Rueda awarded Lou Crouch SGTC Law Enforcement Scholarship

May 23, 2018

Lou Crouch of Byron is shown above presenting Santiago Rueda of Americus with the Lou Crouch Law Enforcement Scholarship during the South Georgia Technical College Law Enforcement Academy 18-01 graduation ceremony recently. SGTC President Dr. John Watford is also shown.

Santiago Michel Rueda of Americus was presented with the Lou Crouch Law Enforcement Scholarship at the South Georgia Technical College Law Enforcement Academy Class 18 – 01 graduation ceremony held in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center on the SGTC Americus campus recently. Rueda earned his Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certification from the South Georgia Technical College Law Enforcement Academy and plans to enter the Law Enforcement Career.

Rueda expressed his appreciation for being selected as the Lou Crouch Law Enforcement Scholarship recipient. “I am very grateful for this scholarship,” said Rueda, who plans to use the Lou Crouch Scholarship to continue his education in criminal justice. “I know I am just starting out but my dream is to become a detective as well as an FBI agent in the future and this scholarship is helping me get that start.”
Rueda was born and raised in Americus, Georgia and is the oldest brother out of two siblings. “I have chosen law enforcement as my profession. I am very passionate about helping others and showing gratitude for the opportunities that I have received. I also want to help our community feel safe by getting the bad people off the streets,” said Rueda.
“As a son of a Hispanic family, I have shown my siblings that everything in life is very much possible. Because of my parents migrating here to the United States I have the opportunity to seek a better life and further my education,” explained Rueda who added, “I have come so far to be where I am today. As the oldest son in the household I’ve always helped my parents keep up with their bills, whether working in the fields picking watermelons, cucumbers, or working late at night cleaning floors at Harvey’s and getting up and going to school the next morning.”
That work ethic helped Rueda distinguish himself in the South Georgia Technical College Law Enforcement Academy and will allow him to pursue his dreams of advancing in the Law Enforcement career.
Lou Crouch of Bryon endowed his first scholarship at South Georgia Technical College in January 2013 to assist students who enrolled in the South Georgia Technical College Law Enforcement Academy and with Rueda, Crouch has provided scholarships for 14 students so far.

“This scholarship is a tremendous help to the young men and women who are training to become public servants and work as law enforcement officers here in Georgia,” said SGTC Foundation Executive Director Su Ann Bird. “This scholarship is not only helping our students but it is making communities safer. We appreciate Lou Crouch’s involvement and financial support of this program and our students.”
For more information about making a donation or establishing an endowed scholarship at South Georgia Technical College contact Su Ann Bird, SGTC Foundation Executive Director 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 Tech is one of six technical colleges in Georgia that are allowed to provide training for new law enforcement officers to receive their basic law enforcement training and obtain college credit at the same time. The cadets undergo 18 weeks and over 700 hours of intense training mentally and physically.
The LEA graduates receive their POST (Peace Officer Standards and Training) certification from South Georgia Technical College as well as a technical certificate of credit that can be utilized toward a diploma or Associate Degree in Criminal Justice.
For more information about the Law Enforcement Academy contact the Law Enforcement Academy office at 229.931.2716 or SGTC Law Enforcement Academy Director Brett Murray at 229.931.2756; or SGTC Dean Academic Affairs Vanessa Wall in Americus at 229.931.2713.