Savannah Technical College students are invited to create a smartphone film to illustrate employability skills. The 30 sec – 2 min film will tell a story about employability and critical thinking skills and is due July 13. The top films will be presented to the college community on Wednesday, July 18 at Savannah, Liberty, and Effingham campuses. Students, faculty, and staff will vote on the top film submissions. See submission guidelines and contest rules below.

STC programs prepare students for hire-ability in the workforce. The most essential components employers look for are candidates that have BOTH a balance of high level technical job skills and development of soft skills to communicate and collaborate effectively in work relationships. Organizations remain competitive by employees excelling in: teamwork, flexibility, creativity, leadership, streamlined communication, effective conflict resolution and strong interaction with peers/clients.

Contest Guidelines: Students will produce a 30 second – 2 minutes video about Soft-Skills/Employability Skills. Individual or team submissions are welcomed. Film must be produced using a smartphone or tablet. The top films will be selected by the QEP Committee to be presented in the auditorium to the college community. Finalists will be notified via STC student email by Monday, July 16. Event attendees will vote on the top film finalists via live text poll in Eckburg Auditorium (standard messaging and data carrier rates apply). Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

For contest rules and entry form, visit: www.savannahtech.edu/QFilmFest.

The Q character was created to illustrate Savannah Technical College’s Quality Enhancement Program or QEP. This is an action plan that is required as a key component of the SACS reaffirmation process. The topic of the plan must address an issue that is related to enhancing the quality of student learning at STC. It provides the opportunity for our institution to “enhance overall institutional quality and effectiveness by focusing on an issue or issues the institution considers important to improving student learning”.

Eight students from the Savannah Technical College Peace Officer Academy celebrated graduating from the program with a completion ceremony today.

The eight men have completed coursework containing the entire Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Law Enforcement Training Course. Their successful completion of the program qualifies them to be state-certified peace officers.

This is the 25th group of students to complete the program since its inception in 2009. To date, the program has graduated 321 P.O.S.T.-certified officers. Many candidates are in various stages of the application process with statewide agencies. Seven candidates have been hired by area police departments. Savannah Tech’s Peace Officer Academy has a 97% placement rate.

Each cohort selects a fallen officer for whom the graduating class will be named. The cohorts have a tradition of giving the family of the fallen officer a challenge coin dedicated to the officer. A challenge coin is a symbol of an unbreakable bond of dedication and allegiance among military personnel and law enforcement officers. The challenge coin tradition started as a military tradition in World War I and was later adopted by law enforcement.

This cohort honors Detective Lieutenant Alan Elliott of the Bloomingdale Police Dept. who passed away suddenly on March 9, 2017 after a courageous battle with cancer. He is survived by his sister Becky, and one daughter Katie.

The Basic Law Enforcement Technical Certificate of Credit provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become competent law enforcement officers. The 18-week cohort program utilizes classroom instruction pertaining to criminal justice theory and the prevailing principles of modern law enforcement, as well as practical application of pertinent enforcement skills. College coursework contains the entire Georgia Peace Officers Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) Basic Law Enforcement Training Course so that successful completion of the program will qualify the student to be a state-certified peace officer.

For more information about the Peace Officer Academy visit

www.savannahtech.edu/PeaceOfficerAcademy or contact the office at 912.443.5191 or rrobertson@savannahtech.edu.

The next cohorts begin July 2 and October 22.

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1826 | June 27, 2018

Business and Professional Services Academic Advisor:
Amber Robinson: 912.443.5719 or arobinson@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

Savannah, GA – Savannah Technical College Foundation has purchased 7 West Bay Street as the new downtown location for an expansion of Savannah Technical College’s Culinary Arts program.

“We are excited to bring this opportunity for our students, our hospitality industry partners, visitors to our great city and Savannah area residents,” said STC President Dr. Kathy Love. “We have one of the top Culinary Arts programs in the U.S., and will provide even more real-world training for our students with the operational restaurant and bakery.”

This purchase was one of the top five strategic priorities for the Foundation’s capital campaign that raised $7.2 million. “We recognized that to truly serve our hospitality partners, we had to expand our capacity,” said Dr. Love. “Our first choice has always been downtown Savannah.”

The Savannah Technical College Foundation supports the mission, students and programs of the College. “It is especially fitting that we help bring great opportunities like this for students in an already excellent program,” said Savannah Technical College Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Sam McCachern. “We have graduates working at nearly all of the top restaurants, and we know that with Savannah Culinary Institute downtown, even more students and graduates will be working.”

The expansion will more than double the available instructional space for Culinary Arts and Baking& Pastry Arts. Senior level (second year) students will take classes and work in the bakery and restaurant. Entry-level (first year) students will continue to take courses in the teaching kitchen and classrooms at the College’s campus on White Bluff.

“To continue to offer great real-world opportunities like this, we have to raise additional private support from our community,” said McCachern. “Savannah deserves the very best, and the Savannah Culinary Institute will bring it.”

With only 3,000-square-feet of classroom, lab and cooking space, Savannah Tech has had extremely limited resources at the Savannah campus. The kitchen operates 16 hours a day Monday through Thursday, plus four hours on Friday. Four years ago, the College designated one classroom on the Savannah Campus as sugar and chocolate lab, allowing additional space beyond the kitchen to be dedicated to culinary arts instruction. With the success of the Baking and Pastry Arts program, classes are full, and the College is unable to offer enough sections to meet demands.

“Savannah Tech’s project will help tremendously in training a much-needed skilled workforce,” said Tourism Leadership Council President/CEO Michael T. Owens. “In addition to the large number of vacancies in our food and beverage outlets today, we estimate more than 2,000 jobs will be coming online in the next few years. The project will provide a crucial and convenient epicenter of both classroom and real-world experience for students to prepare to take on a career of success and satisfaction.”

The bakery (breakfast/lunch) and restaurant (lunch/dinner) will be staffed by Culinary Arts and Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism Management students and faculty, hospitality interns and students as a part of their instructional programs. The menu is projected to be set daily in keeping with classroom instruction. The hands-on, real-world experience in the restaurant will allow students the opportunity to apply techniques learned in the classroom to practical use, complete a required field placement, and gain first-hand experience in running a restaurant and serving the general public.

STC’s Department Chair for Culinary Arts Chef Jean Vendeville and his chef instructor team have offered master classes to the public and plan to expand these classes at the downtown location. Half of the second floor will be used for a master class demonstration kitchen continuing education master classes.

Visit Savannah President Joe Marinelli is excited about the College’s new downtown location: “We are confident that this new venture is exactly what is needed in our community. Our most current research shows that culinary experiences rank second (after shopping) as it relates to what our visitors are most interested in while in our area. Culinary tourism is at an all-time high nationally, and we see the same trends here in Savannah with an exploding restaurant and dining scene.”

The Savannah Culinary Institute, an American Culinary Federation-accredited culinary arts program, has been described as the “best in the U.S.A” by its ACF accreditation review board. According to his committee chair, the Culinary Institute of Savannah, offering ACF-accredited diploma and degree programs in culinary arts, has gone “well over and above the standards and expectations for a technical college teaching facility.” The committee recommended that the program receive the maximum accreditation time of seven years, when the average is three years. Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts associate degree graduates have a 100% placement rate in their field since 2015. The program has earned regional and national recognition with ACF-sponsored competitions. For more information visit: www.savannahtech.edu/SavannahCulinaryInstitute.

• 14,456 sq ft
• 7 three floors + full basement 14,456 sq ft
• $2.9M purchase price; Seller is Callen Trust
• Renovation estimates: $2.8 M; Foundation is raising additional funds to support renovation

• Basement:
  • Instructional kitchen 2,500 sq ft (classes and to support restaurant operations)
• First floor:
  • Baking lab 1,000 sq ft (seats 20, grab-and-go counter, breakfast and lunch)
  • Restaurant 2,000 sq ft (seats 60, lunch and dinner)
• Second floor:
  • Demonstration kitchen 1,500 sq ft (continuing education/demo and event space seating for 25-40)
• Third floor:
  • Classrooms (3@600) 1,800 sq ft (lecture style)
  • Conference room
• Throughout building:
  • Support 1,700 sq ft (offices, conference, locker room, dishwashing, dry/cold storage)

• LS3P – Neil Dawson and Brenda Pearson (architectural services)
• West Construction – Matt West (renovation estimates)
• Tharpe Engineering – Cody Tharpe (structural assessment)
• Gilbert & Ezell Real Estate Services – Harvey Gilbert (real estate agent)
• HunterMaclean (legal services)
• Terracon (Environmental and GEPA assessments)

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1825 | June 18, 2018

Business and Professional Services Academic Advisor:
Amber Robinson: 912.443.5719 or arobinson@savannahtech.edu

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

Savannah, GA – Harry Garvin had multiple job offers before he completed coursework for an associate’s degree in Industrial Maintenance Systems. He credits his success to training from Savannah Technical College and working part-time in a manufacturing setting, while earning his degree.

Tonight, Garvin will be one of nearly 275 graduates receiving degrees, diplomas and GEDs at STC’s commencement ceremony at the Savannah Civic Center. The College has awarded 388 degrees and diplomas for students that completed coursework from summer 2016 through spring 2017. Also, 275 GED diplomas have been earned during that time.

Garvin began his college career as a dual enrollment student during his last semester at New Hampstead High School. He wasn’t sure which career, so he started by enrolling in general core courses. His first college courses, Psychology and Public Speaking, were needed for his associate degree in Industrial Maintenance and transfer to any University System of Georgia institution.

“Harry was an excellent student with a great work ethic,” said STC Industrial Maintenance Systems Department Head Travis Wright. “His willingness to go the ‘extra mile’ will take him far in life. I wish nothing but the best for this young man.”

Garvin wanted a career that would always be in demand. He selected Industrial Maintenance Systems because it was a “hot field” and “electrical and mechanical skills are in demand,” said Garvin. “Even if robots are needed to do a job, they will need someone to fix the robots. There will always be a need for electricians and mechanics.”

While enrolled at Savannah Tech, he worked part-time as a forklift driver in an industrial plant to gain manufacturing experience. He wanted to graduate with not only associate degree, but also experience. From his forklift, he saw electrical equipment in action. This experience gave him a head start to become familiar with an industrial environment.

He posted his resume on Indeed and received multiple job offers. He found his job in a “hot field” as an Electrical/Mechanical Technician with a cool employer, Imperial Frozen Foods, and loves what he does.

Garvin suggests other students gain experience with an apprenticeship to work in an electrical or mechanical field. “Then graduates will already have experience under their belt when they complete their associate degree and apply for a job,” he said.

Required maintenance of machinery is vital to the production of manufactured goods. Those employed as industrial systems technologists are trained in fluid power, programmable logic controls, electricity, mechanics and other specified areas of machine functionality. Industrial Maintenance is one of Georgia’s high demand jobs that qualify for the HOPE Career Grant. For more information visit: www.savannahtech.edu/IndustrialSystems

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1824 | June 14, 2018
Industrial Maintenance Systems/Industrial Technology Academic Advisor:
Secene Dorsey (912.443.5859 or ssdorsey@savannahtech.edu)

Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College alumna Skylar Huggett will deliver the commencement address at Savannah Technical College’s 2018 graduation at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, in the Johnny Mercer Theatre at the Savannah Civic Center.

Savannah Tech has awarded nearly 388 degrees and diplomas for students that completed coursework from Fall 2017 through Spring 2018. Also, more than 220 GED diplomas have been earned during that time. Savannah Tech expects about nearly 275 degree, diploma and GED recipients to participate in graduation.

Huggett, a graduate of the Welding & Joining Technology program at Savannah Tech, is the Technical College System of Georgia’s 2017 Student of the Year. She competed for the top student honor as part of the system’s annual Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership program, which recognizes the best students at each of the state’s 22 technical colleges and one Board of Regents college with a technical division.

“I feel it is important to love what you do,” said Huggett in her 2017 GOAL speech. “Not only love it but enjoy what you do. Like you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing. I’m fortunate enough that at 25, I’ve discovered my purpose. I’ve found my place. I love the fumes, the sparks, the bangs and clanks from a welding shop.”

In May of 2017, Skylar earned her diploma in Welding & Joining Technology from Savannah Technical College and graduated with honors (4.0 GPA) while making the Dean’s List. She was the president of the Student Chapter of the American Welding Society and won silver for welding sculpture at the Georgia SkillsUSA 2017 competition.

“Skylar worked above and beyond to complete required course assignments as a student, while working a full-time job as a server most nights and weekends,” said STC Welding and Joining Department Head William Burns.

Upon graduation, Skylar had multiple job offers. Now, she works as a welder at Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems in Savannah. Prior to enrolling at Savannah Technical College, Skylar earned an associate’s degree from Georgia Highlands College.

A Skylar Huggett Women in Welding Scholarship was created in her honor in 2017. This scholarship provides welding tools/equipment to a STC female student with the highest GPA after completion of one semester of study at Savannah Technical College. This student is selected by the Welding & Joining department head based on academic performance.

“After years of searching for a purpose, welding found me, and I love what I do,” said Huggett. “My future is on fire. I know now that I can have a career (not just a job) that I can be proud of – a career to support myself, my family and to chart my future, thanks to technical education.”

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#1823 | June 11, 2018

STC Director of Communications/Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu