30 films at Trustees Theater throughout the four-day festival.

About the Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy is a collaborative effort of the University System of Georgia and Technical College System of Georgia supporting workforce needs of the film and digital entertainment industries. The academy certifies workforce ready employees in needed areas, connect students and prospective employees with employers, and offer a unique capstone experience for top students that will provide them a path to employment in Georgia. Special partnerships include Pinewood Studios located in Fayetteville, Georgia.

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#1923 | December 17, 2018
Mountainfilm on Tour Savannah Media contact:
Leslie Carey, Director
912.344.1278 leslie@mountainfilmsav.org

Georgia Film Academy/Savannah Technical College Media Contact: Amy Shaffer
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu