STC Foundation celebrates 2020 Tribute to Community STARs

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College Foundation celebrated 21 community stars virtually today for its Tribute to Community STARs event.  The 14th annual event has recognized 300 people for their service and dedication in the community or at work.

This year sponsors gathered in groups of 10 at their own locations to celebrate their star and enjoy a gourmet lunch prepared and packaged by Savannah Culinary Institute student chefs with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.

Honored were:

  • Devin Bass, STC 2020 GOAL Student of the Year, sponsored by Savannah Technical College;
  • Jennifer Bonnett, Executive Director, Creative Coast; Vice President for Innovation/Entrepreneurship, SEDA, sponsored by Corporate Environments;
  • Mae Bowley, Executive Director, Re:Purpose Savannah, sponsored by McGriff Insurance Services;
  • Susan Catron, Managing Editor, The Current, sponsored by Carriage Trade Public Relations;
  • Denise Grabowski, Owner, Symbioscity, sponsored by Architecture 101;
  • Robert Grant, Director of Development, Junior Achievement of Georgia, sponsored by Ad Specialty Services;
  • Rushe Hudzinski, STC 2020 Instructor of the Year, sponsored by Savannah Technical College;
  • Van Johnson, Mayor, City of Savannah, sponsored by National Office Systems;
  • Pamela Jones, Community Leader, sponsored by Friends of Savannah Technical College;
  • Cindy Murphy Kelley, Executive Director, Chatham Savannah Authority for the Homeless, sponsored by Hansen Architects;
  • Paula Kreissler, Executive Director, Healthy Savannah, sponsored by Enmarket;
  • Ann Levett, Superintendent, Savannah Chatham County Public School System, sponsored by Mary Morrison;
  • Gif Lockley, Principal, Savannah Arts Academy, sponsored by Leopold’s Ice Cream and Gary Sanchez;
  • Patti Lyons, President & CEO, Senior Citizens, Inc., sponsored by Judy & Dick Eckburg;
  • Laura Moore, Savannah Market City President, BankSouth, sponsored by BankSouth;
  • Ida Nelson, STC 2020 EAGLE Student of the Year, sponsored by Savannah Technical College;
  • Kate Smith, Chief of Staff, Parker’s, sponsored by Parker’s;
  • Dudley & Malena Stone, Founders, P.A.C.K., sponsored by Savannah Christian Preparatory School;
  • Chris Tilton, President, The DeWitt Tilton Group, sponsored by Cecilia Russo Marketing;
  • Erin Wessling, Founder, W Projects, sponsored by NAWIC of Coastal Georgia;
  • Fran Baker-Witt, CEO, Effingham Health Systems, sponsored by Joe Marchese Commercial Construction and Effingham County Industrial Development Authority.

A special message was shared by Savannah Bananas owner Jesse Cole. The video may be viewed on the College’s Youtube and Facebook pages.

The Tribute event is held annually and is sponsored by the STC Foundation Community Council, a group of young professionals charged with expanding the local knowledge and profile of Savannah Technical College and its mission and with raising funds to support the college, its programs and students. Proceeds from the event benefit the Savannah Technical College Foundation.

Founded in 1984, the Savannah Technical College Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that exists to raise and disburse funds to support the College’s efforts to enhance learning, workforce training and economic development in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham and Liberty counties. The STC Foundation recently helped the College purchase 7 West Bay Street as the new location for an expansion of the College’s Culinary Arts program.

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#2109 | October 23, 2020
Media contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 | ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

Savannah Technical College serves Coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 10,000 credit and non-credit students annually, Savannah Tech offers nearly 150 different instructional programs in Aviation Technology, Business and Professional Services, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Savannah Tech receives Kias for instruction thanks to KMMG donation

Kia Optimas faculty students

Savannah, GA – Savannah Technical College received two vehicles for use in instruction for its Automotive Technology programs at the Savannah and Liberty Campuses from Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG). The Optimas were donated to the College’s Foundation, which gave them to the Automotive Technology program.

“KMMG is the ideal corporate partner for an institution like Savannah Technical College,” said STC President Dr. Kathy S. Love. “They continue to provide vehicles for instructional use and support workforce development across the state.”

The vehicles will give STC students hands-on opportunities to apply theoretical training to live work. Students will be able to learn with the most up-to-date technologies in the industry, like electric power steering and Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) fuel system.

“The automotive industry is highly competitive, and these newer technology vehicles will allow us to set our students apart from others as they prepare to enter the workforce,” said STC Automotive Technology Department Head Anthony Hobbs.

The donated 2016 Optimas are what KMMG refers to as a quality assessment vehicles, which are not made for the open road. The vehicles were trailered to their respective campuses.

Jason Shin, the chief executive officer and president of KMMG, said these vehicles are the perfect fit for a hands-on learning environment like STC’s Automotive Technology labs in Savannah and Hinesville.

“We are donating models with the latest technology so students will be properly equipped with automotive knowledge that will help them succeed,” Shin said. 

KMMG gave 26 of these vehicles to the Technical College System of Georgia last month. To date, KMMG has donated 218 vehicles for educational and training purposes.

STC’s Automotive Technology graduates are trained to hold positions in the automotive service and repair industry as service technicians, inspectors and maintenance and repair mechanics. The program emphasizes a combination of automotive mechanics theory and practical application necessary for successful employment. In AY2019, Automotive Technology students had a 95.6% placement in field with students earning a degree or diploma at 100% placement.

About KMMG: Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia, Inc. (KMMG) is the first manufacturing site in North America for Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, Korea. With an annual capacity of 340,000 units, KMMG is located on 2,200 acres in West Point, Georgia, and began mass production on Nov. 16, 2009. KMMG is home to the Telluride SUV, Sorento SUV and K5 mid-size sedan.

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# 2108 | October 8, 2020

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

Savannah Technical College serves Coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 10,000 credit and non-credit students annually, Savannah Tech offers nearly 150 different instructional programs in Aviation Technology, Business and Professional Services, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Savannah Technical College creates Coastal Georgia Center for Driver Safety with grant funding from Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College has been awarded a grant in the amount of $191,267 from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

The funds will be used by Savannah Technical College to develop the “Coastal Georgia Center for Driver Safety.” Grant funds will create two core additional services: distracted and impaired driver prevention education. This will take the form of community- and school-based workshops, virtual reality simulation education, social media messaging, and the promotion of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapters in all of area high schools.

“Helping teenage drivers understand the dangers of distracted or impaired driving is critical for everyone’s safety on the road,” said STC President Dr. Kathy Love. “We look forward to serving even more high school students through the Coastal Georgia Center for Driver Safety.”

The most recent CDC findings show that 39% of high school students who drove in the last 30 days had sent an email or text message while driving. Teens are much more at risk for alcohol –related fatalities than other groups.

“The loss of one life on our roads is one too many, and the fact almost all fatal traffic crashes can be prevented is one reason why we are awarding this grant,” Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Director Allen Poole said.  “The target of zero traffic deaths in our nation is achievable, and we will continue to help develop and implement educational messages and enforcement campaigns aimed at bringing our state one step closer to that goal.”

The grant includes the purchase of five One Simple Decision (OSD) Distracted Driving simulators. Savannah Technical College will partner with area high schools for students to interact with the simulators. The OSD simulators are designed to modify driving behavior by illustrating the consequences of choices made behind the wheel. Through the combination of driving simulation, intense interactions and first-person consequences videos, drivers are immersed in a gut wrenching personal experience that results from “One Simple Decision” they chose to make when driving.

The grant began on October 1, 2020 and the funds are provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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# 2108 | Oct. 7, 2020
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

Savannah Technical College serves Coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 10,000 credit and non-credit students annually, Savannah Tech offers nearly 150 different instructional programs in Aviation Technology, Business and Professional Services, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Savannah Tech to host Big Pig Fundraiser

Savannah Culinary Institute student chefs will host a Big Pig Fundraiser feast to benefit the Patrick Ansley Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund for 2021 for the second year. The pre-order meal pack (feeds six) features three smoked meats, three gourmet sides, two barbeque sauces, artisan cornbread and dessert for $140.

Meals will be available to pickup from noon until 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 5 at the Eckburg Auditorium at Savannah Technical College (5717 White Bluff Road, Savannah, 31406). The deadline to pre-order meals and merchandise is October 31.

Big Pig Take Out Menu (feeds six):

  • House-prepared French garlic sausage (2 lbs)
  • Applewood smoked pulled pork (3 lbs)
  • Spare ribs (two slabs ribs)
  • Two sauces (8 oz. each):
    • Smoked hickory sauce
    • Alabama white sauce
  • Smoked gouda mac and cheese
  • Bacon braised collards
  • Southern style baked beans
  • Cheddar jalapeño cornbread
  • Apple crumble

Savannah Culinary Institute classes will prepare the items as part of instruction for Fall semester including Garde Manger (charcouterie, smoking, sauces), Nutrition (roasted vegetables, baked beans), Retail Production (bread), Principles of Cooking (mac/cheese, cobbler).

The Patrick Ansley Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund was started in 2012 by Bill Dickinson to honor the late Patrick Williams. Five $1,000 scholarships are awarded annually to STC culinary and hospitality students with a minimum 3.0 grade point average, who are selected by the College’s scholarship committee. Funds are applied toward tuition, fees, books, and required supplies.

The amount of the contribution for the Big Pig Fundraiser feast, which is deductible for federal income tax purposes is limited to the excess over the value of the goods or services provided by Savannah Technical College Foundation. The tax-deductible portion of the gift is estimated to be $100.

STC scholarship funds are managed by the Savannah Technical College Foundation, a 501 (c)3 organization whose sole purpose is to raise private funds to support the mission of Savannah Technical College. Gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

About Savannah Technical College’s Savannah Culinary Institute
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 the 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.

Savannah Technical College serves Coastal Georgia with quality, market-driven technical education with campus locations in Chatham, Effingham and Liberty Counties. Serving more than 10,000 credit and non-credit students annually, Savannah Tech offers nearly 150 different instructional programs in Aviation Technology, Business and Professional Services, Industrial Technology, and Health Sciences in addition to Adult Education classes, industry-specific training and continuing education. The College serves as an economic and community development partner for the region, offering corporate and customized training and assessment programs for business and industry.

Savannah Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit. Questions about the accreditation of Savannah Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).