SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College has selected Devin R. Haus as its Department Head for Air Conditioning Technology. In this role, Haus is responsible for oversight of all instruction, curriculum development, administrative and budgetary aspects for the College’s Air Conditioning program.

Haus holds an associate degree in electrical and electronic technology from Mineral Area College in Park Hills, Mo. He has more than two decades of experience with HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) as a service and installation technician, HVAC technician, and director of maintenance.

Haus learned HVAC first from his father, who ran his own business for years. As soon as he was big enough to pick up a screwdriver, he started asking questions about what his dad was doing, rather than just handing him tools. By the time Devin graduated from high school, he was making service calls for his dad’s business. Haus is an EPA-certified technician and has certification in TracPipe Flexible Gas Piping, and Missouri Popane Gas. He has also completed Honeywell Pneumatic Control Training.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, job growth for air conditioning technicians is expected to soar at 34%, faster than most other industries. STC Air Conditioning Technology graduates are trained in everything from heating and air conditioning to refrigeration, ventilation, and humidity control for all types of buildings—often referred to throughout industry as HVACR. The program is also part of the sustainable technology movement at Savannah Technical College and is available for Learning Community opportunities with a number of courses and dedicated tutors. For more information visit: www.savannahtech.edu/AirConditioning.

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#1614 | October 19, 2015

Air Conditioning Technology: Secene Dorsey
912.443.5859 or sdorsey@savannahtech.edu

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

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College was ranked fourth in the U.S. by Military Times with the 2016 rankings Best for Vets: Career & Technical Colleges 2016 rankings. The organization made up of Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times focused on culture and curriculum that caters to military veterans when conducting and scoring the annual survey of schools that self-identify as career and technical colleges.

“We continue to look for ways to support military-affiliated students,” said STC Military Outreach  Coordinator Jeff Ashmen. Savannah Technical College offers programs that help area veterans get the technical skills and certifications employers are looking for quickly. “Savannah Technical College has a 96 percent job placement rate, so we really have our fingers on the pulse of what employers are looking for in a trained workforce,” Ashmen said.

Career and technical colleges respond to the same Best for Vets: Colleges survey as two-year institutions on up, a highly respected analysis of a college’s complete offerings for veterans. As with all of the Best for Vets rankings, Best for Vets: Career & Technical Colleges is an editorially independent news project that evaluates the many factors that make an institution a good fit for military veterans.

For the full Best for Vets: Career & Technical Colleges 2016 rankings, go to: militarytimes.com

Military Times’ Best for Vets survey-based rankings include Colleges, Career & Technical Colleges, Business Schools, Franchises, Employers and Law Enforcement.

Savannah Technical College has the largest enrollment of military-affiliated students in the Technical College System of Georgia. One in four STC students is a veteran, active duty service member or a military dependent/spouse. The College waives all general mandatory fees for active duty service members using military tuition assistance. In 2015, Savannah Tech opened a Veteran’s Service Center at the Savannah campus. For more information about military services or enrollment, visit www.savannahtech.edu/military or contact Ashmen (912.443.4155 or jashmen@savannahtech.edu).

About Military Times
The Military Times digital platforms and newsweeklies are the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. The military community relies on Air Force Times, Army Times, Marine Corps Times, and Navy Times for reporting on everything important to their lives, including pay, benefits, finance, education, health care, recreational resources, retirement, promotions, product reviews, and entertainment. Military Times is published by Sightline Media Group. To learn more, visit www.militarytimes.com.

Photo: Ten-year Army veteran Daniel Macarthur Dotson graduated from Savannah Technical College in business administrative technology in 2015. (Photo: Stephen B. Morton for Savannah Technical College)

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#1613 | October 15, 2015

Military Initiatives Coordinator: Jeff Ashmen
912.443.4155 or jashmen@savannahtech.edu

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

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College has selected Benjamin R. Curran as its Department Head for Historic Preservation. In this role, Curran is responsible for oversight of all instruction, curriculum development, administrative and budgetary aspects for the College’s Historic Preservation program. As a full-time instructor, he will also supervise adjunct instructors and act as the primary spokesperson and community outreach coordinator for program and preservation trades on a local, regional and national scale. He will also be the director for STC’s Center for Traditional Craft.

Curran holds a master’s degree in heritage studies/historic preservation from Plymouth State University, along with a bachelor of science in biochemistry from the University of New Hampshire.

Previously he was the project manager for Peter Post Restoration, a company specializing in the museum quality preservation and restoration of historic properties. He was a lead faculty instructor for Historic Preservation at Edgecombe Community College in Taraboro, N.C. As a co-investigator for a research project funded by a National Geographic Society/Waitt Foundation grant, he worked as a senior member of the group investigating impacts of climate change and sea level rise and effects of salt water intrusion for coastal heritage sites for the University of New Hampshire Earth System Research Center in Durham, N.H.

He is a past board member of the Preservation Trades Network and was a board liaison for the association of preservation technology/preservation trades network.

As the only public hands-on Historic Preservation program in Georgia, Savannah Technical College has led the way in preservation education. The program has gained international recognition and has contributed to a number of community-based preservation projects in the surrounding communities. Established in 2014, the Center for Traditional Craft is organized in three distinct but intertwined components; education, research, and community outreach. For more information visit: www.savannahtech.edu/CenterTraditionalCraft.

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#1612 | September 30, 2015

Center for Traditional Craft | Historic Preservation Program Contact: Benjamin Curran
912.443.5864 or bcurran@savannahtech.edu

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

 

TYBEE ISLAND – The City of Tybee Island Fire Department donated used firefighting gear to Savannah Technical College’s Fire Science program today. The gear is no longer able to be used for firefighting incidents, but will be used for training at the College.

“We appreciate the generosity of the City of Tybee Island’s Fire Department,” said STC President Dr. Kathy S. Love. “The equipment is a welcome addition to Savannah Technical College’s hands-on training opportunities for Fire Science students.”

Tybee Island is in the process of replacing its firefighting gear and wanted to find someone local that could use it. The donation includes 19 helmets, 16 sets of gloves and jackets, along with 18 pants, 32 pairs of boots and six sets of suspenders. The donated equipment will be used for various training scenarios that do not involve live-fire including; Hazardous Materials Operations and future fire science dual-enrollment programs in area high schools that should be starting next fall.

“We are glad to support Savannah Tech’s Fire Science Program to educate, train, certify future and current emergency responders in our area,” said Tybee Island Fire Chief Ashley Fields and STC Fire Science advisory board member.

The STC Fire Science program office is located to the Crossroads campus (190 Crossroads Parkway, Savannah, 31407). All Fire Science class schedules designed to support our student’s balancing their home/life/work schedules with a combination of evening and online classes with practical hands-on training occurring at various area fire departments.

The Fire Science programs at Savannah Technical College prepare graduates for successful careers in the fire and emergency service field, whether they are looking to obtain required certifications to apply to fire departments nationwide or wish to obtain their degree to qualify for promotion into leadership positions at their department. Many of the classes meet the educational criteria established by the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council (ProBoard) allowing students to challenge various national fire service certifications including Fire Officer I & II, Incident Safety Officer, Fire Instructor I, Hazardous Materials Operations, Fire & Life Safety Educator, etc. Interested students should contact Faust at afaust@savannahtech.edu or 912.443.3386.

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1611 | August 20, 2015

Fire Science: Tony Faust
912.443.3386 or afaust@savannahtech.edu

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

HINESVILLE – The Hospital Authority of Liberty County, the governing body for Liberty Regional Medical Center, voted to support the expansion of nursing education with a five-year, $125,000 pledge to support Savannah Technical College.

“We are proud that the Liberty Regional Medical Center has made such a strong commitment to expanding nursing education,” says College President Dr. Kathy Love. “With this support, we will be able to strengthen and expand nursing instruction at our Liberty Campus.” The expansion will include an additional cohort of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) at the Liberty Campus.

“This is an exciting day for nursing education in Liberty County,” says Hospital Authority of Liberty County Chairman James Rogers. “We are proud to partner with Savannah Tech to grow its nursing program right here in Liberty County. We know that demand for nurses will continue to grow and we are excited that with this program, Liberty County students will have access to greater options for nursing education.  Making an investment ensures that Liberty Regional will continue to be able to deliver the best care possible for our community.”

The College is working to add an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) to its mix of health science programs for the region. The proposed ADN program will be based in Savannah and focused on critical care nursing. The nursing education expansion also will include a bridge program at Liberty Campus for practical nurses, who wish to further their education at the Associate Degree level.

STC’s Liberty campus currently serves approximately 900 students each semester and offers a mix of instructional programs to meet the needs of employers and the community.  In Health Sciences programs, the campus offers Practical Nursing and Phlebotomy training.  STC’s nursing program has had an average 97.15% National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) passing rate for the last two years. This competitive admission nursing program prepares graduates to pass the NCLEX-PN to test to be an LPN and work in doctor’s offices, hospitals, health departments or nursing homes.

The Savannah Technical College Foundation is in the midst of a $10 Million capital campaign, with $2.5 Million devoted to Health Sciences expansion. In addition to starting the ADN program, the campaign seeks to equip biology and chemistry labs at the Effingham and Liberty Campuses and expand associate degree program offerings at the Savannah Campus. Currently, the Liberty Campus has a single, multi-purpose Health Science laboratory. Making additional programs available for study will increase opportunities for students to complete study enter the workforce, strengthening the local healthcare sector. The addition of a biology/chemistry lab supports a critical component of the state’s core curriculum and provides degree level students with greater completion options.

For more information on practical nursing visit: www.Savannahtech.edu/PracticalNursing.

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#1610 | August 18, 2015
Health Sciences Academic Advisor: Cindy Cole
912.443.5721 or ccole@savannahtech.edu

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

HINESVILLE – Savannah Technical College has selected Lonnie F. Griffin, III, as its Dean for Liberty Campus. In this role, Griffin is responsible for administration and operation of the STC Liberty Campus in Hinesville, Ga. He will develop and implement functional campus planning, plan and organize campus operations, promote college programs, services and facilities and serve as an ambassador for the college, addressing the needs of students, faculty, staff and customers to resolve concerns where necessary.

Griffin holds master’s degree in sociology from the University of South Florida, a bachelor of arts from the University of North Florida and an associate of arts from Florida State College. He is a doctoral education student at Wingate University.

Previously, Griffin was the division chair for social sciences and humanities for Fayetteville Technical Community College. He taught sociology at Fayetteville Technical Community College for a decade.  He was a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy.

The state-of-the-art STC Liberty Campus is nestled on 60 acres off Airport Road (Highway 119) in Hinesville and serves more than 700 students every semester. Liberty Campus offers courses leading to associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in Health Sciences, General Studies, Business and Technology, and Industrial Technology and Public Service. Many programs may be completed in their entirety at the Liberty Campus.

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1609 | August 11, 2015
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College unveiled the naming of its executive boardroom in memory of J. Richard Henry, Jr., today. Henry, who passed away in January 2015, was a long-time treasurer of the Savannah Technical College Foundation.

“Richard’s tireless efforts for nearly 20 years as a member of the board helped to shape the Foundation into the organization it has become,” said STC President Dr. Kathy Love. “He was an accountant by training and practice – a courageous, dedicated, leader who gave of his time and expertise to see that the Foundation was on solid footing through its early years and was proud of its growth and evolution.”

Henry was a founding partner of Holland, Henry and Bromley, LLP. His colleagues have established the Richard Henry Accounting Scholarship in his memory for STC Accounting students who have completed 20 hours of study with a 3.0 GPA in the associate degree program. Preference will be given to a student who is active in the community as a volunteer. The first award will be made during the 2015-16 academic year.

He was born in Swainsboro, Ga., on March 21, 1958 and later moved with his family to Statesboro, where he attended school, graduating from Statesboro High School in 1976. He attended Georgia Southern University, graduating with a BBA in accounting. In recent years, he served as a member of the GSU School of Accountancy Advisory Board among his many volunteer affiliations.

He was an avid hunter, fisherman and a longtime member of the Dorchester Shooting Preserve. A posthumous portrait of Henry, based on photographs provided by the family, was painted for the boardroom by local artist Sandra Colquitt.

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#1608 | August 7, 2015

Richard Henry Accounting Scholarship Contact: Gail Eubanks
912.443.3022 or geubanks@savannahtech.edu

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

 

SAVANNAH – Savannah Technical College will host Bistro Savoir Interactif in partnership with the Savannah Food and Wine Festival at 5:45 p.m., on Thursday, September 24 in the Eckburg Auditorium (5717 White Bluff Road, Savannah, 31405).

“This is absolutely one of my favorite events of the year,” said Michael Owens, co-founder of Savannah Food & Wine Festival and President/CEO of Tourism Leadership Council. “There’s just something special about an evening dedicated to the appreciation of great food, wine, education all in the name of supporting the Patrick Williams Scholarship fund. This event is so important to the mission of the Savannah Food & Wine Festival to fundraise and increase awareness of local non-profits organizations and funds.”

Bistro Savoir Interactif will feature four destinations stations along with appetizers and desserts. Guests will travel around the world with elegant tasting opportunities paired with wine selections at the destination stations with take-home recipes. Three stations will feature chef demonstrations where guests work alongside chefs to learn techniques of making sushi, cheese ravioli and compound butter. Chef Vendeville will provide insight into wine pairings for cheese and charcuterie at one of the stations. International cuisine will include Asia, Italy, France and the United States.

Cost is $100 per person with proceeds supporting the Patrick Ansley Williams Scholarship at Savannah Technical College. Seating is limited to 100. Tickets may be purchased online: www.savannahtech.edu/BistroSavoirInteractif.

The evening will be hosted by the American Culinary Federation 2014 Chef Educator of the Year Chef Jean Vendeville. Guests will sample sushi, sashimi, ginger salad, pastas, caprese salad, sous vide steak with salad/veggies, artisan breads, cheeses and charcuterie, artisan chocolates.

Attendees will have the chance for $5 fish bowl raffles at each station and the opportunity to bid on a private Chef’s Table Dinner for 10 with Chef Vendeville.

Last year, Bistro Savoir Interactif raised more than $22,000 to benefit the Patrick Ansley Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund. This scholarship was started in 2012 by Bill Dickinson to honor the late Patrick Williams. Five $1,000 scholarships are awarded annually to STC culinary and hospitality students with a minimum 3.0 grade point average, who are selected by the College’s scholarship committee. Funds are applied toward tuition, fees, books and required supplies.

STC scholarship funds are managed by the Savannah Technical College Foundation, a 501 (c)3 organization whose sole purpose is to raise private funds to support the mission of Savannah Technical College. Gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Savannah Food & Wine Festival
The Savannah Food & wine Festival takes place throughout Savannah, November 9 – 15, 2015, with celebrity chefs and winemakers, connoisseur dinners, one-of-a-kind culinary, spirits, wine and beverage experiences. The most up-to-date festival information is available on the website: www.savannahfoodandwinefest.com on Twitter @SAVFoodWineFest #SAVFandW and Facebook at Savannah Food & Wine Festival.

About the Savannah Technical College’s Culinary Institute of Savannah
Under the direction of the American Culinary Federation’s 2014 Chef Educator of the Year Jean Vendeville, Savannah Technical College offers associate degrees in Culinary Arts along with Baking and Pastry. The Culinary Institute of Savannah has earned distinction as one of the top four culinary programs in the country according to the American Culinary Federation (ACF). Vendeville has assembled a top-notch team of faculty, who have each earned national ACF certification under his leadership. For more information about STC Culinary Arts visit: www.facebook.com/ChefJeanVendeville.

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#1607 | August 5, 2015
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

HINESVILLE – The Liberty County Development Authority (LCDA) voted to support the expansion of workforce development training for Precision Manufacturing in Liberty County with a five-year, $100,000 pledge to support Savannah Technical College in building and equipping a state-of-the-art Precision Manufacturing Flex Tech lab at its Liberty Campus.

This new construction would nearly double the lab space currently available for industrial-related instruction and will be customized to support the specific industries that operate in the region.

“We are proud that the Liberty County Development Authority has made such a strong commitment to expanding precision manufacturing training,” says College President Dr. Kathy Love. “We know that our manufacturing partners require a highly-skilled workforce in order to continue to thrive. We have recently expanded Welding, Machine Tool and Industrial Systems to Liberty County, but the demand for manufacturing education exceeds capacity at every campus location. This Precision Manufacturing flex tech lab expansion will help the College’s programs and equipment keep pace with the demand in Liberty County.”

Manufacturing is making a major comeback in southeast Georgia. Statistics show that regionally, more than 200 manufacturers have a total annual payroll of nearly $700 million and employ more than 14,000 workers, making this sector of the local economy critically important to economic development and quality of life.

Industrial employment in Liberty County has increased 461 percent since 1981, with more than 2,000 manufacturing jobs created. Manufacturing products include advanced materials, consumer goods and concrete and wood products.

Four Liberty County industries, Alcoa Forgings and Extrusions, Elan Technology, Interstate Resources and SNF Holding Co., have created the Liberty County Manufacturing Collaboration, a consortium that works closely with Savannah Technical College and the Liberty College and Career Academy to tailor workforce development programs to meet employer requirements. The Liberty County Manufacturing Collaboration in August will enter its second year of a paid apprenticeship program in partnership with Savannah Technical College.

“We are pleased to see Savannah Technical College expand its footprint in Liberty County and enhance manufacturing training to suit the skills required by our local industries,” says LCDA Board Chairman Allen Brown. “Supporting the college’s programs in Hinesville is vital to ensuring our existing industries are equipped to grow, which increases career opportunities and economic vitality within our community.”

The Liberty County Development Authority’s mission is to develop and promote industry for the public good and welfare of the county. Toward that end, the LCDA has developed industrial parks, constructed shell buildings, and supported Savannah Technical College and workforce development programs such as the Liberty College & Career Academy.

The Savannah Technical College Foundation is in the midst of a $10 Million capital campaign, with $5 Million devoted to Precision Manufacturing throughout the region. The College seeks to expand manufacturing at its Effingham and Savannah campuses as well. The campaign will significantly expand access to workforce development opportunities and provide students with access to training in a practice-oriented environment sufficient to become knowledgeable and job-ready. Industries will have access to a highly skilled workforce to meet the increasingly complex needs in advanced production allowing them to compete successfully and expand their operations – creating more jobs in the community.

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#1606 | August 3, 2015

LCDA Media Contact: Danielle Besser
912.368.3443 | danielle.besser@lcda.com

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

SAVANNAH – The State of Georgia recently honored Savannah Technical College with the Commissioner’s Recognition Award for model performance on the FY2015 Human Resources Audit. The award was given at the Georgia Department of Administrative Services Spring Human Resources Forum.

“Congratulations on the outstanding performance shown by your organization,” said Georgia Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Sid Johnson. “Savannah Technical College has shown itself as a model for others to follow in Classification Management and Recruitment and Selection. Your staff is commended for its diligence in ensuring effective implementation of HR policies and practices that help your organization attract, develop, and retain the talent needed to realize your core mission.”

The College was one of nine selected within the Technical College System of Georgia to participate in a human resources (HR) audit. The overall objective of the HR audit is to support state organizations in their efforts to build and maintain a qualified workforce by minimizing risks and encouraging best-practice operations within their HR program. The audit includes six modules. To earn the performance awards, the College scored 100% on the modules for Classification Management and Recruitment/Selection. The College’s scores exceeded the state average for the other four modules.

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Photo: Savannah Technical College HR employees stand with STC President Dr. Kathy Love. (Pictured left to right): STC Vice President of Administrative Services Sue Turner, STC HR Coordinator Desire Alexander, STC HR Coordinator Lakia Maxwell, STC Payroll Technician Samantha Allen, STC HR Director Melissa Banks, STC President Dr. Kathy Love. 

1605 | July 23, 2015
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu