Savannah Technical College Welding student Dylan Youghn has been selected to receive the Wayne J. Engeron Scholarship by the American Welding Society Atlanta Section.

Youghn is the vice chairman for the AWS Student Chapter at Savannah Tech. He competed on the SkillsUSA 2023 Fabrication Team and placed second at the 2023 Xcel Welding Competition. He has maintained a 3.5 GPA and is on track to graduate in Spring 2024.

Welding & Joining Technology training prepares students for careers in all types of welding including shielded metal arc, gas metal arc, gas tungsten arc and flux cored arc. Graduates master all types of welding with a degree or diploma or may take short-term technical certificates of credit to focus on specific types of welding. Welding and Joining Technology is offered at the Savannah and Effingham campuses, along with welding labs in Hinesville and Richmond Hill, Ga. Welding diploma graduates have had a 100% placement in field for the past four academic years (AY19-22).

For more information about Welding and Joining, contact STC Industrial Technology Advisor at 912.443.5859 or landerson@savannahtech.edu.

About American Welding Society

Founded in 1919, the American Welding Society is a nonprofit organization with a global mission: to advance the science, technology, and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes worldwide, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying.

By fostering knowledge, embracing change, and providing real-world opportunities through scholarships, fellowships, and workforce development, AWS provides the tools to help members succeed—and to inspire future generations of welding professionals. The AWS Foundation awards over $2 million annually for education and training in welding and related fields.

Photo (left to right): Rene Engeron (American Welding Society – Atlanta Section Secretary), Dylan Youghn (Student/Recipient), Ernest D’Alto (Owner/Employer – Thunderbolt Marina), Tracy Thompson-Lee (Human Resource Manager – Thunderbolt Marina), Robert Trudelle (American Welding Society – Atlanta Section Chairman), Daryl Peterson(American Welding Society – District 5 Director)

# 2416 | December 1, 2023

JACKSON, Mississippi – Nicole Magnani, a Criminal Justice student at Savannah Technical College has received the Gordon Graham Leadership and Ethics in Criminal Justice Scholarship of $1,000 from the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute (IPSLEI) and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society.

Corporal Magnani works full-time as a senior instructor with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. She is on track to graduate this semester with an associate degree in Criminal Justice from Savannah Tech. She is a member of PTK and the National Technical Honor Society. She plans to attend the University of Cincinnati for an undergraduate paralegal/law degree.

The Graham Scholarship program provides scholarships exclusively to Phi Theta Kappa members who demonstrate potential for excellence in the criminal justice field while enrolled in a regionally accredited associate degree public safety program.

The Graham Scholarship was established by IPSLEI and Phi Theta Kappa in honor of Gordon Graham. Graham is a retired law enforcement commander, attorney, and an internationally known speaker, author, and lecturer in the field of criminal justice and risk management.

The Graham Scholarship is one of a growing number of scholarships available to Phi Theta Kappa members in career or technical programs. Learn more about the scholarship.

STC’s Criminal Justice program is a sequence of courses that prepares students for Criminal Justice professions. The program emphasizes a combination of theory and practical application necessary for successful employment. The criminal justice field offers thousands of career opportunities in the three components of the criminal justice system: law enforcement, the courts, and corrections, as well as careers in private security. For more information visit www.savannahtech.edu/CriminalJustice.

About IPSLEI – IPSLEI brings the concepts of leadership and ethics to the forefront of an individual’s career, rather than waiting until a person is promoted into a supervisory position. This program is based on the belief that one need not be a supervisor or manager to understand leadership principles and contribute to the leadership process. Learn more about IPSLEI.

About Phi Theta Kappa – Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org.

#2414 | November 20, 2023

Savannah Technical College and its Foundation received three awards when the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) gathered for its annual leadership conference in Savannah recently.

Savannah Technical College wins first runner-up for TCSG LEAD Award

Savannah Technical College was the first runner-up in TCSG’s Leadership and Excellence in Attendance and Dedication (LEAD) award. This competition between TCSG colleges is based on metrics for each local board and foundation with point allocation based on:

• Percentage of board and foundation members who attend the leadership conference (based on registration)
• Distance traveled from main campus to Savannah
• Being 100% local board certified
• Being a Role Model Foundation
• Points are also given to the host college for teaching a class.

STC Foundation Board of Trustees earns Role Model Board designation

Savannah Technical College Foundation Board of Trustees earned the designation of Technical College Foundation Association (TCFA) 2023 Role Model Foundation Board Certification for the seventh consecutive year at TCSG’s Fall Leadership Conference.

The TCFA Role Model Foundation Board Certification is an annual certification process sponsored by the TCFA of Georgia, a membership organization that represents the 22 Technical College System of Georgia foundations and more than 600 trustees statewide.

The TCFA Delegate Council presents this award to encourage and recognize foundation boards that engage in outstanding business practices and demonstrate the highest level of commitment. In order to obtain the certification, not only does the board as a whole have to meet certain requirements, but each individual board member must meet specific requirements.

To be eligible to receive the certification a foundation must engage in best practices in nonprofit governance, board management, and operations; have policies in place to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, especially in financial matters; be led by a Board of Trustees whose members are actively engaged in the foundation’s development activities; and support the professional development and state-level participation of their Trustees, Executive Director and college advancement personnel.

All trustees must demonstrate active engagement in the work of the board through regular attendance at board and committee meetings and college and foundation events, participation in leadership activities and personal professional development, and fundraising on behalf of the board.

The STC Foundation Board of Trustees 2023-24 membership includes: Kay Ford, Chair; David Burkoff, Vice Chair; Gary Sanchez, Past Chair; Taylor Mongin, Treasurer; Sam McCachern, At-Large; Alfonso Ribot, At-Large; Dr. Bertice Berry; Scott Center; Lisa Colbert; Patrick Connell; Jesse Dillon; Monica Dorsey; Matt Dowling Dr. Franklin Goldwire; Nina Gompels; Kevin Jackson; Nick Puhala; Steven Stowers; Cecilia Russo Turner; Michael Traynor; Stacy Watson; Dr. Fran Witt.

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.

Local Board earns TCDA of Georgia, Inc. board certification for all members

Savannah Technical College’s Board of Directors earned 100% board certification for all members for the sixth consecutive year in academic year 2023. All local board members become members of the Technical College Directors’ Association (TCDA of Georgia, Inc.) when they join their respective local board. TCDA provides the training necessary to become a certified board member. To achieve the status of “certified board member,” board members are required to attend a series of professional development classes consisting of: new board orientation/governance; building relationships with elected officials; community advocacy; understanding the legislative budgeting process and financial management of technical colleges and an elective workshop.

In order to become TCDA Certified, a local board member must complete the four required workshops, one elective workshop plus two required and eight selected activities. Selective activities include attending 80% of local board meetings, going on a tour of the technical college, attending a TCSG State Board meeting or TCSG Leadership Conference, etc.

The STC Local Board of Directors 2022-23 membership includes Donald Lovette, Chairman (Liberty); Brandt Herndon, Vice-Chairman (Effingham); Dr. Kathleen Benton (Chatham); Col (R) Pete Hoffman (Chatham); Todd Hoffman (Effingham); Audrey King (Chatham); and Tom Ratcliffe (Liberty).

#2413 | November 17, 2023