Since its inception in the 2020 fall semester, the Virtual HUB has grown from serving 660 students in its first month to now serving more than 2,800 students at Georgia Highlands College this semester. The ongoing tool continues to help in-person and online students access resources virtually and more conveniently than ever before.

The goal of the Virtual HUB is to provide the same services students would typically seek out in a face-to-face setting in a more convenient virtual environment. Students are able to video chat and connect with specialists in Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, Admissions, Advising, Business Office and Student Support Services such as counseling, disability services and WIOA.

“There is a regular presence from Admissions, Advising, Financial Aid and Student Accounts, and having these services in a virtual format allows students to meet with someone on their own time and from anywhere,” Executive Director of Enrollment Management Jennifer Hicks said. “We’ve had students connect while they were on a break at work or a day they needed to stay home with their children.”

Students can go to virtualservices.highlands.edu to connect, click the “Virtual HUB” logo on various pages at highlands.edu to connect or they can scan the QR Code on any posters on campus advertising the HUB with their smart phone or tablet to get started.

“Offering Virtual HUB services is just one way we show just how committed we are to meeting students where they are and in their own time,” Hicks said. “The convenience of clicking a link and almost instantly being connected to a live person on the other end who can help navigate various college processes is a game changer for many of our students.”

In addition to the Virtual HUB, GHC’s Academic Success Center webpage is a great place for students to find resources to help them succeed inside and outside of the classroom. Students can find quick links to resources like Advising, the Library, Student Support Services, STEM411, Student Engagement, Tutoring, the Virtual Hub and the Writing Center, as well as some useful technology and online learning tips.

The Virtual HUB is staffed Monday through Thursday from 9AM to 5PM and Friday from 9AM to noon.

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) has been ranked No. 1 by University HQ as the “Best Affordable College” to earn your degree in Healthcare Administration.

GHC’s Bachelor of Business Administration in Healthcare Management offers students the foundational knowledge and practical skills that are essential for a demanding and rapidly changing healthcare industry.

“The faculty in GHC’s Healthcare Management program have extensive career experience within the industry, which gives them a unique perspective when teaching the material,” Assistant Professor of Healthcare Management Jay Pickern said. “Our students are presented with a number of real-world application assignments that allow them to put theory into practice.”

In addition, students are taking on experiential learning trips to places like local hospitals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) museum, the Georgia Supreme Court and more as a way of exposing them to a variety of career options within the field.

Students also complete a required internship at the end of the program, which gives them experience out in the field as they prepare to begin their individual job searches.

Locally, there is great demand for a degree in healthcare management, as Rome and the surrounding areas are considered a healthcare hub in Northwest Georgia. The relative proximity to Atlanta also creates an opportunity for graduates to find a variety of healthcare environments, such as hospitals, clinics and corporate entities within the healthcare field.

Healthcare managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, are at the heart of the business behind the healthcare field as these experts are in charge of planning, directing and coordinating medical and health services in clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices and more.

“GHC’s Healthcare Management program is a great place for students who have an interest in healthcare, but are not necessarily interested in hands-on patient care,” Pickern said. “Additionally, our program is also a great fit for students who might already be in a clinical career but have an interest in moving into a management role within their current departments or organizations.”

University HQ serves as a source for independent news and comprehensive information about career paths, requirements, universities, scholarships and news about new programs. The organization also ranked GHC as No. 22 in the country for the Best Affordable RN-to-BSN degree.

Georgia Highlands College received a total of $4.1 million in state funding to renovate its Winn Building in Dallas near the current Paulding instructional site under the fiscal year 2019 state budget. A ribbon cutting is planned for September 28.

The project has transformed the facility into a modern academic building, expanding degree and program offerings in the area.

The Winn Building, a former bank building, was gifted to GHC in 2010 from Paulding County.

The ribbon cutting will take place at 10AM in the newly renovated Winn Building at GHC’s Paulding site located at 120 East Memorial Drive, Dallas, Georgia. Light refreshments and tours of the building will continue until noon.

The new academic building includes classrooms, a physical education lab, a chemistry lab, student lounges, study rooms, a faculty suite and a beautiful patio area.

Attendees must RSVP by September 19th at ribboncutting.highlands.edu to attend the event.

Next week, former childhood actress and current mental health advocate Lisa Jakub, who took on roles in movies such as “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Independence Day,” will speak virtually at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) on ways to cope with anxiety, the value of self-acceptance, and methods for recognizing anxiety in your life.

Titled “Anxiety, Depression & Learning to Embrace Your Weird,” the event, which is free and open to the public, will be held via streaming on Zoom beginning at 2 PM on Tuesday, Sept. 14.

“Mental health has often been ignored, especially on college campuses, but I think in the wake of the pandemic more people are paying attention to it,” Cocurricular and Transition Programs Coordinator Clifton Puckett said. “And it’s even more important to focus on anxiety and depression now, because we’re all feeling the weight of the world.”

GHC, through the Department of Student Engagement and the Thrive@GHC initiative, has placed an emphasis on promoting a lifestyle of holistic wellness for students. Thrive@GHC gives students 24/7 access to counselors and mental health resources.

Jakub’s presentation is based around her second book, titled “The Anxiety Book: Not Just Me,” which is described as “a hopeful, entertaining, enlightening look at the root causes of anxiety, the latest research on mood disorders, and ideas for how we can all live authentically with more peace, power and purpose.”

Puckett said he spoke with Jakub on Twitter after reading about her advocacy for mental health awareness.

“She was responding to one of those ‘Where are they now?’ articles that asked ‘what the oldest daughter from ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ has been doing since the movie,’” Puckett said. “After I saw the tweet, I followed her account and liked what she had to say about mental health and thought she’d be a great speaker for our students.”

Please email studentengagement@highlands.edu for details on how to access the Zoom presentation.

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) recently opened the college’s new Media Innovation Center or “the MIC” on the Floyd campus. The new area houses space for the student newspaper the Six Mile Post (SMP), the newspaper’s Student Spin Podcast, the Old Red Kimono (ORK) literary magazine and the Floyd Campus’ Writing Center. The MIC also has a studio for GHC’s Film programs.

The MIC opened this fall in in the David B. McCorkle building.

All students will have access to the MIC and can schedule a time to use industry-standard technology and software to assist in the completion of classroom and personal projects.

“We want to help students facilitate whatever idea or project they are working on related to media,” Interim Dean of Humanities Jessica Lindberg said.

Six Mile Post and Old Red Kimono

As the SMP has grown in terms of how it connects to students – online, print and through the Student Spin podcast – a revamped space was essential.

“This new space is very open, modern and technologically updated,” SMP Faculty Advisor Allison Hattaway said. “I hope that the new office layout will help students feel more comfortable so that they really feel like this is their space.”

The MIC will place student staffers for the SMP and ORK front and center thanks to the office’s layout, which includes large panel windows. Hattaway said this increased visibility will help attract GHC students to become involved as both readers and contributors to student news publications.

The new space also will allow for community engagement, providing a central location to observe the operations of the SMP, Student Spin and ORK, which could lead to greater networking opportunities for students.

“We’d eventually like to have guest speakers and representatives from local media outlets to observe students working in this new collective space,” Hattaway said.

Film

Although GHC’s Film program just launched in the fall of 2020, students are already working on internships, including the production of professional films, one that included scenes filmed on the Rome campus earlier this summer.

Through the MIC and its Film studio, School of Humanities Chair Seth Ingram said the college will be able to attract more film productions to the Northwest Georgia region, creating more opportunities for students to get hands-on experience.

Offering pathways in both Film Production and Film Studies, students can get hands-on experience working with industry tools and equipment. In addition, students from all programs of study will be able to arrange to access this equipment for their academic, professional and personal pursuits.

“The goal is to have the MIC serve as an all-inclusive resource for our students, but will also be home to the Film program,” Ingram said.

Writing Center & Collaboration

One mission of the MIC is to provide cross-curricular assistance to students. As the new home to GHC’s Writing Center, students will have access to additional help in becoming more effective communicators.

Led by English Instructor Shannan Harrington, the Writing Center will help students to better approach writing assignments by guiding them in the areas of brainstorming, outlining, research, revision and grammar.

“From beginning support in English to helping graduates with their cover letters and resumes, the Writing Center will help students with whatever they need in terms of writing support,” Harrington said.

Hattaway said housing these student publications alongside the Writing Center and Film program will help give all students a chance to branch out and explore new opportunities on campus to grow as students and as individuals.

“A lot of times students may think ‘I’m not a strong writer, so I don’t have a place on a newspaper staff,’ or ‘I’m shy, so I don’t have a place on a podcast program,’” Hattaway said. “We want all students to have a place at the MIC.”

For example, students without a background in writing or feel uncomfortable having a public-facing role could help to develop an outline for a program to air, recruit interview subjects for a podcast, or can gain professional experience working with others on one of GHC’s student productions.

“Some students might not realize there are so many opportunities to apply transferrable skills, and the MIC is a great place to start,” Hattaway said.

Thanks to an exclusive articulation agreement between Georgia Highlands College (GHC) and the University of Georgia (UGA), GHC students who complete their associate degree in biology while taking specific courses in the biology pathway will be admitted into UGA’s Bachelor of Science in Microbiology program on their Griffin Campus, easing the transition toward obtaining a higher-level degree.

“As most know, UGA has a very competitive admissions process, and this agreement gives students an alternative to admission into UGA,” Interim Dean for GHC’s School of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Jason Christian said.

This program is ideal for students interested in working in the growing fields around microbiology, immunology, industrial hygiene or public health. It also would allow a student to apply to medical school, veterinary school, physician assistant programs, or a whole variety of graduate schools.

The articulation agreement is effective for the fall 2021 semester.

The University of Georgia’s Griffin location allows students to obtain a UGA degree without relocating to the Athens area.  Whether a student desires to stay closer to home and commute to Griffin or relocate to be near the south metro area, the UGA Griffin Campus affords those options to individuals desiring to earn a UGA degree.

Students looking to complete a bachelor’s degree on the Griffin Campus must have completed at least 60 transferable semester hours with a transfer GPA of at least 2.8 as calculated by UGA Undergraduate Admissions as well as any prerequisite courses specific to the degree program in which they wish to enroll.  Georgia Highlands College’s Associate of Science in Biology is a perfect start for students who want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology on the UGA Griffin Campus.

Learn more today at STEM.highlands.edu.

Georgia Highlands College’s School of Business and Professional Studies will begin its Entrepreneur Speaker Series on Sept. 1. Two more speakers are planned for Sept. 15 and Oct. 6.

The series will connect successful entrepreneurs with students and the community to share stories and advice in a virtual format.

“One of the best ways you can become a successful entrepreneur is by listening to entrepreneurs who are already successful,” Assistant Professor of Business Administration Shanika Wright-Turner said. “You’ll hear firsthand what it takes to grow a successful business.”

Visit ess.highlands.edu for more information and to register for any speaker event in this series.

Sept. 1 – Candace Walker

Candace Walker is the Director of the Atlanta Police Department Crime Lab. With more than a decade of forensic experience, she is the first black woman to hold the agency’s title. Walker, a forensic scientist, specializes as a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology, minoring in Forensic Chemistry, and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Loyola University New Orleans.

Walker is also the owner and creator of The Vibrary: Wine and Bookbar. The Vibrary is in the heart of Stone Mountain Village and opened August of 2021. The Vibrary features book signings, book clubs and wine experiences.

“To accomplish anything, ‘sticktoitiveness’ is necessary,” Walker said.

Sept. 15 – Becky Gabany

Becky Gabany is the System Director of Community Health for Memorial Health System in Springfield, IL. She is responsible for community benefit programs at Memorial Medical Center and provides support in those areas for the affiliates of Memorial Health System.

Gabany has a passion for equity and a desire to learn, grow and act as an ally for those who are marginalized. She believes that entrepreneurship comes in many forms and encourages others to look within their circles of control to affect change.

Oct. 6 – Cade Joiner

As a proud Georgia native, Cade Joiner has been responsible for the creation and growth of more than a dozen different businesses in the state. After earning a Bachelor of Business in Marketing from the University of Georgia, he founded Shred-X Secure Document Destruction, which is now the largest independent shredding company in the southeast.

He is the Chairman of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) of Georgia and is also a strategic partner at Brookwell Capital, raising private capital for businesses across the country. He sits on the boards of several start-ups around the state.

Primeful Digital in Chattanooga is a search engine optimization and marketing agency started by GHC graduate Justin Deal. After completing his political science degree at GHC, Deal went on to study at Columbia University in New York.

“GHC provided me with maximum opportunity in a comfortable setting,” Deal said. “…and I always felt inspired to do more when I arrived on campus.”

Deal said faculty and staff were helpful as he learned the ins and outs of college life, such as navigating financial aid and scholarship application process.

Deal was enrolled at GHC from 2012 to 2014, graduating with an associate degree in political science. As a student, Deal was involved in numerous Registered Student Organizations, such as Equality Alliance, Student Government Association, Political Science Club, Phi Theta Kappa (Alpha Psi Omicron Chapter), Leadership Development Program, and he also served as an Orientation Leader.

While Deal completed his bachelor’s degree at Columbia University in New York, he said GHC provided him with the tools he needed to begin his academic and professional journey. In addition, Deal said he has several fond memories of his time on campus and engaging with registered student organizations.

Starting Primeful Digital with his business partner Shawn Tucker was no easy task, but the duo were able to get things running in a short amount of time.

“It took about three to six months to go from initial idea to running a business,” Deal said. “Many people wonder how we did that so fast, and it is because we had very low startup fees and have few overhead fees as our business is 99% digital.”

Deal said he has been pleased with how his business has improved the lives of himself and others.

“I wanted out of the 9 to 5 routine and to create more space in my life for travel and adventure,” Deal said. “I don’t want to wait until retirement to explore the world. Also, I wanted to promote a more open, worker-first company culture and give people the opportunity to take advantage of the benefits of our burgeoning gig economy. Luckily, I had the opportunity to freelance as a copywriter while in New York City, and the rest is history.”

To learn more about Primeful Digital, please visit primefuldigital.com

Through the collaboration of multiple departments, Georgia Highlands College (GHC) has recently unveiled its new Video Recording Studio (VRS) to allow faculty to easily record lectures and supplemental content for their classes.

Dean of Libraries and College Testing Julius Fleschner said the VRS, which is located at the Cartersville site, will have several benefits to GHC instructors.

“Our faculty can record lectures with PowerPoint slides visible or simply record a short two- to five-minute long concept refresher,” Fleschner said.

While the idea for the VRS came from Dean of Planning, Assessment, Accreditation and Research Jesse Bishop years ago, the previous move to remote instruction for the 2020 spring and summer semesters catapulted the idea into necessity.

The system, from the company Extron, provides a single, one-button panel where patrons can plug in a thumb drive to record their video.

“This activates the system and turns on the cameras, microphones and lighting,” Fleschner said. “Users can utilize an iMac to display their presentation behind them on a monitor.”

In the front of the room, there is a screen called a confidence monitor, which allows users to see what is being recorded. The room also contains a lightboard, which is a large piece of glass that allows speakers to write with a special marker visible to viewers.

The VRS is open to students as well, and Fleschner said he is hopeful instructors will use the VRS to introduce multimodal composition frameworks into their required assignments, allowing students to compose work in more than just an essay format.

“This structure can be taught, and students can easily record a speech or presentation in their own time without personal technology limitations,” Fleschner said. “Students can also use the VRS to create YouTube channels or promotional videos for registered student organizations.”

The facilitation and launch of the VRS was made possible through Cartersville site Librarian Jessica Osborne, Director of Audio Visual Services Tony Gambill and Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Josie Baudier.

Georgia Highlands College has announced students named to the summer 2021 President’s List and Dean’s List. To achieve President’s List status, students must earn a 4.0 grade point average and attain a minimum of nine semester hours of credit. To make Dean’s List students, must complete a minimum of nine semester hours and achieve at least a 3.5 average.

The following students were named to the President’s List (by state and county):

AL-CHEROKEE

Rebekah Browning, Cedar Bluff

GA-BARTOW

Kadejah Adams, Cartersville

Kayla Avila, Cartersville

Haley Bennett, Cartersville

Mark Brand, Emerson

Carley Bruce, Emerson

DeNisha Durham, Cartersville

Danny Gonzalez Vicente, Adairsville

Savannah Harris, White

Ciara Horner, Cartersville

Jillian Humphreys, Cartersville

Tanner Hund, Cartersville

Jacoryn Jordan, Cartersville

Moises Ledesma, Euharlee

Hanna Massicott, Cartersville

Tara Mathis, Cartersville

Shelina Munoz, Cartersville

Victoria Najarro, Cartersville

Haley Pittman, Adairsville

Roger Redd, Adairsville

Elizabeth Roberson, Cartersville

Burt Tidwell, Cartersville

Julia Varner, Cartersville

GA-BIBB

Mallory Massey, Macon

GA-CARROLL

Alexander Colas, Villa Rica

GA-CHATTOOGA

Christian Dover, Summerville

GA-CHEROKEE

Chassity Callison, Canton

Wedlyne Cange, Canton

Ivy Johnson, Woodstock

Nicholas Miller, Woodstock

Malia Ray, Canton

Elizabeth Strong, Waleska

David Vaughan, Canton

GA-COBB

Carrie Aldridge, Marietta

Vivian Assis, Acworth

Daniel Brown, Acworth

Dave Carr, Smyrna

Stephanie Galicia, Mableton

Ashlyn Goff, Acworth

Kayla Henderson, Acworth

Haley Ivy, Kennesaw

Alexis Kimball, Marietta

Anna Ruth Riggins, Powder Springs

Chrystal Sylvain, Powder Springs

Kristina Von Nordeck, Mableton

GA-DOUGLAS

Summer Bridges, Douglasville

Megan Holloway, Douglasville

Shachia Jones, Douglasville

Ivonne Ratkovic, Douglasville

GA-FANNIN

Nicole Highley, Morganton

GA-FAYETTE

Kajarah Pettway, Fayetteville

GA-FLOYD

Richard Ables, Rome

Yolisbeth Ambrocio, Rome

Kirstie Ayala, Rome

Courtney Baron, Rome

Rosmery Campos Sanchez, Rome

Fraidenes Deleon Gramajo, Rome

William Greene, Rome

Donovan Kinsella, Rome

Sanne Kramer, Rome

Taylor Meeks, Rome

Heema Patel, Rome

Stephen Paul, Rome

Daroly Ramirez-Calderon, Rome

Magda Reyes, Rome

Libby Upton, Rome

Debra Wigbels, Rome

GA-FORSYTH

Stormy Ortiz, Cumming

GA-FULTON

Marlowe Mitchell, Atlanta

GA-GORDON

Emma Burger, Calhoun

Tabatha Collins, Calhoun

GA-GWINNETT

Katherine Vu, Norcross

Charlize Wooden, Loganville

GA-HARRIS

Roger Carroll, Pine Mountain

GA-OGLETHORPE

Olivia Fortner, Carlton

GA-PAULDING

Samantha Chardavoine, Dallas

Gregory Chenoweth, Dallas

Ivy Couch, Dallas

Orlane Devesin, Douglasville

Kaylee Gardner, Dallas

Sierra Gehweiler, Dallas

Kaylin Honea, Dallas

Sherell Mahadeo, Rockmart

Gabrielle Nelson, Dallas

Sheena Patel, Powder Springs

Jeromy Zigan, Dallas

GA-PICKENS

Ashley Garrett, Jasper

GA-POLK

Juana Aguilar, Cedartown

Latoya Davis, Cedartown

Madison Hulsey, Rockmart

Jennifer Vaughn, Cedartown

GA-WHITFIELD

Adrian Fraire, Tunnel Hill

Gwendolyn Mathis, Rocky Face

GU-GUAM

Cheryl Greer, Tamuning

The following students were named to the Dean’s List (by state and county):

GA-BARTOW

Elisabeth Archer, Cartersville

Amber Baldwin, Adairsville

Chad Cetti, Cartersville

Jeremy Eidson, Cartersville

Aaron Green, Cartersville

Hannah Grogan, Cartersville

Blake Hall, Cartersville

Carressa Hann, Cartersville

Damani Johnson Taylor, Cartersville

Anthony Kraut, Cartersville

Anel Manjarrez, White

Meghan Murphy, Cartersville

Bethani Pickett, Euharlee

Angelynn Potts, Cartersville

Lisa Rose, Cartersville

Luke Stooksbury, Cartersville

GA-BIBB

Lauryn Harris, Macon

GA-BRYAN

Joy Burnsed, Pembroke

GA-CALHOUN

Shelby Chapman, Calhoun

GA-CHATTOOGA

Magda Jimenez, Trion

GA-CHEROKEE

Cadence Cox, Waleska

Jessica Darnell, Ball Ground

Stella Griffin, Canton

Morgan Morrison, Woodstock

Haley Prouty, Acworth

Kiera Rollins, Acworth

Mirlene Saint-Aime, Woodstock

Martisa Webster, Acworth

Shannon Wormley, Acworth

GA-CLARKE

Claire Fortenberry, Athens

GA-COBB

Lesli Alvarez, Marietta

Brandy Chaumette, Powder Springs

Kathryn Childress, Marietta

Thomas Dubey, Marietta

Kyle Goldstein, Marietta

Eric Johnson, Marietta

Devin Jones, Kennesaw

Trevor Margolin, Powder Springs

Amaya McFadden, Powder Springs

Seidou Nchare, Marietta

Olivia Premorel, Acworth

Cindy Reutlinger, Marietta

Giselle Reyes, Austell

Terry Tarpley, Powder Springs

GA-DOUGLAS

Michael Howard, Douglasville

Bernard Oteng, Douglasville

Deanna Purnell, Douglasville

Oluwawemimo Suberu, Douglasville

GA-FLOYD

Esmeralda Buitrago Ariza, Rome

Cesar Lopez, Rome

Tesla Medckie, Rome

Jason Mendoza, Rome

Yvonne Milligan, Rome

Tammy Parson, Rome

Isaac Roberson, Kingston

Clara Torres Escriba, Rome

Abigail Vaughn, Rome

Bailey Williams, Rome

GA-FULTON

Will Jones, Atlanta

Chance Mullen, Roswell

Travis Queen, Roswell

GA-GILMER

Alissa Hanson, Ellijay

GA-GORDON

Patsy Bristol, Calhoun

Brianna Hurtado, Calhoun

Taylor Miller, Calhoun

Kalyn Simmons, Calhoun

Alexis Smith, Calhoun

GA-MUSCOGEE

Megan Collins, Fortson

GA-OCONEE

Jonathan Mcilvaine, Athens

GA-PAULDING

Madison Baxter, Hiram

Emily Carney, Dallas

Isaiah Carson, Dallas

Tyra Crowder-Pelton, Dallas

Nile Finch, Dallas

Brooke Haney, Dallas

Jason Johnson, Dallas

Alyssa Kynard, Dallas

Senate Pendley, Dallas

David Thomas, Dallas

Mary Whitner, Dallas

Audra Williams, Dallas

GA-POLK

Daniel Ortiz, Cedartown

Taylor Tucker, Aragon

GA-WALTON

Rebecca Moran, Loganville