Three athletic coaches at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) were recently named “Coach of the Year” by the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association (GCAA).

Brandan Harrell was selected as “Coach of the Year for Women’s Division I Basketball.” JJ Merritt was named “Coach of the Year for Men’s Division I Basketball.” And Dash O’Neill was named “Coach of the Year for Men’s Division I Baseball.”

“Receiving these awards means that our coaches are respected across our conference and are working hard to make their respective sports successful both on the field or court and in the classroom,” GHC Director of Athletics David Mathis said.

The GCAA is a collegiate athletic conference and is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) / Region XVII. The GCAA’s twelve members are comprised of four-year colleges, two-year community colleges and technical colleges. GCAA members compete in fifteen sports for both men and women.

The “Coach of the Year” awards are voted on by the other coaches in the conference.

“Our coaches have been through one of the toughest years due to COVID and other obstacles, but they have done a remarkable job,” Mathis said. “They have had the health and safety of our student athletes as a priority and have been successful both athletically and academically.”

The technology used in engineering and construction is rapidly advancing. Proficiency in digital skills is a must for the building and construction industry. And now, students at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) can pursue a bachelor’s in Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) to meet the rising demand.

BIM is the technology-driven process for estimating, creating and managing information and visuals on a construction project. A building information model represents a 3D version of every aspect of the project, from facade to foundation to structural steel.

GHC’s partnerships with local industry leaders in the field led to an affordable degree pathway to a fast-growing sector with high-paying careers.

“We surveyed business leaders, both near and far, to determine what needs they had and what skills they saw were lacking in the current workforce,” Dean for the School of STEM Sarah Coakley said. “We listened, and we built our curriculum around their feedback.”

Rob Gittens, of BIM Sync’d, stated the demand for graduates in this area is high and continues to climb year after year. Gittens’ company expertly helps other companies in the construction industry strategically adopt BIM processes into their workflow.

“With ever-changing technology and a heightened sense of efficiency, BIM and BIM modeling are becoming as integral a part of the job as 2D CAD drafting was years ago,” he said.

Coakley, who will begin as GHC’s interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer in July, added that building the program around what employers and industry leaders are looking for starts with a curriculum designed for practice-oriented study.

“Our students in BIM can expect hands-on learning, project-based program management experience, competitive internships, and so much more,” she said. “Our goal is for our graduates to be proficient in all of the main BIM software platforms that they are likely to encounter in the workplace.”

As a part of GHC’s collaboration with industry leaders, GHC will offer training on various software platforms at no additional cost to the students. Graduates will also complete their degree with several sought-after industry certificates, such as the SDS/2 Estimator Certification which teaches model-based estimating for realistic cost expectations.

The new bachelor’s program will go before the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for certification this fall. Slated to come online in January, it is one of just two programs of its kind in the nation. The other is at Purdue University.

Visit highlands.edu for information on applying and getting started at GHC.

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) is now taking applications for this year’s Foundation Camp, which will be held in two sessions this July. The first session will be held July 5 to July 9. The second session is from July 12 to July 16.

Each session will be limited to roughly 30 individuals between the ages 10 to 12 years old. Spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

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.

“Foundation Camp is important because it provides young men between the ages 10 to 12 an opportunity to be on a college campus and learn from college professors while also being mentored from college students on brotherhood and the importance of higher education,” GHC GHAME Coordinator and Brother 2 Brother Co-Director Evan Snelling said.

Camp attendees will take part in an exciting camp that focuses on foundations in athletics, academics, self-respect and higher education. Each year, the camp features a balance of academics and athletics with activities ranging from biology and robotics to flag football and canoeing.

For more information and to obtain an application for Foundation Camp, email Snelling at esnellin@highlands.edu or Dean for School of Humanities and GHAME and Brother 2 Brother Director Jon Hershey at jhershey@highlands.edu.

AS SEEN IN THE DAILY TRIBUNE NEWS: As Dr. Don Green prepares to take on a new role this summer, he can look back over a number of successes that have been achieved during his seven-year tenure as president of Georgia Highlands College.

Green, who came to GHC in 2014, resigned in April after accepting an offer to become the president of Point Park University in Pittsburgh.

Dr. Dana Nichols, chief academic officer and provost, will take over as interim president after Green leaves in July.

During a virtual “deskside” interview with the media Tuesday, Green and Nichols discussed future goals for and past successes of the college, particularly how graduation has become a top priority during the past five years.

“We get really hyped, really amped about graduation,” Green said. “We take commencement very serious.”

In 2017, the college saw a 9% increase in the number of students who graduated, the outgoing president said.

“The next year, we jumped up another 10% over that,” he said. “The following year, we bumped up another 9% over that. Last year, we were up 14%, and the data isn’t in yet exactly, but we know we’re going to be over 14% again this year.”

For the just-completed academic year, close to 1,100 students graduated during three separate commencements, he added.

Green said the college’s focus has shifted since he took over as president.

When he arrived at GHC, he and his team knew the college needed to increase enrollment and “focused heavily” on recruitment the first two or three years, he said.

“But we also realized that it was very important to us that students coming in the front door needed to walk out the back door with a diploma so after about three years, we got really serious with retention and graduation numbers,” he said.

As a result, the college saw “really nice, consistent enrollment growth” for first five years, according to Green.

“And then this thing called COVID hit, and it has certainly brought us challenges,” he said.

But GHC decided it was a “great time to double down on a variety of strategies” like student engagement, recruiting, graduation and cost control, he said.

“We feel like we’re fully loaded, ready to go back after it, and we expect that the next year will still be a bit of a challenge, but after that, we feel like we’re going to be ready to really just continue our trajectory up,” he said.

Green also is proud of a number of other accomplishments his team has achieved since his arrival, like saving students money on instructional materials.

“Last time we looked at the numbers, when you use as the base five years ago, we were saving our students $2.8 million in textbook costs,” he said. “I’m very, very proud of that.”

Nichols said the University System of Georgia’s Affordable Learning Georgia program has made textbooks and other instructional materials more affordable because faculty members can create their own resources with grant assistance.

“Our faculty really jumped in wholeheartedly, recognizing that our students needed really affordable but quality instructional materials,” she said. “They created a number of materials that are now being used across the nation, and they brought in over half a million dollars in grants so that they could make those affordable for students. I’m just really proud of our faculty for recognizing one of the barriers to student success and doing things to take those barriers down.”

Adding more two-year programs like film production, graphic design, sports management and entrepreneurship along with increasing the number of baccalaureate programs such as a customizable bachelor’s degree in health sciences is another major accomplishment of the college.

A new Bachelor of Science in building information modeling management has already been approved by USG and will go before the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in December, according to Nichols.

“We anticipate that it will be approved there, and then we will stand it up in January, pending their approval,” she said. “We’re really excited about this one. I think it’s going to be great for northwest Georgia.”

Green said GHC has one of only two BIMM bachelor degree programs in the nation; Purdue University, a “very high-quality engineering school,” has the other.

“We see tremendous growth from the opportunity toward the future and tremendous opportunity with noncredit training development as well,” he said.

One highlight of the past year that has helped with rapidly developing new programs was reorganizing the college from divisions into schools.

Nichols said the reorganization has brought about “a lot of very positive things,” including creating the new School of Business and Professional Studies and moving the standalone math division into the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

“We’re really excited about this,” she said. “Each school has a separate dean and supporting division chairs to help us with our curriculum development and outreach to area employers.”

But the biggest source of pride for Green is the people he’s worked with the past seven years.

“I’m most proud of our faculty and staff because these are people who will run through a brick wall to help a student,” he said. “I wish I could share with you the hundreds of stories of so many ways that our faculty and staff go above and beyond to help our students.”

Looking to the future, both Green and Nichols said “heck, yeah, more to come” in terms of new bachelor degree programs.

“One of the more exciting ones is around data analytics and that kind of skill set in computers and data analysis but also data interpretation,” Nichols said.

The final question was one Green had been waiting for: Why Pittsburgh?

Though he wasn’t seeking a new position, Green said he was contacted by a recruiter and had some “intriguing” conversations about graduate and doctoral programs at Point Park.

When he discussed the opportunity with his three 20-something kids, they told him Pittsburgh is a “really cool city” so he and his wife, Cathy, visited and liked what they saw.

“It’s an opportunity for me to stretch and grow, but as I say that, I will always have a very, very warm spot in my heart for Georgia and especially for northwest Georgia,” he said.

LINK TO ARTICLE: https://daily-tribune.com/stories/green-proud-of-successes-during-tenure-as-ghc-president,28733?cb=1621875384

Over 20 Polk County School District students received associate degrees from Georgia Highlands College (GHC) through Georgia’s Dual Enrollment program during last week’s commencement. They join a total of 139 Polk students who have taken Dual Enrollment courses with GHC in recent years.

“Our partnership between Polk School District and GHC has proven to be a tremendous asset for the students we serve and the Polk County community as a whole,” Polk Career Academy Assistant Superintendent of Innovation and Learning Katherine Thomas said.

Thomas said the program and partnership with GHC will continue to provide students with an extra layer of support for students during this transitional time in their educational career.

“Our students are not simply ‘getting ahead’ – they are coming away from their secondary experience fully equipped with the resources and knowledge they need to be successful at the post-secondary level,” Thomas said. “These students are able to begin their first year of college in an environment that is strictly focused on ensuring they enter the traditional post-secondary setting with a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of what is expected of them.”

In addition, Thomas said students gain exposure to high rigor college coursework and also walk away with invaluable experience in the form of understanding collegiate terminology, increased student responsibility and accountability and proficiently navigating online resources.

Speak with an admissions counselor today to learn more about the Dual Enrollment program at GHC.

AS SEEN IN THE ROME NEWS-TRIBUNE: A graduation rate that has jumped dramatically over the last five years is one of the things Don Green is proud of as he leaves Georgia Highlands College at the end of June.

During a virtual interview with Green and GHC interim President Dana Nichols, he said he is most proud of the college’s faculty and staff.

“These are people who would run through a brick wall to help a student,” Green said.

During his seven year term as president, they kept an emphasis on growing the baccalaureate programs and keeping the acquisition of a college degree affordable.

The graduation rate at GHC has grown significantly over the last five years, he said.

In 2017, the number of graduates was up by 9%. In 2018 that percentage increased by 10%, then by another 9% in 2019. It was up again, by 14%, in 2020. Green said that, when summer classes are over this year, the 2021 graduation rate should be up by another 14% or more.

The rearrangement of the college from different divisions into different schools allowed the rapid development of new programs, Nichols said.

The college combined its business and professional studies schools, and the stand alone math division program was moved into the school of science, engineering technology and mathematics.

A new entrepreneurship program in the works within the school of business and a customizable bachelors program in health sciences is already seeing significant growth.

And a new bachelors program in building information modeling management will go before the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for certification this fall. Slated to come online in January, it is one of just two programs of its kind in the nation. The other is at Purdue University.

Nichols stressed that growing the number of baccalaureate programs available at GHC is a major goal going forward, but a focus on the number of students who actually complete their degrees is the highest priority.

“Graduation is life changing and we know that,” Green said. “I’m very proud of our institution and I’m very proud of our people.”

Rome News: https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/news/education/green-extolls-growth-of-graduation-rate-at-ghc-during-farewell-news-conference/article_b9436fb0-b801-11eb-8647-e7e68e490ba0.html

AS SEEN IN THE ROME NEWS-TRIBUNE: Chris Lundy has his bachelor’s degree. He has his master’s. He is even working on his doctorate. But this week, he joins other Georgia Highlands College (GHC) graduates in receiving his associate degree.

The reason?

He wants to officially graduate from the place he feels gave him a strong foundation to go on and do everything he’s doing right now.

“It was always a goal of mine to earn this degree, and I’m thankful the University System of Georgia (USG) has this system in place that allows me to earn this degree after so many years,” Lundy said. “I’m what you consider a ‘reverse credit transfer’ — since I completed my master’s degree in a university system institution, I was able to come back and get my associate degree.”

Lundy will be earning his Associate of Science in General Studies from GHC this week. He has already received his Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Jacksonville State University (JSU) and his Master of Education in Higher Administration from Georgia Southern University (GSU).

“Georgia Highlands College gave me some great opportunities as a student,” he said. “I’m very thankful for the foundation that GHC laid out for me.”

Lundy’s decision to go back and obtain his associate degree ties in with another educational and professional pursuit – he is currently working on earning a Doctor of Education in Student Affairs Leadership at the University of Georgia (UGA) with a focus on transfer services.

“This reverse transfer is another way of showing transfer students that I share in their experiences and all the emotions that come with making the transition from a two-year school to a four-year school,” he said. “It is not always easy, but a new environment, new friends and new challenges can lead to new opportunities.”

Lundy credits GHC faculty for helping him in his own collegiate or professional journey – particularly Jon Hershey, who serves as the Dean of the School of Humanities at GHC.

“If it wasn’t for Dr. Hershey, then I probably wouldn’t have made it [this far],” he said. “Stand strong and remain resilient in your pursuit of an education and find a network of people equally committed to your excellence.”

Lundy currently resides in Atlanta, serving as the academic advising manager in the School of Aerospace Engineering at The Georgia Institute of Technology. In addition to his career and academic pursuits, he enjoys watching sports and advocating on behalf of the Sickle Cell community.

If you would like to take part in one of these events, please contact West End Pharmacy for details: phone: 770.606.0697 or email: wepharmacy@yahoo.com

Georgia Highlands College (GHC) has partnered with West End Pharmacy to provide community vaccine events throughout the summer.

The events are open to anyone eligible for the vaccine and the first one is scheduled for May 21, 2021 from 1PM to 3PM.

Each event will be held in Student Center Building B at GHC’s Cartersville location (5441 Highway 20, NE Cartersville, GA 30121).

EVENT DETAILS:

What will I need? 

The vaccination part of this event is non-private, meaning there won’t be any screens or areas to remove clothing for your shot. In consideration of this, you should wear a sleeveless top or short-sleeved shirt that will allow you to easily expose your arm and shoulder area.

You MUST bring your vaccine card you received during your first dose of the vaccine, if this is your second dose.

(And don’t forget your mask!)

Where do I go? 

The vaccination event will take place in “Student Center Building B.” Park in Lot “B” behind the student center. (Please do not park in the “Limited Parking (LP)” area directly in front of the student center. This area is reserved for pharmacy personnel.)

From the parking lot, follow directional signage to enter the student center at the back entrance (nearest “D” deliveries drive).

Once you are inside the student center, make your way to the check-in table

After you check in to the event, follow directional signage to the student gym.

Half of the student gym will be used for vaccinations, and the other half of the gym will have spaced seating for 15-minute post-vaccination observation.

What can I expect? 

All campus guidelines will be followed during this event. You will need to wear a face covering, and if lines begin to form, please keep six feet between yourself and others.

Once you have checked in, you will proceed to the gym through the connecting hallway to receive your vaccination.

After your vaccination is complete, you will move to the spaced seating area on the opposite side of the student gym to wait for 15 minutes. You will also have your vaccination card updated.

Who do I contact if I need to cancel or if I have more questions?

Please contact West End Pharmacy at: 770-606-0697

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the CDC website.

On April 29, Cory Lowe walked across the stage to celebrate earning his PhD in Criminology at the University of Florida, a little more than a decade after earning his Associate of Arts in Political Science at Georgia Highlands College (GHC).

Although Lowe initially received his PhD in 2020, commencement ceremonies were put on hold at the time. Participating in last month’s graduation ceremony reminded Lowe of earning his first degree at GHC, which laid the groundwork for his academic and professional career.

“I dropped out of the first college I attended because of family and personal challenges, but when I had the opportunity to return to higher education, Georgia Highlands College provided an excellent educational experience and mentoring,” Lowe said. “This enabled me to restart my journey through higher education on a much better footing.”

He said he also appreciates the value of GHC’s low-cost tuition, which allowed him to afford to continue on the path of higher education, being able to receive an excellent education near home without going into an excessive amount of debt.

Attending classes both at the Floyd campus and Cartersville site, Lowe was heavily involved in Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society. He said the organization and the faculty involved provided networking opportunities and social support.

“Phi Theta Kappa also gave me my first introduction to academic conferences, which was very helpful since I have gone on to present research at many regional and national conferences,” Lowe said.

Lowe is currently employed as a research scientist at the Loss Prevention Research Council in Gainesville, Florida, where he resides, researching how to prevent retail crimes such as theft, fraud and violence.

In addition, Lowe holds a Bachelor of Science in History and Political Science at Shorter University as well as a Master of Arts in Social Sciences as Georgia Southern University. He said that graduating from GHC and going on to earn his PhD would not have been possible without the influence of his family and friends.

“If I had moved away to complete my associate and bachelor’s, I would have missed even more years with my family and my community,” Lowe said. “I am thankful Georgia Highlands College exists because it gave me several additional years with my family and community before I moved off for graduate school.”

Although the people, quality of education, mentoring, cost and convenience are all factors Lowe said helped shape his opinion of GHC, he added he also has an emotional tie to the college: “Georgia Highlands College will always hold a special place in my heart because it is where I got a second chance at a college degree.”

For Georgia Highlands College graduate Lamin Kuyateh, attending and graduating from Georgia Highlands College was both a milestone in his academic career and a gateway for engaging and learning about American culture.

He will be joining other graduates during GHC’s commencement on Thursday.

Originally from Gambia, Kuyateh came to the U.S. in 2014 for greater education and career opportunities as well as to experience a different lifestyle.

“My experience here at GHC was phenomenal and the faculty and staff are incredible,” Kuyateh said. “They work closely with students by providing them all the resources and tools needed to achieve their goals.”

As a pre-engineering major, Kuyateh plans to continue his education upon graduation and work toward a career in mechanical engineering.

“I want to earn a master’s degree in mechanical engineering technology, so I can work for the big companies like Chevrolet, Dodge – and so I can open my own company,” Kuyateh said.

Part of his experience at GHC included his work in the GHC student organization Brother 2 Brother (B2B), which exists to provide positive solutions to the educational, cultural, social, spiritual and intellectual needs of African-American and Latino male college students at GHC as well as opportunities for leadership development and campus and community service.

“My brother, Amadou Kora, brought the club to my attention before getting accepted to GHC,” Kuyateh said. “During my first semester, I met the club organizers, and they went deeper in explaining the goal of the club. That’s when I decided to join. The activities we do in club were so motivational and inspiring.”

In addition to his involvement in B2B, Kuyateh said GHC provided him with an opportunity to engage in many new activities as well as to travel to some of Georgia’s historical sites. Kuyateh’s time in the classroom was positive as well.

Dean of Humanities and Director of Brother 2 Brother and Georgia Highlands African American and Minority Male Excellence (GHAME) initiative Jon Hershey said Kuyateh has shown dedication to academics as well as a strong work ethic and a willingness to participate in the GHC experience in as many ways as he can.

“Lamin has been a consistent member of Brother 2 Brother and shows a sincere concern for the welfare and success of his brothers while maintaining a job and attending GHC full time,” Hershey said. “As a native of the Gambia, Lamin is one of a growing number of international students at GHC, and we have learned from him as much as he has learned from us. I am proud to see him graduate this spring.”

Kuyateh resides in Austell and attended classes on the Marietta and Cartersville sites. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys watching and playing sports including basketball and soccer as well as learning how to work on cars.