AMERICUS, GA – After more than two and a half decades, one South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) alumna is considering returning to the college where she originally began her educational journey.
Tenisia Chinn Willis was a 1998 honor graduate of Tri-County High School. She grew up in Buena Vista and when it came time to consider college, she selected South Georgia Tech. She and her best friend, Eulish “Nee Nee” Jones, now Kinchens, signed up to attend and live on-campus as roommates. This decision began an educational journey that paid big dividends for both of them and cemented a friendship that is even stronger today than when they were teenagers.
“I chose South Georgia Tech, the first time, because it was close to home, affordable, and offered me the opportunity to further my education,” shared Willis. Even though nursing was her passion, Tenisia put those dreams on hold and enrolled in the Business Technology and Accounting programs. She earned two diplomas and graduated in 2000 with honors. Kinchens was also enrolled in the Business Technology program and like Willis, she also continued her post-secondary education.
Tenisia’s South Georgia Technical College education and hard work served her well. She went to work at Sumter Regional Hospital as a Certified Patient Account Representative after graduation and worked there until she and her husband, Roderick Willis, moved to Waverly Hall, GA. Even after the move and they started a family, she continued to work in-field at St. Francis Hospital and eventually became the Practice Manager for a Psychology group.
Then after nearly two and a half decades, Willis decided to abandon the corporate world and return to college to finally pursue her dream of becoming a nurse. Her two daughters (Robyn and Rachel) were in college so she enrolled at Columbus Technical College (CTC) near her home in Waverly Hall, GA. She graduated from the CTC practical nursing program in 2025.
Even though Willis is working as an LPN, she is considering coming back and furthering her education again by enrolling in the South Georgia Technical College LPN to RN Bridge program. The one-year program would allow her to attend classes and clinicals two or three days a week, while still working as a practical nurse.
Her potential return to South Georgia Technical College would mark a full-circle moment, blending past experiences with future aspirations. “I am a firm believer that it is important to have some type of secondary education in order to be successful in this world,” said Willis. “I definitely feel that South Georgia Technical College prepared me well for the workplace.”
Willis and Kinchens both laughed as they shared some of their experiences with their former instructors: Brenda Boone, Anita Barron, Edith Ann Greene, and Donna Hollis Lawrence. “Our instructors had dress for success days. They taught us how to dress for interviews and how to be professional in the workplace, in addition to the other technical skills we needed to be successful in our careers.”
Both Willis and Kinchens went to work after graduation. Kinchens stayed at South Georgia Technical College working in the admissions department. She later became the Assistant to the Registrar and then became the Institutional Advancement Assistant, Registrar, and finally Vice President of Student Affairs. Willis also excelled in the corporate world.
And after nearly two and a half decades of utilizing her South Georgia Technical College education to advance in her chosen career and help raise her daughters, Tenisia Willis finally stepped out on faith and changed career paths. Hoping now to continue her education, Willis stopped by SGTC on the way to help her daughter, Rachel, move home for the summer from GSW and also to stop in and talk with her former roommate and friend about the SGTC LPN to RN Bridge program.
Kinchens, is now the Vice President of Student Affairs at South Georgia Tech and over the very dorms where they both resided as students. Tenisia and Eulish shared a laugh at all the good times they recalled during their first college experience. “I had a car and we would ride everywhere,” said Willis.
“We embraced campus life—living in the residence halls and participating in a variety of student activities,” laughed Tenisia. “There was no basketball team then, but we were more like a family. We did lots of things together. We were active in clubs and organizations, played in Spade Tournaments and enjoyed everything we could.
“It’s incredible to see how far we’ve both come,” said Willis. “To know she’s now leading student housing at the same place we once called home makes this experience even more special.” And Willis even shared that Kinchens made sure that their room was clean every day.
“There were some days that Eulish made my bed when I went to class first and left it unmade,” said Willis. Then Kinchens laughed and said, “I made up my bed every day and the room looked ugly if her bed was unmade so I just made it up.” That life in the dorm was just good training for Kinchens in her current position today because she still conducts room checks in the dorms.
The two remained close after graduation. They even moved into the same apartment complex on Sun Valley Drive in Americus. “It was hard when she moved to Waverly Hall, but I still count her as my best friend,” said Kinchens.
Willis’ decision to consider returning to SGTC highlights the lasting impact of the college’s supportive environment and accessible educational opportunities. As she prepares to take the next step in her nursing career, she hopes her story will inspire others to pursue their goals—no matter how much time has passed.
“Education doesn’t have an expiration date,” she added. “It’s never too late to come back, grow, and achieve something more. And it really helps when you have a good friend on campus to give you good advice.”
South Georgia Technical College continues to offer pathways for students at every stage of life, and stories like this serve as a powerful reminder that sometimes, the road forward leads right back to where it all began.
For more information about applying at South Georgia Tech, visit the website at: southgatech.edu. To apply, click on the apply button at the top of the home page. To learn more about the SGTC LPN to RN Bridge program and the requirements to attend, contact Candie Walters, Admissions Director at 229-931-2299 or cwalters@southgatech.edu.