Georgia Highlands College faculty, staff, students and alumni came together to display and define what diversity means to them on a new webpage devoted to “Diversity and Inclusion at GHC.”

The site was recently published and is in its first phase of many.

“We believe students, faculty, staff and administrators will agree that the content captured in this first phase of website development has an energy and vitality to it that represents well the dynamic nature of our college community’s culture,” Vice President for Human Resources Virginia Siler said. “This is just the start of creating a place that will draw us, future students and our communities in, and keep everyone informed of this important aspect of GHC and what is happening in this area of focus.”

Siler stated that in the near future the website will be expanded to include “centers.”

Siler says, “these centers will house resources and education more focused toward particular groups,” such as centers devoted to LGBT+, Women, Multicultural, Interfaith, and more.

GHC Math Instructor Chris Hart is leading that effort.

“GHC’s Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) represents our commitment to creating and maintaining resources and education for our community and involvement,” he said. “The CDI will be instituted as an online resource center to be able to maximize accessibility to the GHC student, staff, faculty and our greater community. Maintained by faculty, staff, and students, the CDI will strive to be current, relevant, and evolving for our community housing such things as an event lists, policy information, and general resources.”

The new website can be found at: https://www.highlands.edu/diversity-and-inclusion/

Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2017 Who’s Who in Education special section honors men and women who are leading the way in K-12 and postsecondary education in metro Atlanta. As William Butler Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

In this section, we included top education leaders from our Book of Lists research: 20 of metro Atlanta’s largest colleges and universities, 20 independent schools and up to 10 of the largest business schools, as well as top government officials, leaders of engineering schools, top MBA program chiefs, metro area public school superintendents and heads of professional associations.

To see the full list, visit: http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/05/18/learning-who-leads-in-education.html#g1

AS SEEN IN THE ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE: http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/05/18/learning-who-leads-in-education.html

Georgia Highlands College has announced students named to the spring 2017 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 county):

JACKSON – AL 

Brianna Davis, Bryant

BARROW  

Alicia Baker, Winder

BARTOW  

Lizabeth Adams, Cartersville

Haley Altman, Cartersville

Rebekah Bell, Cartersville

Jenna Bevil, Emerson

Mary-Kate Billings, Cartersville

Joel Bowers, Taylorsville

Gretchen Brown, Cartersville

Shawn Bunyard, Euharlee

Tara Butler, Kingston

Morgan Callari, Cartersville

Tabitha Cantrell, Cartersville

Hannah Cauthen, Cartersville

Alexandria Chitwood, Cartersville

Abby Clark, Kingston

Alexis Clark, Adairsville

Kaden Cochran, Adairsville

Rachel Craig, Adairsville

Michaela Crowe, Cartersville

Courtney Davidson, Taylorsville

Nedalys Delcid, Cartersville

Samantha Dempsey, Cartersville

Jeffrey Dunn, Kingston

Hope Elrod, Cartersville

Milisa Gallardo, Cartersville

Angelica Gallegos, Cartersville

Joy Garrison, Kingston

Emily Greene, Cartersville

Phillip Hames, Cartersville

Madison Harris, Cartersville

Chandler Hart, Cartersville

Emilee Hoerl, Cartersville

Kimberly Holland, Cartersville

Hannah Hood, White

Elizabeth Hopper, Adairsville

Allison Hulit, Euharlee

Ashlie Hunt, Kingston

Lillian Jordan, Taylorsville

Huda Kamal, Cartersville

Christopher Kattner, Acworth

David Kindred, Cartersville

Christin Koutavas, Cartersville

William Landrum, Adairsville

William Lange, Cartersville

Brittany Laughlin, Cartersville

Anna-marie Lawson, Adairsville

Kaitlyn Marshall, Cartersville

Therese Mastini, Euharlee

Caliope Miron, Cartersville

Shawn Mohr, Acworth

David Moseley, Cartersville

Emily Parker, Adairsville

Atit Patel, Cartersville

MacKenzie Payne, Cartersville

Caleb Reeves, Cartersville

Brandi Rhodes, Cartersville

Dana Rieske, Kingston

Jennifer Ringenberg, Euharlee

Arthur Rutledge, Taylorsville

Kristian Rutledge, White

Timothy Ryan, Cartersville

Elena Sanders, Cartersville

Jillian Scanlon, Cartersville

Sydney Shultz, Cartersville

Abigail Smith, Cartersville

Daniel Smith, Adairsville

Marleigh Smith, Taylorsville

Patricia Spivey, Cartersville

Brooklyn Stepp, Kingston

Jonny Thornton, Cartersville

Courtney Urquhart, Cartersville

Jacelyn Wells, Cartersville

CARROLL  

Alania Henderson, Bowdon

Malorie Moore, Villa Rica

Jill Murphy, Waco

Amanda Sheffield, Villa Rica

CATOOSA  

Melonie Craven, Ringgold

CHATTOOGA  

Adriana Bautista-florentino, Summerville

John Brown, Cloudland

Timothy Cooper, Summerville

Kevin Dooley, Menlo

Kallie Johnson, Summerville

Brooke Landry, Lyerly

Laura Mann, Summerville

Anslie Miller, Summerville

Payton Payne, Summerville

Andrew Soule, Menlo

Levi Thomas, Trion

Ericka Wells, Summerville

John Young, Summerville

CHEROKEE  

Olivia Barnes, Canton

Leonard Carrese, Woodstock

Andrea Crabb, Woodstock

Alexandra Deaton, Canton

Justin Dobbs, Canton

Meagan Doughty, Acworth

Mia Glessing, Canton

Amy Holley, Canton

Nikolas Kekel, Canton

Brittany Kelchner, Woodstock

Carol Kendrick, Canton

Christina Loper, Acworth

Christopher McDuffie, Woodstock

Kalin Neely, Canton

Rebecca Newton, Canton

Hannah Queen, Woodstock

Hannah Ransom, Canton

Edgar Rodriguez, Acworth

Hayley Sirmons, Acworth

Chelsie Stroud, Woodstock

CLAYTON 

Malik Baker, Riverdale

COBB  

Jordan Adams, Powder Springs

Dominic Akala, Powder Springs

Solace Amedogbe, Powder Springs

Tomiko Atkins, Kennesaw

Andrew Beard, Marietta

Adam Bomar, Acworth

Yennifer Bravo, Smyrna

Leanne Ca, Marietta

Kaleigh Camp, Kennesaw

Yvonne Camp, Mableton

Rebecca Cardoza, Marietta

Sigourney Chavez, Atlanta

Kathryn Childress, Marietta

Benjamin Chipman, Powder Springs

Diana Clarke, Kennesaw

Seth Cowan, Acworth

Caitlin Crider, Smyrna

Chelssey Cuellar, Kennesaw

Jessica Darity, Powder Springs

Ashley Diehl, Dallas

Kaitlyn Duvall, Marietta

Ivy Ellison, Powder Springs

Etsegenet Endale, Powder Springs

Joshua England, Marietta

Madisyn Escue, Acworth

Joseph Estep, Marietta

Lesly Fant, Acworth

Ein Findley, Powder Springs

Erick Garcia Fierro, Smyrna

Michael Ghaly, Marietta

Shaheen Ghazyani, Marietta

Tiffanie Hayes, Marietta

Dalia Hernandez, Marietta

Brande Holm, Powder Springs

Claire Howard, Marietta

Trevor Jones, Acworth

Lynn Kimwele, Austell

Alanna Levine, Kennesaw

Amanda Lewis, Powder Springs

Hannah Loccisano, Acworth

Zachary Marotta, Smyrna

Connor Mcminamin, Acworth

Danielle Mecum, Marietta

Cindy Mendoza Razo, Kennesaw

Megan Milner, Acworth

Doina Mompremier, Marietta

Mark Morris, Powder Springs

Katherine Morrison, Kennesaw

Hiba Nasser, Marietta

Sarah Neighbors, Marietta

Minh Nguyen, Marietta

Melanie Niemann, Powder Springs

Emily Onofrey, Powder Springs

Fawzieh Osman, Austell

LaNia Palmer, Powder Springs

Kelly Pereira, Kennesaw

Bryce Pitts, Marietta

Mary Powell, Dallas

Himaanshu Puri, Kennesaw

Juan Ramirez, Powder Springs

Arron Rann, Powder Springs

Jennel Reader, Marietta

Yzcalli Rendon, Kennesaw

Myrna Rios, Powder Springs

Adrian Salinas, Austell

Nachell Sanfilippo, Smyrna

Karen Schubert, Kennesaw

Ashley Scott, Kennesaw

Madison Siegel, Marietta

Joseph Simone, Atlanta

Jordan Singer, Kennesaw

Michael Smoak, Kennesaw

Molly Southern, Marietta

Lauren Stanfill, Acworth

Kaimi Story, Marietta

Hilina Tesfaye, Kennesaw

Erica Thompson, Kennesaw

Xuan Tran, Marietta

Deanna Valdez, Kennesaw

Pablo Varagon, Marietta

Ryan Vickery, Marietta

Alexis Watkins, Acworth

Delores Wiley, Marietta

Christine Wilmott, Kennesaw

Margaret Wright, Powder Springs

Donna Zedler, Kennesaw

COWETA  

Amanda Glick, Newnan

Denise Landon, Newnan

DOUGLAS  

Ansleigh Bentley, Villa Rica

Elijah Bransford, Douglasville

Christian Casteel, Villa Rica

Jerry Casteel, Villa Rica

Justin Cintron, Douglasville

Candace Cope, Douglasville

Cassidy Edwards, Douglasville

Katherine Gamel, Douglasville

Amelia Green, Douglasville

Shanice Hamilton, Douglasville

Christina Hampton, Douglasville

Jelena Hooi, Douglasville

Laura Lambert, Douglasville

Leila Langelier, Lithia Springs

Justin Leibbrand, Douglasville

Kalista Lyons, Douglasville

Eva Marchbanks, Douglasville

Melinda Meade, Douglasville

Marshea Oliver, Villa Rica

Ethan Pell, Villa Rica

Paul Pieper, Douglasville

Tanner Poltzer, Douglasville

Krista Pugh, Douglasville

John Robbins, Douglasville

Aaron Roberts, Douglasville

Constance Rust, Lithia Springs

Abigail Schintzius, Douglasville

Madison Signoret, Winston

Kathleen Stone, Winston

Gabriel Strawn, Winston

Lacey Turner, Douglasville

Isabelle Wilkins, Douglasville

Ada Wood, Winston

EFFINGHAM  

Jessika Gancedo, Guyton

FANNIN  

Erick Rosas Rosas, Blue Ridge

FAYETTE  

Hannah Fertig, Peachtree City

FLOYD  

Natalie Aguilar, Rome

China Allmon, Rome

Roger Amaya, Rome

Leah Ayers, Rome

Rebecca Blair, Kingston

Caitlin Brownlow, Rome

Jessica Carrier, Rome

Brittany Carroll, Rome

Payton Carter, Calhoun

Erich Curtis, Lindale

Miranda Curtis, Lindale

Carol Dempsey, Rome

Bonnie Dodd, Kingston

Kaley Dover, Silver Creek

Brittany Dowdy, Silver Creek

Andrew Dulaney, Cave Spring

Haley Epstein, Lindale

Marshall Gaddy, Rome

Jacqueline Gentry, Rome

Angelica Gomez, Rome

Heather Gooch, Savannah

Theresa Graham, Rome

Ronald Hale, Armuchee

Emily Hall, Aragon

Savannah Haney, Armuchee

Courtney Hann, Lindale

Katie Henderson, Rome

Anna Hensley, Rome

Amber Hubbard, Rome

Briana Jolly, Rome

Jeffrey Kennedy, Rome

Jennifer Kilgo, Silver Creek

Cassandra Labeause, Rome

Jeremy Linville, Rome

Joshua Mabry, Lindale

Ashley Manchester, Rome

Giselle Martinez, Rome

Maria Meyers, Rome

Mary Moody, Rome

Autumn Munday, Rome

Dylan Nelson, Lindale

Katelen Oakes, Rome

Aubryn Patton, Rome

Lydia Peugh, Armuchee

Alexis Pledger, Rome

Emily Preston, Rome

Autumn Pritchard, Aragon

Dustin Putnam, Rome

Angelina Reyes, Rome

Princesa Reyes, Rome

Ansley Reynolds, Rome

Natalie Romano, Rome

Jose Sales, Rome

Jacob Stewart, Rome

Erika Stonebraker, Rome

Molly Van Kleef, Rome

Sabrina Wilson, Rome

Serena Wilson, Rome

Ciara Zarr, Rome

FULTON  

Brent Amelingmeier, Roswell

Mallory Malcolm, Atlanta

Shante’ Mosley, Atlanta

Theodore Sayre, Roswell

Nicole Stewart, Alpharetta

Rebecca Summers, Atlanta

GILMER  

Kelly Criswell, Ellijay

GORDON  

Hannah Brookshire, Calhoun

Joseph Farist, Ranger

Carrie Gordon, Calhoun

Aaron Hunter Grizzle, Ranger

Kelsey Hales, Calhoun

Kaley Harris, Adairsville

Ali Henslee, Calhoun

Logan Thomas, Calhoun

Andrew Wilson, Ranger

GWINNETT  

Kelly Hall, Sugar Hill

Lashavia Person, Duluth

HALL  

Lydia Richey, Gainesville

HARALSON  

Clayton Bell, Tallapoosa

April Couch, Cedartown

HOUSTON  

Andrew Ellison, Bonaire

MADISON  

Emily Poston, Commerce

PAULDING 

Jared Acreman, Douglasville

Caitlyn Anderson, Hiram

Kerry Benjamin, Dallas

Elisa Borgese, Acworth

Madison Brooks, Dallas

Nathaniel Carr, Dallas

Ivanna Castaneda, Powder Springs

Haley Clark, Dallas

Kelsey Cole, Dallas

Caitlin Cooney, Dallas

Tiffany Cory, Dallas

Tiffany Crowe, Dallas

Sarah Enwright, Dallas

Jason Frederick, Dallas

Ashleigh Freeman, Powder Springs

Cason Galeazzo, Dallas

Emma Gober, Hiram

Cole Golden, Dallas

Helaina Gomez, Dallas

Joshua Goodwill, Hiram

Halie Hicks, Dallas

Jyssica Hightower, Dallas

Kassie Hite, Hiram

Macy Hollis, Dallas

Tapeprasith Inthavong, Dallas

Timothy Irby, Dallas

Mykayla Jeter, Hiram

Jennifer Johnson, Dallas

Terri Koch, Douglasville

Taylor Konermann, Douglasville

Haley Lash, Dallas

Natalie Long, Hiram

Taylor Maney, Temple

David Maulding, Temple

Ashley Mclean, Douglasville

Ashley Phillips, Douglasville

Taylor Potter, Acworth

Robert Ragsdale, Douglasville

Christina Samples, Dallas

Tiffany Sanchez, Dallas

Meghan Shelton, Dallas

Joseph Showers, Hiram

Taylor Silvar, Dallas

Kristina Smith, Douglasville

Tonya Smith, Rockmart

Logan St. Germain, Douglasville

Sabrina St.Martin, Dallas

Hannah Varnum, Dallas

Taylor Voraphongphibul, Rockmart

Nathanael White, Dallas

Anna Williams, Dallas

PICKENS  

Joshua Smith, Jasper

POLK  

Anna Bowman, Silver Creek

Amanda Bray, Cedartown

Heidi Celedon, Cedartown

Erica Forrister, Cedartown

Margaret Gardner, Cedartown

Jessica Harris, Taylorsville

Kari Harris, Aragon

Landon Hendrix, Cedartown

Remington Jackson, Cedartown

Moises Ledesma, Silver Creek

Hunter Marchbanks, Cedartown

Joyce Myers, Rockmart

Slade Parker, Cedartown

Kristen Prejean, Rockmart

Judy Standeford, Aragon

Melissa Streetman, Cedartown

Lisa Tracy, Rockmart

Jennifer Vaughn, Cedartown

STEPHENS  

Feather Holbrook, Toccoa

WALTON  

Lisa Linville, Monroe

PRINCE GEORGES – MD  

Nicholas Cohill, Upper Marlboro

FRANKLIN – OH 

Jeremy Morris, Dublin

MACOMB – MI

Kateryna Pazzaglia Khomenko, Cervia, Emilia Romagna,

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

CHEROKEE – AL

Lauren Hammett, Gaylesville

LIMESTONE – AL  

Cameron Turner, Athens

BARROW 

Mackenzy Mcfarland, Winder

BARTOW  

Jordan Andrews, Cartersville

Laken Bennett, Cartersville

Rebecca Bennett, Rydal

Karsten Black, Cartersville

Stacie Broyles, Kingston

Eugene Carlson, Cartersville

Avery Cissa, White

Stephanie Corona, Adairsville

Logan Couch, Cartersville

Charles Davis, Cartersville

Tambari Deeyaa, Cartersville

Destiny Dial, Adairsville

Sarai Diaz, Cartersville

Kelsie Dobson, Cartersville

Amethyst Dunn, Kingston

Renee Ellis, Cartersville

Brandy Folger, Adairsville

Sarah Franklin, Cartersville

Francene French, Adairsville

Jacqueline Garcia, Cartersville

Christopher Getz, Cartersville

Kelly Getz, Cartersville

Courtney Godfrey, Cartersville

Tanner Harrell, Cartersville

Braden Harris, Kingston

Emma Hartley, Cartersville

Beth Henderson, Rydal

Emma Henry, Cartersville

Amanda Herron, Cartersville

Makenzie Holmes, Cartersville

Rachel Hornbrook, Adairsville

Lamaria Jackson, Cartersville

Mallory Jackson, Cartersville

Tanner Jones, Cartersville

Josephine Kappel, Cartersville

Kera Lawhon, Cartersville

Kristy Lee, Cartersville

Joshua Lehto, Adairsville

Garam Lim, Cartersville

Emily Long, White

Cherish Lowery, White

Stephanie Maldonado, Cartersville

Randy Martin, Adairsville

Marcelino Mejia Lopez, Cartersville

Savannah Michaels, Adairsville

Hannah Miller, Cartersville

Sydney Mobbs, Adairsville

Spenser Moore, Adairsville

Taylor Moore, Adairsville

Andrew Morgan, Cartersville

William Nicholson, White

Rebekah Owens, Cartersville

Jacqueline Pineda, Cartersville

Abigail Ranic, Adairsville

Alyssa Ranic, Adairsville

Victoria Reed, Cartersville

Cecilia Reyes-cruz, Cartersville

Amelia Reynolds, Cartersville

Madison Rogers, Cartersville

Donna Rose, Cartersville

Joshua Rowland, Cartersville

Kyra Ruddell, Adairsville

Maria Rudy, Rydal

Vanessa Salazar, Cartersville

Veronica Sanchez, Cartersville

Matalyn Santini, Cartersville

Joshua Scott, Cartersville

Misty Smalls, Cartersville

Jennifer Smith, Adairsvville

Sydney Smith, Cartersville

William Smith, Cartersville

Victoria Stafford, Cartersville

Kaitlyn Stewart, Cartersville

Katherine Sullivan, Adairsville

Sarah Thorne, Cartersville

Amiee Truett, Taylorsville

Amber Turner, Euharlee

Michael Walker, White

Christina Wilson, Cartersville

Brandy Wise, Cartersville

Ashton Wood, Cartersville

Kayla Wooten, Cartersville

CARROLL  

Hanna Brock, Carrollton

Heather Duffey, Carrollton

Daniel Holland, Villa Rica

Jennifer Hudson, Carrollton

Micala Kruse, Villa Rica

Sasandra Maceus, Temple

Savanna Parker, Villa Rica

Haleigh Stone, Villa Rica

CHATHAM  

Christina Kuhaneck, Savannah

CHATTOOGA  

Velvie Groves, Summerville

Mariom Lea, Lyerly

John Maddux, Summerville

Tracie Rowlls, Summerville

Julia Scruggs, Summerville

Brandy Smith, Summerville

Marie Stephens, Summerville

Daniel Witt, Trion

CHEROKEE  

Rick Atkinson, Woodstock

Karley Barnard, Woodstock

Emily Black, Woodstock

April Brown, Canton

Gavin Crouch, Woodstock

Jacob Davis, White

Jared Dearing, Waleska

Matthew Dobbs, Canton

Sophia Dorleus, Acworth

Mitchell Feltham, Waleska

Paige Fuller, Canton

Autumn Horton, Woodstock

Ashley Hudson, Woodstock

Trevor Kelly, Woodstock

Mario Magana, Canton

Marie McLean, Canton

Christian Mcelroy, Woodstock

Aaron Moore, Acworth

Heather Nesbit, Woodstock

Julia Patterson, Canton

Alexis Philips, Woodstock

Kathyrn Reid, Canton

Jared Richmond, Woodstock

Nicholas Rooks, Woodstock

Zachary Sapp, Ball Ground

Mackenzie Seay, Canton

Caleb Shelton, Woodstock

Olivia Stell, Woodstock

Mary Sturgeon, White

Jair Tolliver, Acworth

Heather Turner, Canton

Nelida Vasquez-Jimenez, Canton

Abbey Weaver, Canton

Michael Williamson, Acworth

Adalee Wiseman, Woodstock

Cassey Wyatt, Canton

Spencer Yaden, Woodstock

CLAYTON 

Kanisha Tharpe, Ellenwood

COBB  

Michelle Alberto, Acworth

Alleyna Alleyne, Kennesaw

Sarah Amandolia, Acworth

Aicha Bah, Marietta

Alexia Barrett, Kennesaw

Sierra Barrett, Kennesaw

Isjour Beasley, Kennesaw

Kristina Bennett, Acworth

Michael Boateng, Acworth

Olga Boyarshynova, Marietta

Alexandra Boyland, Powder Springs

Brenda Boyzo, Mableton

Ansley Brown, Dallas

Kaitlin Brush, Powder Springs

Marcela Calzada, Marietta

Carolina Caseiro, Kennesaw

Edward Castrejon, Marietta

Sean Combs, Powder Springs

Michael Copeland, Kennesaw

Charles Crider, Smyrna

Peyton Darling, Powder Springs

Tarik Darrar, Acworth

Tania Diaz, Smyrna

Dajah Dixon, Acworth

Jennifer Duarte, Kennesaw

Kaleb Duax, Smyrna

Vanessa Fierro, Kennesaw

Elizabeth Frye, Kennesaw

Sarah Gabriel, Acworth

Caitlin Galyon, Acworth

Eduardo Garcia, Austell

Austen Gillen, Roswell

Harriet Haisty, Powder Springs

Melissa Halleck, Powder Springs

Lauryn Haney, Acworth

Sabrina Harding, Powder Springs

Sarah Hawes, Powder Springs

Justin Hedderman, Powder Springs

Senna Houston, Marietta

Bisma Hussain, Kennesaw

Jacob Jonathas, Acworth

Keanna Jones, Austell

Nancy Keenan, Powder Springs

Maimouna Konte, Austell

Sarah Kraft, Acworth

Christina Lane, Marietta

Conner Larson, Acworth

Fortrina Louis, Acworth

Andrew Mccollum, Kennesaw

Faith Mcelvery, Acworth

Courtney Mcswain, Acworth

Whitney Mills, Kennesaw

Alexandrea Minick, Acworth

Samantha Murphy, Kennesaw

Sylvia Ossei, Marietta

Rabia Paracha, Acworth

Rukhsar Qamar, Marietta

Ashley Rabanales, Marietta

Emmerson Roach, Roswell

Henry Rogers, Marietta

John Roland, Marietta

Bernardita Ruiz Kirsinger, Acworth

Kayla Rumph, Kennesaw

Katrina Russu, Kennesaw

Madison Ruth, Kennesaw

Jenna Ryan, Marietta

Shanna Salcedo, Austell

Jeniffer Salinas, Austell

Rosalba Sanchez, Marietta

Shelby Sands, Marietta

Monize Serra, Austell

Clayton Sheasby, Marietta

Jenee Smith, Marietta

Amanda Sorejian, Acworth

Jordan Southerland, Acworth

Cailey Steinberg, Kennesaw

Tiffiany Stewart, Smyrna

Ganyuan Tan, Kennesaw

Kaylan Tenakoun, Kennesaw

Robert Tharpe, Marietta

Shayna Thompson, Marietta

Alexzundra Tillman, Austell

Angelica Torres-Ramos, Marietta

Caroline Trader, Kennesaw

Caroline Troutman, Acworth

Christofer Udave, Acworth

Cooper Uvena, Acworth

Michelle Vaccaro, Marietta

Christine Valdes, Marietta

Duliar Valladares, Marietta

Melissa Walsh, Acworth

Morgan Warren, Kennesaw

Autumn Weakley, Acworth

Carson West, Acworth

Chandler West, Acworth

Daqualen Wilkins, Marietta

Dominick Workman, Acworth

COWETA  

Sarah Mason, Sharpsburg

Caleb McElwaney, Newnan

Daniel Mccumber, Newnan

Sam Sowerbrower, Sharpsburg

DEKALB 

Kyle Keas, Atlanta

Mira Khiyayeva, Atlanta

Joshua Swanson, Stone Mountain

DOUGLAS  

Christopher Aguirre, Douglasville

Eneida Alvarez, Douglasville

Andrew Barrett, Winston

Brianna Bowman, Douglasville

Elizabeth Edwards, Villa Rica

Chadwick Flanigan, Winston

Bianca Haskins, Douglasville

Nicolette Kelley-vargas, Douglasville

Heather Leahey, Winston

Jana Leibbrand, Douglasville

Alexandrea Martinez, Douglasville

Vitaliy Molokvas, Douglasville

Kathryn Noble, Winston

Teah Quinones, Douglasville

Jessica Robinson, Lithia Springs

Evan Sabin, Villa Rica

Rachel Sagesse, Douglasville

Sara Schulmeister, Douglasville

Khyle Sorhaindo, Douglasville

Shemika Steele, Douglasville

FAYETTE  

Summer Alexander-Collier, Jonesboro

Brandon Bell, Fayetteville

Travis Kuebler, Peachtree City

FLOYD  

William Ajanel, Rome

Emily Allmon, Rome

Cameron Atkinson, Rome

Breanna Beavers, Plainville

Emily Blalock, Rome

Brittanie Bonds, Cave Spring

Corey Bowers, Silver Creek

Kathryn Bryant, Rome

John Burchett, Rome

Rachel Cargle, Rome

Lydia Chandler, Armuchee

Maria Elena Cisneros Reyes, Rome

Daniel Clark, Silver Creek

Mackenzie Cochran, Rome

Abigail Cummings, Rome

Diann Davis, Rome

Jacqueline Davis, Rome

Rodney Dillard, Silver Creek

Erin Dyer, Rome

Diana Fain, Rome

Areeba Farooq, Rome

Andrew Floyd, Silver Creek

Briana Funtukis, Rome

Wesley Godfrey, Rome

Hannah Green, Silver Creek

Maoulene Guerrero, Rome

Ricardo Guijosa, Rome

Justin Hart, Rome

Emily Haynes, Rome

Cailee Hix, Rome

Kirstin Holmes, Cave Spring

Tiffany Jacobs, Silver Creek

Hannah Johnson, Armuchee

Holli Jones, Armuchee

Karleigh Jones, Armuchee

Sanne Kramer, Rome

Guadalupe Leon, Rome

Nicholas Lind, Rome

Megan Lowry, Rome

Giselle Luna, Rome

Abner Magana, Rome

Mary Masters, Rome

Nathan Meadows, Cave Spring

Margaret Meyers, Rome

Kallie Minter, Armuchee

Cynthia Miranda, Rome

Lauren Mitchell, Rome

Arminda Morales, Rome

Bethany Mostella, Rome

Charles Oswalt, Rome

Rebecca Outlaw, Silver Creek

Noah Payne, Rome

Nancy Perez, Rome

Kimberli Peru, Rome

Laquisha Pillow, Rome

Abigail Ramos, Rome

Shelby Rhinehart, Rome

Christopher Rhodes, Silver Creek

Devin Rhodes, Rome

Erika Rickman, Rome

Kerri Rogers, Rome

Leah Rowell, Rome

Destiny Runyan, Rome

Anna Schreier, Rome

Ethan Sentell, Rome

Robert Seymour, Rome

Jason Shedd, Rome

Jared Shelton, Rome

Reannah Smith, Lindale

Samantha Tate, Armuchee

Miles Threadgill, Rome

John Turner, Rome

Cynthia Ulrich, Kingston

John Yancey, Shannon

Makaylah Young, Silver Creek

FULTON  

Emily Aseff, Atlanta

Christian Crabtree, Atlanta

Charles Faulkner, Atlanta

Rasia Reeves, Atlanta

Conner Scott, Roswell

GILMER  

Alissa Hanson, Ellijay

GORDON 

Tiffany Chastain, Fairmount

Leslie Gaddy, Plainville

Ana Garcia, Calhoun

Jody Jameson, Plainville

Teasa Lewis, Calhoun

Maria Martinez, Calhoun

Yesenia Palmerin, Calhoun

Maria Palmerin Palmerin, Calhoun

Johan Santizo, Calhoun

Logan Wilkins, Fairmount

Alexis Young, Calhoun

GWINNETT  

Tamarka Ferron, Lawrenceville

Noah Magner, Stone Mountain

HARALSON  

Elizabeth Ceballos, Temple

HENRY

Geraiya Black, Mcdonough

Pamela Diokpara, Mcdonough

JONES 

Casey Dudley, Gray

PAULDING  

Austin Ainsworth, Dallas

Chandler Albrecht, Hiram

Madelyn Appleby, Douglasville

Vivian Assis, Dallas

Emma Atcheson, Dallas

Christopher Balkema, Acworth

Andrea Baskin, Temple

Marie Bauer, Dallas

Mitchell Begg, Dallas

Michael Bettikofer, Dallas

Leah Booth, Acworth

Jordan Bowzard, Douglasville

Tabitha Boyd, Dallas

Christopher Boze, Dallas

Jason Bragg, Dallas

Koryna Briggs, Dallas

Brooke Brunson, Dallas

Maxxi Bryant, Dallas

David Burgos, Dallas

Amanda Burnette, Douglasville

Kelly Burns, Dallas

Jessica Burrand, Dallas

Megan Butler, Dallas

Caroline Callihan, Dallas

Celestina Carrillo, Dallas

Mackenzie Carroll, Acworth

Ansleigh Chambers, Powder Springs

Marisa Chavarria, Dallas

Alyssa Chumley, Dallas

Katie Clayton, Acworth

Cynthia Comi, Dallas

Thaynara Costa, Dallas

Katie Cox, Hiram

Candace Craig, Douglasville

Trevor Downs, Douglasville

Desiree Edwards, Dallas

Amanda Friend, Rockmart

Ashley Galderise, Dallas

Paige Garmon, Powder Springs

Madeline Graben, Dallas

Blake Green, Hiram

Jose Guerra, Douglasville

Chandler Harris, Dallas

Spencer Harris, Dallas

Katie Hartman, Dallas

Jade Hawkins, Dallas

Allie Hayes, Temple

David Hill, Douglasville

Crystal Hogsed, Dallas

Stacey Holcomb, Rockmart

Ashley Holland, Dallas

Hannah Ingalls, Dallas

Tatyana Jackman, Hiram

Mollie Jackson, Dallas

Madison Jett, Dallas

Jason Johnson, Dallas

Amber Jones, Hiram

Lyndsey Jones, Dallas

Erin Keeney, Dallas

Latonya Kilgore, Dallas

Andrea Kuykendoll, Dallas

Brandon Leckie, Douglasville

Alysyn Long, Hiram

Sharmell Mahadeo, Rockmart

Michael Mathis, Rockmart

Renee Matthews, Rockmart

Matthew Mcbride, Acworth

Catherine Miller, Hiram

Breanna Moore, Dallas

Katherine Moore, Dallas

Carlos Morgan, Hiram

Cierra Morris, Douglasville

Wesley Myers, Dallas

Taylar Nall, Dallas

Jenna Newman, Acworth

Tamara Osborne, Hiram

Cassy Pierre, Douglasville

Mason Raiford, Rockmart

Madison Rhodes, Acworth

Luke Rigby, Powder Springs

Micaiah Roberts, Dallas

Toni Rock, Dallas

Johnathan Rogers, Dallas

Claire Rosser, Douglasville

Cheryl Sacristan, Acworth

Mergita Sadiku, Dallas

Miranda Sandoval, Dallas

Lauryn Shumate, Acworth

Brittany Smith, Dallas

Kassandra Smith, Dallas

Tayler Smith, Dallas

Austin Snipes, Douglasville

Kendra Stansbury, Dallas

Zachary Thrasher, Powder Springs

Valerie Tonkin, Dallas

Jessa Ward, Douglasville

Tiffany Watson, Dallas

Cameron Watts, Acworth

Brittany White, Dallas

Rebekah White, Dallas

Baylee Williams, Dallas

Haley Williams, Dallas

Mercedes Williams, Dallas

PICKENS 

Sasha Milks, Jasper

POLK  

Hunter Adkins, Cedartown

Rebecca Argo, Aragon

Brooklyn Barron, Cedartown

Sydney Blackmon, Cedartown

Macie Campbell, Rockmart

Lisandro Chavez, Cedartown

Nancy Cruz, Cedartown

Melissa Flores, Cedartown

David Goicochea, Cedartown

Holly Gosdin, Rockmart

Meghan Guice, Cedartown

Ashley Hawkins, Cedartown

Damaris Hunger, Cedartown

Cody Lumpkin, Taylorsville

Joy McCulley, Cedartown

Ann Merritt, Cedartown

Judy Olvera, Cedartown

Morgan Pruitt, Rockmart

Kasey Quick, Rockmart

Kimberly Sanchez, Cedartown

Justin Smith, Rockmart

Jennifer Tomlinson, Aragon

Tristan Walker, Cedartown

Regan Whitaker, Rockmart

Caleb Wilder, Rockmart

Catlynn Williams, Rockmart

Guadalupe Zarate, Cedartown

ROCKDALE  

Israel Zackery, Conyers

SEMINOLE  

Evan Hall, Donalsonville

WALKER  

Hannah Parrish, Rock Spring

KENT – MI  

Aaron Green, Wyoming

FAIRFIELD  

Emilee Brussee, Lancaster, OH

DENTON – TX

Kaylee Gauntt, Oak Point

PHOTO: Students from the most recent Honors Assembly hold up various awards.

The Georgia Highlands College Paulding and Douglasville locations will be welcoming two new site directors soon. Julia Areh has been selected to be the new site director for the Douglasville site and Joy Hambrick has been selected to be the new site director for the Paulding site.

Areh has been working at GHC since 2010, serving in recruitment and academic advising. She was born in Jamaica and raised in Chicago. Her family moved to Georgia in 2000. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of West Georgia in 2006, and her Master of Public Administration from Troy University in 2008.

Areh stated that one of her main focuses as new site director will be on increasing GHC’s visibility in Douglas and Carroll County.

“I want these communities to know that GHC is a part of their community and we are here to provide students with equal access to an excellent and affordable education,” she said.

Hambrick has been teaching economics at GHC for the last four years. She has a background in teaching and has also worked as a financial analyst for Coca-Cola. She is originally from Paulding and has continued to live there because she says, “it’s home.” She earned her bachelor’s in economics and finance from Kennesaw State University and her Master of Science in Economics from Georgia State.

“As site director, I would like to see the Paulding site grow to provide even more educational opportunities for both traditional and non-traditional students,” Hambrick said. “I would like to see us become a vibrant part of the Paulding community for not only our students but all residents and businesses. I would like to see us become a developer for leadership and innovation in Paulding.”

Both Areh and Hambrick will assume their new roles at GHC over the summer.

Picture: Joy Hambrick (left), Julia Areh (right)

The 12-year-running Foundation Camp at GHC has been around long enough to prove it is changing lives. It returns this summer from May 30^th to June 9^th.

The camp, which is one of several partnerships between the 100 Black Men of Rome-Northwest Georgia and Georgia Highlands College, is funded by generous donors and the GHC Foundation, giving students the opportunity to attend the camp free of charge, including transportation and a breakfast and lunch.

The camp focuses on academics, athletics and enrichment courses intended to build self-respect and confidence, and to allow the young men to experience college. These two weeks each year are making a positive impact for its attendees. Just ask former camper and current volunteer Corey Pitts.

Every year, Pitts blocks out two weeks in his calendar. Nothing interferes with those two weeks. Not his business. Not his friends. Not his family.

When he was a kid, those two weeks helped mold him into who he is today. While he was in college, those two weeks motivated him to finish. Now, those two weeks are a chance for him to be an example and mentor to hundreds of boys between the ages of 10 and 14.

“This camp means a lot to me. I feel like I can help change those kids’ lives. They just need some guidance and inspiration,” he said. “Not all kids are going to be an NBA player. They want to be an NBA player, but there’s more out there than just sports. You can be a mentor to the next set of kids. You can be a superstar in your own field. It’s not about quick money. There’s more to life than what you see from your family. Your family may have a hard time, so you think you have to do what they do, but you don’t have to do that.”

Pitts stated the camp helped him build the foundation he needed to become successful. After he graduated college, he started his own personal training business called CMP Training, where he works one-on-one with professional athletes, kids, college students, weight loss, and even a client as old as 93.

Pitts said the camp teaches many fundamental lessons, including what it means to be “successful.”

“You don’t have to be an NBA star to make it,” he said. “You can own your own business like me, coming from the same background. You can be somebody. You just have to make it happen.”

Well over 100 kids attend Foundation Camp each year and enjoy numerous activities, including canoeing, tennis, basketball, soccer, STEAM-related projects, biology and chemistry projects utilizing liquid nitrogen and a hovercraft, derby car racing, storytelling with live animals like an alligator, and more.

Foundation Camp is free, but has a limited number of spaces available that are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.

To apply or for more information, contact Jon Hershey at jhershey@highlands.edu.

A win four years in the making came Saturday for the Georgia Highlands baseball team as the Chargers beat Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College 8-3 at LakePoint to clinch their first-ever GCAA championship.

Colby Taylor overcame a shaky first inning to throw a complete game and every Chargers starter either scored or drove in a run as Highlands completed an undefeated run through the GCAA tournament by beating ABAC.

First baseman Nick Fink squeezed the final out in his glove after a groundout to second to set off the celebration as the Chargers dogpiled on the infield.

Players dumped a bucket of ice water over coach Dash O’Neill, who, in his first year at the helm of the Highlands baseball program, has now led the Chargers to previously unreached heights.

“I feel great,” a freshly-drenched O’Neill said. “The guys came through, I put all my trust in them today ... and they rewarded my faith by playing outstanding and winning a championship.”

The win booked Highlands a ticket to next week’s East Central regional, a four-team, double-elimination tournament. The winner of that tournament will head to the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Seven pitches into ABAC’s half of the first inning Saturday, it didn’t look like the Chargers were going to have that opportunity.

Stallions’ leadoff man Bryce Shupe homered down the left-field line on Taylor’s third pitch of the day and, after a quick groundout, second baseman Justin Russell repeated the feat, hitting a no-doubt bomb to left-center on the first pitch.

“I really wasn’t that upset about it,” Taylor said. “I was throwing strikes, I just left a few pitches up, and they hit them. After that, I knew if I was going to miss, it had to be down.”

Taylor settled down from there, striking out the next hitter on three pitches and getting out of the inning, and Highlands wouldn’t stay behind on the scoreboard for long.

Caleb McElwaney led off the top of the second with a single and Nick Piccapietra doubled him home as the ABAC left fielder couldn’t come up with the ball cleanly in the corner.

Piccapietra scored later in the inning on a passed ball to tie it, and Highlands took the lead an inning later as Jonathan White hit a leadoff single and scored with two outs on McElwaney’s single.

Taylor, settling into the game, gave up an unearned run in the bottom of the third when third baseman Brandon Bell couldn’t handle a ground ball with runners on first and third, but picked up a double play one batter later to get out of the inning.

From there, Taylor wouldn’t allow another run. In fact, he surrendered just one baserunner from the fourth through the eighth inning, and that was on a strikeout pitch in the fourth that McElwaney couldn’t handle, allowing the runner to reach.

“My curveball, off-speed was really working well today,” Taylor said. “They wanted me to keep throwing it and I kept throwing it.”

Meanwhile, his offense was pulling away.

The breakthrough came in the top of the sixth, and it was keyed by the bottom of the lineup.

No. 7 hitter Grant Bodison doubled to right-center to lead off, and Devin Bilardello’s ground ball was mishandled by the ABAC shortstop, who compounded his error by recovering and firing wildly past first base trying to catch a retreating Bilardello.

That misplay allowed both runners to move up a base, scoring Bodison with the eventual winning run and putting Bilardello in scoring postion at second.

He moved up to third on Nick Fink’s groundout and scored on Bronco O’Brien’s infield single, but the Chargers still weren’t done.

White was hit by a pitch and Matthew Vaccaro’s double both scored a run and killed Highlands’ momentum, as O’Brien trotted home from second but White, trying to score from first, was cut down at the plate on a relay from left field.

The Chargers, with a 6-3 lead at that point, scored again in the eighth as Bell’s fielder’s choice grounder brought home O’Brien, and once more in the top of the ninth as Fink doubled home Bodison.

“This entire tournament, all we’ve done is get whatever we need,” O’Neill said. “The offensive guys, they stepped up.”

That was more than enough support for Taylor, who didn’t run out of gas until the ninth despite never having thrown a nine-inning complete game before.

The Chargers’ ace loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, but O’Neill let him finish his own game and Taylor responded by getting ABAC right fielder to bounce out to Israel Zackery at second base, making the championship official and the celebration rowdy.

“It was a push. I had to dig down and find it,” Taylor said. “But I found a way to get through it.”

Taylor gave up just five hits, with four of those coming in either the first or the ninth. He struck out 10.

On the offensive side, McElwaney had three hits in his first three at bats and finished 3-for-4 with a walk. Bodison and Vaccaro each had two hits, including a double.

It’s already been a wild ride for the Chargers in O’Neill’s first season, and they’ll have the chance to keep it going next weekend in the regional.

That will take place in Dyersburg, Tennessee, with Highlands joining GCAA regular-season champion East Georgia and the regular-season and tournament champions from Region 7.

“It’s great. These guys are conference champions,” O’Neill said. “They went from being under .500 to being on top of the league. ... They’ll get to feel this for a while and we’ll turn back around and see if we can’t keep this going.”

AS SEEN IN THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS: http://daily-tribune.com/sports/item/8002-ghc-wins-first-ever-conference-title

Mary-Kate Billings will be joining 689 other college graduates at Georgia Highlands College’s Commencement on Saturday, May 13^th, at The Forum River Center in downtown Rome at 1PM. The only difference is Mary-Kate is a high school student who will be walking in a college graduation several weeks before she walks for her high school graduation.

She joins five others who will also be throwing two caps in the air this graduation season: Macie Campbell, Judy Standeford, Lillian Bell, Shayna Ingram, all from Rockmart High School, and Sydney Greenway from Cedartown High School.

Each of these students are part of the Dual Enrollment program at GHC. Georgia’s new dual enrollment program allows high school students (9th – 12th grade) to earn tuition-free college credit while working on their high school diploma.

Mary-Kate knew as soon as she started the program she wanted to finish college the same time she graduated high school at Georgia Cyber Academy. Her high school graduation is June 3^rd at the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth.

“When I first started attending GHC, my advisor informed me that obtaining an associate degree could be done through the dual enrollment program. They said, however, that it would take large amounts of work and determination. Right at that moment, I made it my goal to graduate from GHC,” Mary-Kate said.

Mary-Kate admits handling two course loads, both high school and college, has been difficult, but she says the key to success lies in staying involved.

In high school, Mary-Kate was active with the National Honor Society, Beta Club, and Meliora Honor Society. In college, she spent her time with Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), student newspaper the Six Mile Post, and Emerging Leaders. In her time with PTK, Mary-Kate was selected as a Coca-Cola Academic Team Bronze Scholar and selected as one of GHC’s All-Academic Team members.

She also received the first-ever Janet Walker award, which was given by the Georgia Region of Phi Theta Kappa and is given to an individual that exemplifies devotion to academics, service, and advocating the benefits of academic excellence.

Mary-Kate is proud to have all this success under her belt, but notes the true prize is earning a college degree at 18.

“While I had hoped this moment would come when I first started this journey, it is still surreal to actually be at this point in my academic career. It took a lot of work and late nights spent studying, but I never turn down an academic challenge. This experience has paid off in unprecedented amounts, thanks to the support of GHC professors and administrative staff.”

Mary-Kate will be receiving her associate degree in communications this weekend. She says GHC helped her every step of the way.

“My favorite part of GHC is its strong sense of community. Both inside and outside of the classroom, I have been able to connect with countless individuals, whether they be my peers or professors. It is truly a supportive and inclusive environment, which has allowed me to exponentially flourish as both a student and an individual,” Mary-Kate said.

She went on, “The college didn’t view or label me as a dual enrollment student. They simply saw me as an individual with potential, willing to make the most of my time here. Attending GHC has been one of the most enjoyable and beneficial experiences of, not just my academic career, but also my life.”

Mary-Kate plans to transfer to Kennesaw State University. She would like to pursue a bachelor’s in public relations with a minor in English. She would like to continue on and eventually earn her doctorate and become an English professor.

For more information on GHC or the MOWR program, please visit: https://www.highlands.edu/admissions/how-do-i-apply/move-on-when-ready/

GHC alumnus Joseph “Joey” Johnson will be the 2017 commencement speaker, where he will address GHC’s 689 graduating students on May 13^th at The Forum River Center in downtown Rome at 1PM.

Joey, who earned a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine just this year, has had an incredible journey: he went from working 70 hours a week in a factory to becoming the first African American president of the national American Medical Student Association.

This is his story:

Let’s check the resume out on GHC alumnus Joseph Johnson for just a second:

He earned four associate degrees from Georgia Highlands College in philosophy, foreign language (Spanish), English, and Psychology. He graduated from Shorter University with two bachelor’s degrees, one in general studies with a minor in biology and another in religious studies with a minor in English. He has served as the vice president of scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa, president of Psi Beta, a member of the student government association, a staff member for GHC’s literary magazine the Old Red Kimono, and a member of Brother 2 Brother. He received numerous scholarships and awards, including a Brother 2 Brother Service Award, Emerging Leader Award, McCorkle Creative Society Honorary inductee, Steven A. Burns Community Service Award, and winner of GHC’s inaugural speech competition—in addition to a full-tuition scholarship from Shorter University. And—he is a third-year osteopathic medical student at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harrogate, Tennessee, where he was recently elected as the first African American president of the national American Medical Student Association.

Overachiever?

Nah.

More like on a mission.

“Before beginning college, I worked my butt off all the time–sometimes pulling 70 plus hour weeks at the factory,” he said. “After beginning college at GHC, I quickly shifted my focus to achieving a diverse education, while still spending time with the family and working.”

Joseph, who doesn’t mind going by Joey, explained he is originally from Wilmington, Delaware, but that doesn’t mean he’s not Southern. Soon after he was born, the family moved to Cedartown, Georgia, where Joey grew up. He, however, claims to be a Roman from Rome, Georgia, through and through (accent included). And he said he is so glad he made his start at Georgia Highlands College.

“I ended up at GHC because it offered the best opportunities for me to work and go to school full-time while being fully transferrable,” he said.

Later, he went on to finish at Shorter University. But his mentality and drive was the same at both places: make the most of his educational opportunity.

“I have always had a problem with overdoing things, especially once I become focused. Education became my new ‘it’ that I had to have,” he said. “I was awarded a full-tuition scholarship from Shorter for three years, so I wanted to attend all three years of it. I maxed out my hours like I did at GHC, usually taking 20 hours or more per semester, including the summers. I always felt it was my duty to take full advantage of any and every opportunity afforded me.”

He took what he learned in Rome and became an osteopathic medical student at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.

And for a student who has taken a shotgun blast approach to learning, becoming an osteopathic physician might be the perfect fit.

Joey explained that osteopathic physicians treat the patient as a whole as opposed to treating the symptoms only, and that a good way to think about it is to consider it a crossroads to nursing philosophy, medicine, physical therapy and chiropractic care.

“Those of us who do practice osteopathic medicine adjust the musculoskeletal system, facilitate lymph flow for faster and better healing, and also practice medicine traditionally as most medical doctors do,” he said. “I think of it as an MD with a ‘goodie bag’ of special skills and a holistic view of the patient and his/her environment and interactions.”

Next, he will turn his attention to his role of President of the American Medical Student Association and move to Washington D.C.

“This role will afford me the opportunity to work with politicians, medical school deans, and many future physicians as I will be the head of an association comprised of 40,000 plus physicians-in-training,” he said.

Joey says he doesn’t take this role lightly, especially being the first African American to fill it.

“I feel it is a great statement and apropos. What better time than now? We are in desperate need of someone who is willing to take the stage and seriously discuss the topics that involve the African American community,” he said. “This person needs to have experience from within the community in order to articulate the emotions adequately and accurately.”

Joey added he has big plans for the organization. He wants to grow membership while additionally using his voice and experiences to talk about the difficult subjects that exist in America’s climate today. He also plans to direct attention toward his own main medical focus, which is rural and minority medicine, as well as mental health.

“Growing up in a low-income, rural area, I never had a family physician. In fact, I didn’t know anything except that if you had a problem bad enough to warrant seeking medical assistance, then that medical assistance was the emergency room,” he said. “For many minorities now, prevention is not a reality because the access to health education and preventive measures is not in place. Furthermore, yearly check-ups and having a family physician and dentist are not priorities like trying to keep the lights on in the house or food on the table.”

He clarified that when he says ‘minority,’ he doesn’t just mean African Americans. He adds that he is very interested in the Latino community and rural white Appalachians who all experience the same predicaments, as well.

So, what’s the next chapter after Mr. Johnson goes to Washington? Homecoming.

“After serving my term as president for one year, I plan on entering a residency in primary care,” he said. “I then plan on practicing in Chattooga County, Georgia, and working with GHC in some of the same programs that helped shape me, like Brother 2 Brother.”

And Joey plans to stay true to himself and his mission all the way.

“I have gotten to this point in life by resiliency, tenacity, and fortitude. The motivation for those three arose from a fear of failure and being poor, broke, and helpless for the rest of my life,” he said. “What drives me to be successful are two things: one is the feeling that I am continually choosing to do exactly what fate has set for me and two is the blissfulness I get from being on top of the mountain and helping others climb it to be there with me.”

For more information on the GHC commencement, please visit: https://www.highlands.edu/2017/04/27/commencement-planned-may-13th-nearly-700-diplomas-conferred/

Georgia Highlands College Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 13th, at The Forum River Center in downtown Rome at 1PM. GHC will have 689 students receiving 691 diplomas (with two receiving two degrees).

The nursing pinning ceremony will be held at 6PM on May 12^th at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cartersville.

The faculty has chosen Laura C. Ralston as the 2017 Mace Bearer and Richard Brent Griffin as the recipient of the Wesley C. Walraven Faculty Award.

GHC alumnus Dr. Joseph Johnson will give the commencement address, and Student Government Associate President Lucas Lester will speak on behalf of the student body.

Regent Neil L. Pruitt, Jr. will also bring greetings from the Board of Regents.

On the floor of the Arena will be reserved seating for staff and invited guests. Free parking is available at the Third Avenue Parking Deck (adjacent to the Forum) and West 3rd Street parking lot (across the bridge from the Forum). Shuttle service will be available throughout the day from Broad Street, all the parking decks, and West 3rd Street.

A full list of graduating students has been attached.

For more Commencement Information: www.highlands.edu/graduation/commencement-information/

2017 Commencement Speaker

Joseph Johnson, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

Joey Johnson is a fourth-year medical student who is set to graduate this year with his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. It will be his seventh degree, as he has earned two Bachelors and four Associates degrees previously. Joey earned full-tuition scholarships for his undergraduate and post-graduate studies.

As a firm believer in the community college route, Joey attended Georgia Highlands College and was very active during his time there. Upon graduating, he took two years off before entering medical school and worked at GHC as a recruiter. Since then, he has served on numerous professional boards, committees, and bureaus for various organizations, including the American Osteopathic Association, the Surgeon General’s office and most recently Forbes Magazine.

Along with public-speaking, one of Joey’s side passions is writing. He has been published more than 30 times in various genres spanning from Academic journals to pop cultural magazines. If he had to summarize his life’s purpose in one phrase, he says it is, “to live life in its fullest form, while failing often, and then conveying those learned life lessons so that others may flourish.”

Mace Bearer

 Laura C. Ralston

GHC faculty selected Laura Ralston to carry the mace for 2017 to honor the many years of dedicated service she has given to the College. The Georgia Highlands College mace was designed by David Mott, retired associate professor of art, and Dr. David Cook, retired professor of biology.

The mace, a great and splendid staff, is actually a club and symbolic weapon. Medieval universities would not defend themselves with a sword. It was not considered appropriate for gentle scholars to draw blood, but they could defend themselves using the cudgel. The mace has come to stand as a symbol for two critical matters. First, it stands for the authority of the academy to seek the truth and to each teach it. It also stands for the authority of the academy. The mace makes the statement that the academy must protect the ideals of order, liberty, and freedom to learn.

Professor Laura Ralston began as a part-time instructor at the College in 1995, moved to temporary faculty in 1998, and became a full-time Assistant Professor in 2000. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2004 and to Professor in 2014. She holds the Bachelor of Science from University of North Georgia and the Master of Education in Mathematics from University of West Georgia. Her work in mathematics, site direction, and as advising specialist is noteworthy, as is her dedication to student learning and teaching excellence.

Wesley C. Walraven Faculty Award

Richard Brent Griffin

GHC faculty members selected Brent Griffin, professor of mathematics, to receive the Wesley C. Walraven Faculty Award to honor his years of service and leadership. The Walraven Award is named in memory of Dr. Wesley C. Walraven, the academic dean at Floyd Junior College (now GHC) from its founding in 1970 until 1993. Walraven’s most memorable assets included an unselfish dedication to students, a quietly focused management style, and keen intelligence.

Given these criteria for this year’s award winner, Brent Griffin is an indisputable choice. Brent came to then Floyd College in January 1996 from Wallace College in Dothan, Alabama. He holds the Bachelor of Arts with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Accounting from Huntingdon College, as well as a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from Georgia Tech. Brent’s teaching, leadership, service, and scholarship across Georgia Highlands College are valuable beyond estimation. In addition, his administrative contributions as site coordinator and interim dean are shining examples of insightful competence and authentic kindness. Brent is highly regarded across the University System of Georgia for his work on the General Education Council and his commitment to student success in mathematics.

Student Speaker

Lucas Lester, Student Government Association President

Lucas Lester is currently a Georgia Highlands College sophomore and political science major, attending classes on the Floyd campus. He is the Student Government Association President and participates in several areas at the college, including Green Highlands. His work with Green Highlands has started the process toward developing a “Charger Garden” at GHC, which would be run by students and grow fruits and vegetables for GHC’s Charger Food Pantry, a stocked pantry with staple items like peanut butter, tuna, spaghetti sauce, and other non-perishable food items, as well as personal items for students in need. After GHC, he plans to pursue a philosophy degree from West Georgia in preparation for law school at Georgia State.

Georgia Highlands College will be holding a special groundbreaking event at its Cartersville site on Wednesday (April 26) at 11AM for its new academic building.

After holding the third highest enrollment increase in the state in 2015 and witnessing a consistent swell in enrollment, GHC pursued funding for the construction of a new academic building with a focus on STEAM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) areas of study at the Cartersville site.

GHC was approved for funding under the fiscal year 2017 state budget which was approved by Legislature and signed by Governor Deal.

GHC received a total $22.5 million in state funding to advance the project: $2.2 for design, $17.7 for construction and $2.6 for equipment.

The April 26th groundbreaking event recognizes the start of construction on the 52,000-square foot building, which is anticipated to be open for Fall 2018. It has been designed by the Stanley Beaman & Sears architecture firm and will be constructed by Juneau.

“The addition of this new academic building will include spaces for laboratories, classrooms, a lecture hall, study rooms and more,” he said. “This increases GHC’s ability to directly impact and support the community workforce through STEAM-based degrees, and it allows GHC to better serve as the University System of Georgia’s primary access institution in the region.”

Green added that the building will also contribute to raising GHC’s current $132 million economic impact in Northwest Georgia. GHC has five locations across Northwest Georgia in Rome, Cartersville, Marietta, Dallas and Douglasville. He stated that the building also strengthens and broadens GHC’s ability to maintain a strong relationship with K-12 school systems across Northwest Georgia.

“We would like to especially thank our legislators for all they do to support GHC, the USG and education in the state,” said Vice President for Advancement Mary Transue, who also serves in GHC’s Government Relations role. “Without their tireless support and dedication, this venture would not have been possible.”