Macey Morgan (right) Georgia Northwestern’s 2018 GOAL Winner and Stephanie Kinman (left) Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year at GNTC
Macey Morgan, a business management and nursing student from Dalton, was named Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s 2018 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner and Stephanie Kinman, an English and general education instructor from Calhoun, was selected as the college’s 2018 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year.
The winners were named during the Seven Hills Rotary Club meeting at the Coosa Country Club in Rome on Tuesday, Jan. 30. The awards were sponsored and presented by the Rome Floyd Chamber, the Seven Hills Rotary Club of Rome and the GNTC Student Leadership Council.
William Nichols, a resident of Calhoun who was chosen in December to represent Georgia Northwestern at the EAGLE Leadership Institute, was also recognized during the banquet.
The Leadership Institute recognizes and honors those students who have demonstrated superior achievement in Adult Education classes and programs.
Ms. Morgan, GNTC’s GOAL winner, is a student on the Floyd County Campus and was nominated by Lisa M. Russell, English instructor at GNTC.
“Her strong work ethic is evident in her revision work,” said Ms. Russell. “Not every student can succeed in an online writing class, but she did and also helped the other students to do well be encouraging them.”
Ms. Morgan was selected from a group of three semi-finalists for her presentation on technical education by a panel of judges representing business, industry and higher education in the Northwest Georgia region.
Members of the GOAL judging panel were Moriah Medina, Merry Maids and Cartridge World; Kasey Salas, Floyd Medical Center; Craig McDaniel, Rome City Commission and Toles Temple & Wright; Mark Harrison, Floyd Medical Center; and Andy Garner of McRae, Smith, Peek, Harman, & Monroe, LLP.
Ms. Morgan is currently a secretary at Trinity Disposal. She was a High Honor Graduate, Valley Point Alumni Scholarship Award recipient, and Color Guard Captain at Southeast Whitfield High School. Ms. Morgan transferred to GNTC from Dalton State College.
“I was looking to transfer to another college when I began hearing endless wonderful things about Georgia Northwestern,” said Ms. Morgan. “I have experienced outstanding instructors who care about my success and most importantly I have received the best education that anyone could ever dream of.”
She volunteered for Color Guard Summer Camp, 2017; Tunnel Hill First Baptist Church, 2016; The Band Booster Club, 2012-16; Rock Bridge Community Church, 2009-16 Dalton Greater Works, 2015; and Miracle Field, 2014.
“Technical education is changing our community in many ways,” said Ms. Morgan. “Georgia Northwestern Technical College is teaching and training its students with hands-on experiences to prepare them for the work force.”
As the 2018 GOAL Winner for Georgia Northwestern Ms. Morgan will move to the regional competition and if chosen as a regional winner, she will compete at the state level against winners from the other regions of Georgia. She will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Atlanta. A panel of leaders from business, industry, and government will choose the Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG) GOAL winner for 2018 and recipient of the GOAL medallion. The 2018 Student of the Year and state GOAL winner will serve as TCSG’s student ambassador during a number of system and college functions throughout the year.
As the grand prize, a new automobile provided by Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia will be awarded to the state GOAL winner.
Ms. Kinman, English and general education instructor on the Floyd County Campus, was selected as GNTC’s 2018 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year.
Ms. Kinman has been an instructor at GNTC since 2010. She was an adult education instructor in 2010 and a learning support reading adjunct instructor in 2011. Ms. Kinman was the lead instructor of the Youth Success Academy on the Walker County Campus in 2014 and is currently the department chair of learning support reading on the Floyd County Campus.
She studied abroad at Colegio de Mayor in Madrid, Spain in 2001; received her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Shorter University in 2008; and received her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from American InterContinental University in 2012.
Ms. Kinman was chamber ambassador for the annual fundraiser at Rome Floyd Chamber in 2017 and is bilingual. At GNTC, she has served on multiple committees and sub-committees related to strategic planning, student orientation, retention and curriculum development.
“I have been a Spanish teacher, a probation officer and I currently work for the Technical College System of Georgia. What ties all of these moments together in my life is that I was a resource,” said Ms. Kinman. “I realized that I had found my love and my calling for growing individuals because I was their resource and I was their support.”
As GNTC’s Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year, Ms. Kinman will compete in the regional competition. If chosen as a regional winner, she will compete at the state level in the competition. A panel of leaders from business, industry, and government will choose one instructor to be the 2018 Technical College System of Georgia’s Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year. The winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize.
The Rick Perkins Award winner serves as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia. He or she will make many public appearances throughout the year. The last state winner to represent GNTC was 2013 Rick Perkin’s winner, Troy Peco, director of the automotive technology program.