South Georgia Technical College hosts spring 2016 commencement ceremony

South Georgia Technical College hosted its 2016 spring commencement ceremony Thursday, May 12th at 6 p.m. in the James S. Peters Gymnasium on the Americus campus in front of a capacity crowd.         Approximately 200 students, 35 of which were either Presidential Honor or regular Honor Graduates, received awards of either an associate degree or a diploma during the 2016 spring commencement ceremony. Students must have an overall grade point average of 3.9 or higher to qualify as a Presidential honor graduate and a grade point average of 3.70 to 3.89 to qualify as an honor graduate. National Technical Honor Society members were also recognized.         Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs David Kuipers presided over the graduation ceremony and introduced Rev. Bill Dupree who gave the invocation.       SGTC President Dr. John Watford welcomed graduates and their families and recognized special guests. Willie Patrick, Chair of the SGTC local Board of Directors, introduced the keynote speaker for the evening, Ashley Rodgers, who is an SGTC Honor Graduate from the Marketing Management program and the Technical College System of Georgia 2016 State Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner.       After Rodgers talk, South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford asked her to remain at the podium while TCSG officials recognized her with a scholarship opportunity to further her education with the University System of Georgia and the SGTC Student Government Association presented her with a framed resolution for being the 2016 State GOAL winner.       In her brief talk to her fellow graduates, Rodgers challenged them to continue their education or pursuit of excellence in their chosen careers but also reminded them to always remember the safe, nurturing place that gave them their start – South Georgia Technical College. She congratulated her fellow graduates and their families and wished them continued success.       After Rodgers address, President Watford, David Kuipers, and the SGTC Deans for Academic Affairs, presented the diplomas to the graduates. Seventy-two students received an Associate of Applied Science degree and 108 unduplicated diplomas were awarded.       SGTC students who earned the distinction of graduating as Presidential Honor graduates and their respective fields of study included: Accounting (AAS), Monica Yeraldin Castaneda Parra of Ellaville and Kimberlee V. Newbern of Cordele; Air Conditioning Technology (Diploma), Lillian Gonzales and Kimberlee Geane Vaughn of Cordele; Aircraft Structural Technology, Ricardo Rivera of Vienna; Criminal Justice Technology (AAS), Amy Ibach of Americus and James Dylan Scott of Ellaville; Diesel Equipment Technology (Diploma), Charles Jay Butler of LaGrange; Early Childhood Care and Education (Diploma), Derrica Shavonta Anderson of Buena Vista; Electrical System Technology (Diploma), Forest Jones of Warner Robins and Leslie Mitchell Morrison, Jr., of Box Springs; Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technician (AAS)), Daniel Layne Cripps of Alexandria, TN, Travis Lowe of Watauga, TN, Joshua Seth Paolucci of Bristol, VA, Timothy Garrison Patrick of Lake Cormorant, MS, Victor Macklin Von Spakovsky of Madison, AL, and Brandon Ward of Prattville, AL; and Motorsports Vehicle Technology (Diploma), Alfredo Rodriquez of Fort Valley.       SGTC students who earned the distinction of graduating as Honor graduates (3.70 – 3.89 GPA) and their respective fields of study included: Criminal Justice Technology (AAS and Diploma), Sha’kia Johnson of Americus; Culinary Arts (Diploma), Tramarvious DeMarcose’ Hosley of Montezuma and Mariana Guadalupe Paloma of Montezuma; Early Childhood Care and Education (AAS), Lisa P. Coffey of Cordele and Katrina Michelle Haugabook Lundy of Americus; Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technician (AAS), Christopher J. Alexander of Popularville, MS, Briley Bowhall of Thompsons Station, TN, Mark Alexander Espinoza of Deltona, FL, Cameron Lankford of Jupiter, FL, Thomas Mitchko of Saint Johns, FL; Chase Platts of Trussville, AL, Cameron Skinner of Corryton, TN, Wayne Stalvey of Clinton, TN and Williams Matthew Stone, Jr., of Williamson, GA; Marketing Management (AAS), Ashley Elizabeth Rodgers of Oglethorpe; Motorsports Vehicle Technology (Diploma), Mendy Saliba of Americus; Recreation and Leisure Management (AAS) Molly Brown of Winston; and Welding & Joining Technology (Diploma), Alan Brooks Cannon of Vienna.         Seventy-one students earned Associate of Applied Science degrees and those students and their programs of study included: Accounting, Monica Yeraldin Castandea Parra and Tabetha Williams of Ellaville, and Kimberlee V. Newbern of Cordele; Business Technology, Tiawanna Iesha McDonald of Centerville and Kaitlin Mixon of Cordele; Computer Support Specialist, Eric Britt of Rochelle, Jamalla Brown and Nicholas Adam Courson of Cordele, Nikki Brown and Eric Slappey of Americus; and Wally DeVane and Jared M. Hampe of Ellaville; Criminal Justice Technology, Pamela Cauley of Rupert, Scotty Lamar Coe of Buena Vista; Michael Dix of Pinehurst, Lesley Renay Elliott of Cordele, Christopher D. Halstead of Plains, Courtland Antonio Hightower, Amy Ibach, Sha’Kia Johnson, William Jospeh Martinez, Jr. and Tinesha Symone Thomas of Americus and Destiny Sampson and James Dylan Scott of Ellaville; Culinary Arts, Kerry Beaver Willis of Americus; Early Childhood Care & Education, Sarah Marie Baumgardner, Lisa P. Coffey, and Fredrica Hardeman of Cordele, Brenda Levette Lloyd Burden of Byromville, ChaLance’ Eshanae Deriso, Meghan Hastings, Katrina Michelle Haugabook Lundy, Erika Morales, and Tanya Thomas of Americus; Electronics Technology, Henry Joseph Aeger, IV of Lumpkin; Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology, Christopher J. Alexander of Poplarville, MS, Briley Bowhall of Thompsons Station, TN, Daniel Layne Cripps of Alexandria, TN, Austin DuBois of East Palatka, FL, Mark Alexander Espinoza of Deltona, FL, Mitchell Harper of Alexander City, AL; Codi Lane Hubbard, Foley, AL, Seth Ladner, Perkinston, MS, Cameron Landford of Jupiter, FL; Travis Lowe of Watauga, TN, Thomas Mitchko of Saint Johns, FL, Patrick W. Molloy-Fortunato of Havana, FL; Joshua Seth Paolucci of Bristol, VA, Timothy Garrison Patrick of lake Cormorant, MS, Chase Platts, of Trussville, AL, Kyle Schumacher of Green Core Springs, FL, Cameron Skinner of Corryton, TN, Wayne Stalvey of Clinton, TN, William Matthew Stone, Jr, of Williamson, GA, Corbin Tilley of Albany, GA, Victor Macklin Von Spakovsky of Madison, AL, and Brandon Ward of Prattville, AL; Marketing Management, Mecca Jones of Cordele, Jasmine Nicole Mercer of Plains, Leah Laquasha Nicole Mercer of Americus and Ashley Elizabeth Rodgers of Oglethorpe; Networking Specialist, Eric Britt of Rochelle, Jamall Brown and Nicholas Adam Courson of Cordele, Jared M. Hampe of Ellaville, and Eric Slappey of Americus; and Recreation and Leisure Management, Cierra Bond of Inkster, MC, Molly Brown of Winston, Brittney Delva of Tallahassee, FL, Claudia Perez Relancio of Zaragoza, Spain; and Clarence Smith of Valdosta.       Members of the National Technical Honor Society included: Accounting (AAS), Kimberlee V. Newbern of Cordele; Air Conditioning Technology (Diploma), Ricardo Rivera of Vienna; Business Technology (Diploma), Maria Luisa Rivera of Vienna; Computer Support Specialist (AAS) and Networking Specialist (AAS), Jared M. Hampe of Ellaville; Marketing Management (AAS), Ashley Elizabeth Rodgers of Oglethorpe; and Medical Assisting (Diploma), Angel Dozier of Rochelle.       After each graduate had received their award, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs David Kuipers declared to President Watford that each graduate had completed the requirements for graduation as set forth by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).       Afterwards, Rev. Bill Dupree gave the benediction and the graduates recessed to the music of Pomp and Circumstance performed by Elaine Skipper, pianist.