Lady Jets’ Ethridge Named SGTC Student of Excellence for March

April 4, 2018
A smiling female stands at a podium.
Sceret Ethridge, South Georgia Technical College’s March 2018 Student of Excellence, delivers a 'Thank You' speech after accepting her nomination from Coach Travis Garrett.

Sceret Ethridge of Argyle, Ga, a Sports and Fitness Management major at South Georgia Technical College, was named the SGTC Student of Excellence for the month of March at the recent recognition ceremony held on the college’s Americus Campus.

Ethridge came to South Georgia Technical College on scholarship to play basketball for the Lady Jets – serving as a center for the team. During her time at the college, not only has she found success on the court, but she has found it in the classroom as well.

Sports and Fitness Management instructor and men’s basketball team head coach Travis Garrett introduced Ethridge and awarded her with her nomination certificate.

“The Lady Jets have been conference champs, district champs and have finished in the Sweet Sixteen on the national championship the past two years, but the most important thing I like about Sceret is that her GPA is over 3.6,” Garrett said. “You know basketball is one thing, but we try to inspire our student athletes to do great things, and I think she has the opportunity to do that.”

He noted that although Ethridge is a quiet student, she lets her actions speak for her – a trait that he said speaks volumes about her character.

Ethridge will graduate in May and has several offers to continue her education and her basketball career at a four-year college.

“I would like to thank Coach Garrett for seeing something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” she said after accepting her nomination. “[Coach Garrett] along with the coaches have taught me many things. They have supported me, pushed me and brought out things that I didn’t know was in me. As for transferring to another school, I hope that I can make history and represent SGTC again and make my family and supporters proud.”

She was awarded a plaque of recognition, a personal letter of recommendation from SGTC President Dr. John Watford and a $50 check for her accomplishments. Additionally, her name will be displayed on SGTC’s digital marquee as well as inscribed on a plaque in Hicks Hall among previous Student of Excellence winners. As a bonus and for bragging rights, a Student of Excellence banner will hang in her program area until the next student is named on April 19.

Each month, students from certain divisions selected for that month are nominated for the Student of Excellence award by their instructors. This month’s ceremony recognized students in business and computer programs at SGTC. The winner is selected based on a number of criteria, including grades, work ethics, participation in clubs and organizations, and amount of program completion. Each nominee is presented with a certificate and a South Georgia Technical College Student of Excellence T-shirt.

Other nominees included: Paige Hunnicutt of Montezuma, Accounting; Joseph J. Hawkins of Americus, Business Technology; John Beech of Butler, Computer Information Systems; and Brodrick Parks of Smithville, Marketing Management.

Additional nominating instructors included Brenda Hudson Boone, Accounting; Annita Barron, Business Technology; Andrea Ingram, Computer Information Systems; and Mary Cross, Marketing Management.

A male hands a female a plaque.

Sceret Ethridge, South Georgia Technical College’s March 2018 Student of Excellence, accepts her award plaque from SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs David Kuipers.

Five individuals (Two females and three males) sit in chairs with five individuals (four females and one male) stand behind them.

Sitting from left to right are South Georgia Technical College’s student of excellence nominees Paige Hunnicutt, Joseph Hawkins, John Beech, Brodrick Parks, and winner Sceret Ethridge. Standing from left to right are nominating instructors: Brenda Hudson Boone, Annita Barron, Andrea Ingram, Mary Cross and Travis Garrett.