Georgia Northwestern Technical College Electronics Technology instructor Ronald Turner, left, speaks with the First Lady of Georgia Sandra Deal during a tour of the Whitfield Murray County Campus of GNTC. Shown in the middle is GNTC Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Ginger Mathis.
The First Lady of Georgia Sandra Deal spent Wednesday morning touring the Whitfield Murray Campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College which is currently housed in the Whitfield County Career Academy.
The tour was part of a luncheon event held by the Dalton-Whitfield Archway Partnership covering the progress of education in the region. GNTC’s Whitfield Murray Campus Manager Tom Bojo was among the leaders on hand to welcome Mrs. Deal.
More than 100 business, education, and community leaders attended the event at the Whitfield County-based campus. Also in attendance was Georgia’s State School Superintendent, Dr. John Barge, State Board of Education representative, Larry Winter, and Archway Partnership Education Committee member, Brian Cooksey who presented seven education initiatives their group is focusing on.
Representing Georgia Northwestern on a student panel answering questions from area leaders were Tamarah Holsomback and Nathali Duran; an ACCEL program and Dual Enrollment student, respectively. The focus of the event was getting Northwest Georgia ready for careers available in the 21st century.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College serves Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Murray, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties in Georgia with campuses located in Floyd, Gordon, Polk, Walker, and Whitfield counties. Approximately 26,000 people a year benefit from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs, making Georgia Northwestern the largest college in the state of Georgia.
Among the topics being focused on in the initiatives were nutrition and lifestyle, Pre-K opportunities, accessible technology, seamless transition between high schools and Georgia Northwestern Technical College and other area colleges, and career readiness is prep beginning in fifth grade.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College ACCEL student Tamarah Holsomback speaks to state and local leaders during a question-and-answer session at the event at GNTC’s Whitfield Murray Campus.