Fifteen SGTC students earn Agrium/Nutrien scholarships from SGTC Foundation

March 29, 2024
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above (far right) with SGTC Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology Don Rountree (back row far right), Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Electric Power Generation instructor Keith McCorkle and Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology Instructor Rance Pross (far left), and eight of the CAT Think Big students that received the scholarships for their outstanding academic and leadership qualities. Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology students Forrest White of Rockford, AL; Noah Smith of McDonnah, GA; David A. Ferguson of Ethel, MS: Justin Troglin of Crossville, TN; Benjamin T. Smelcer of Dandridge, TN; Ashton Rachels of Odenville, AL; and Colgan Jones of Florence, SC. CAT students not shown are Walker Whalen of Orangeburg, SC; Wyatte Davis of Corryton, TN; and Connor Wesson Stephens of Semmes, AL. The John Deere students who received the scholarships that are not shown included: Jacob Blankenship, Eli Shore, Hunter Janes, and Evan Drury.
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above (far right) with SGTC Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology Don Rountree (back row far right), Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Electric Power Generation instructor Keith McCorkle and Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology Instructor Rance Pross (far left), and eight of the CAT Think Big students that received the scholarships for their outstanding academic and leadership qualities. Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology students Forrest White of Rockford, AL; Noah Smith of McDonnah, GA; David A. Ferguson of Ethel, MS: Justin Troglin of Crossville, TN; Benjamin T. Smelcer of Dandridge, TN; Ashton Rachels of Odenville, AL; and Colgan Jones of Florence, SC. CAT students not shown are Walker Whalen of Orangeburg, SC; Wyatte Davis of Corryton, TN; and Connor Wesson Stephens of Semmes, AL. The John Deere students who received the scholarships that are not shown included: Jacob Blankenship, Eli Shore, Hunter Janes, and Evan Drury.

 Fifteen students enrolled in heavy equipment diesel repair, electric power generation and agricultural related repair programs at South Georgia Technical College were awarded Agrium/Nutrien scholarships for exceptional academic performance and work ethics.

   Eleven students enrolled in the South Georgia Technical College Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology and Electric Power Generation programs were selected as well as four students in the John Deere Agricultural Technology program earned the scholarships.

   Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology students Forrest White of Rockford, AL; Noah Smith of McDonnah, GA; David A. Ferguson of Ethel, MS: Justin Troglin of Crossville, TN; Benjamin T. Smelcer of Dandridge, TN; Ashton Rachels of Odenville, AL; Colgan Jones of Florence, SC; Walker Whalen of Orangeburg, SC; and Wyatte Davis of Corryton, TN; were recognized. 

   The Caterpillar Electric Power Generation students selected included Aiden Bestgen of Lone Jack, MO; and Connor Wesson Stephens of Semmes, AL.

   These students were sponsored for this program by Caterpillar Dealers around the southeast including: Yancey Brothers in Austell, GA; Thompson Tractor of Birmingham, AL; Stowers Equipment in Knoxville, Tennessee; Puckett Machinery of Flowood, MS; Blanchard Machinery in South Carolina; Carolina Cat in North Carolina; and Foley Equipment in Kansas.  Caterpillar Corporate also supports these programs and students.

   The four John Deere Ag Technician students selected for the scholarships include:  Eli G. Short of Lafayette, AL; Hunter Paul Janes of Leesburg, GA; Evan Drury of Albany, GA; and Jacob Blankenship of Oxford, AL.  The John Deere dealers who support this program and students include:  Ag Pro, Flint AG; Blanchard, Lasseter, and Dobbs Equipment in Georgia; as well SunSouth, and Tri-Green in Alabama; and Everglades in Florida in addition to John Deere Corporate.

    Agrium, a major retail supplier of agricultural products and services in North and South American, and a leading global whole producer and marketer of three major agricultural nutrients, endowed its first academic scholarship with the SGTC Foundation in 2011.  Nutrien bought Agrium in 2019 but continued to support South Georgia Technical College and its students as well as the South Georgia Technical College Foundation with endowed scholarships.  The two companies have provided a total of nine endowed scholarships for students displaying strong academic and leadership potential and who have a financial need.

   Nutrien, a Canadian fertilizer company and one of the largest producers of potash and the third largest producer of nitrogen fertilizer in the world, sold Rainbow Plant Food and its manufacturing company in Americus, GA to Timac Agro USA in 2021.   

   South Georgia Technical College, like each of these companies, is working to grow the state and local communities through its commitment to a workforce education that fosters innovation in agriculture, builds awareness of agriculture’s contributions, and provides education, training and support for the community.

   The Argrium/Nutrien scholarships are for students enrolled in the Diesel Technology, the Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Diesel Technology and Electric Power Generation programs and John Deere Agricultural Technology students among others. 

    SGTC President Dr. John Watford thanked the local companies for their support of the foundation, the college, and its students. “Partnerships are crucial to our success.  Investments in an endowed scholarship continues to give back to students indefinitely. It also helps provide business and industry with a trained workforce today and tomorrow.”

   Dr. Watford also thanked each of the students for choosing South Georgia Technical College and congratulated them on their academic accomplishments and their scholarship awards.

   South Georgia Technical College Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the SGTC Foundation, presented each of the scholarship recipients with a certificate and also congratulated them for being selected to receive the Agrium/Nutrien awards.

  For more information about contributing to the SGTC Foundation or endowing a scholarship at South Georgia Technical College, contact Su Ann Bird, Executive Director of the SGTC Foundation and Vice President of Institutional Advancement at 229.931.2110 or sbird@southgatech.edu.  Contributions may also be mailed to the SGTC Foundation, P.O. Box 6102, Americus, GA.  

   South Georgia Technical College offers over 200 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate of credit programs.  It offers students the “Complete College Experience” with on-campus housing and nationally ranked academic programs, intercollegiate athletics, and student activities.  It has been ranked as the number one community college in Georgia for the past four years.

   Summer semester begins May 23and it is not too late to apply.  Registration for Summer classes will be held April 23 and May 21.

   To applice go to the SGTC website and click on Apply Now.  For more information, contact the SGTC admissions office at 229-931-2760 in Americus or 229-271-4051 in Crisp County.  Students can email Candie Walters at cwalters@southgatech.edu on the Americus campus or Hunter Little at hunter.little@southgatech.edu on the Crisp County Center campus. Financial aid is available.