SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College has selected John Warenzak as the director of its Peace Officer Academy. He is responsible for oversight of all instruction, curriculum development, administrative and budgetary aspects for the College’s Peace Officer Academy (Basic Law Enforcement) program.

Warenzak has been an instructor with STC’s Peace Officer Academy for eight years. He retired as a Captain with Chatham County law enforcement after 32 years of service. He served as a homicide investigator, special victims investigator, narcotics agent, vice unit detective, violent crimes detective and member of the underwater search and recovery team amongst other specialized units. He is a Specialized POST Instructor possessing certifications in or as a general instructor, applied suicide intervention skills instructor, field officer training Instructor, TASER Instructor, police officer training Instructor, medical emergencies and defensive tactics instructor.

He has a bachelor’s degree in American history and a master’s degree in public history from Armstrong Atlantic State University.

The Basic POST Certification Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become competent law enforcement officers. The 11-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. Students that qualify for HOPE may receive additional funds through the HOPE Career Grant with this program.

This TCC offers a first step in law enforcement.  Select courses in the Basic Law Enforcement Certificate program transfer towards an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice.  Many agencies pay all or part of the tuition for officers to work toward degrees in criminal justice, police science, administration of justice, or public administration and pay higher salaries to those who earn one of those degrees.

Visit this link for more information about the Peace Officer Academy or contact the office at 912.443.5191 or njones@savannahtech.edu.

#2407 | August 25, 2023

Savannah Technical College recognized 47 students for excellence in academics for the Summer 2023 Dean’s List. To be eligible for the dean’s list, a student must have at least a 3.5 GPA and have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours (or full-time) for that semester. These students represent 28.3% of the full-time students for Summer 2023.

Jasmine McLloyd is one of the Surgical Technology students on the Summer 2023 Dean’s List. She is a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) at Memorial Health University Medical Center.

 

 

 

 

• Jacob Barnes (Automotive Technology Degree)
• Graham Beard (Sustainable Technologies)
• Antony Bell (Business Management Degree)
• Toyrianna Bennett (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Thomas Bentley (Welding and Joining Diploma)
• Dustin Briggs (Industrial Maintenance Systems Technology)
• Mariana Cabeza Mejia (Aircraft Assembly Technician)
• Isaiah Cable (Aircraft Assembly Technician)
• Nathaniel Carlisi (Technical Studies)
• Rodney Cheatham (Interdisciplinary Studies)
• Lindsey Coletti (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Roxana Drew (Interdisciplinary Studies)
• Alexandra Flath (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Bobbi Garcia (Interdisciplinary Studies)
• Kirsten Garner (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Grace Glover (Culinary Baking/Pastry Arts AAS)
• Ariel Gordon (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Justin Harris (Aviation Maintenance Technology AAS)
• Jeremy Hartman (Electrical Technology)
• Breyona Hepburn (EMS Professions)
• Kallie Howard (Health Care Assistant)
• Summer Johnson (Cosmetology Diploma)
• Amber Jones (Drafting Degree)
• Rebekah Lingenfelser (Culinary Arts Degree)
• Marcus Lo (Automotive Technology Degree)
• Tonja Maultsby (Cosmetology Diploma)
• Trenton McCormick (Welding and Joining Diploma)
• Shatorria Mcghee (Interdisciplinary Studies)
• Jasmine McLloyd (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Daniel Merrill (Air Conditioning Technician Assistant)
• Erika Meyer (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Nicolas Mincey (Cosmetology Diploma)
• Sara Moore (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Myia Natson-Green (Cosmetology Diploma)
• Evan Parker (Automotive Technology Degree)
• Brandon Quintero (Industrial Maintenance Systems Technology)
• Jamara Richardson (Industrial Maintenance Systems Technology)
• Ethan Riley (Industrial Maintenance Systems Technology)
• Nicholas Roebuck (Networking Specialist Degree)
• Dakota-Kayla Smith (Historic Preservation and Restoration)
• Ashley Stokes (Interdisciplinary Studies)
• Hannah Swanerbury (Surgical Technology Degree)
• Nicklas Vanderhoff (Welding and Joining Diploma)
• Jordan Vattiprolu (Cybersecurity Degree)
• Akhalia Wren (Health Care Assistant)
• Jose Zavaleta (Aircraft Assembly Technician)
• Michael Zolno (Technical Studies)

#2406 | August 24, 2023

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Thirteen students from the Savannah Technical College Peace Officer Academy celebrated graduating from the program with a ceremony on August 18, 2023. These graduates 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. Eight have jobs with area departments.

This is the 42nd group of students to complete the program since its inception in 2009. To date, the program has graduated more than 400 P.O.S.T.-certified officers. Eleven of these graduates have been hired by area police departments. STC’s Peace Officer Academy has a 100% placement rate (AY21).

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 Sgt. Jacob Gililland of Chatham County Police Department, who passed away on May 26, 2022. Sgt. Gililland had served with the U.S. Air Army/Savannah Metro Police Department and Chatham County Police Department for ten years in various law enforcement positions. He was survived by his wife, daughter, family and friends.

The Basic POST Certification Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) provides students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to become competent law enforcement officers. The 11-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. Students that qualify for HOPE may receive additional funds through the HOPE Career Grant with this program.

This TCC offers a first step in law enforcement.  Select courses in the Basic Law Enforcement Certificate program transfer towards an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice.  Many agencies pay all or part of the tuition for officers to work toward degrees in criminal justice, police science, administration of justice, or public administration and pay higher salaries to those who earn one of those degrees.

For more information about the Peace Officer Academy visit www.savannahtech.edu/PeaceOfficerAcademy or contact the office at 912.443.5191 or njones@savannahtech.edu.

The next cohort begins in September 2023.

#2405 | August 18, 2023

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College has selected Jimmie Smith as its Dean of Aviation. He is responsible for managing initiatives related to Aviation programs and instructional services including community, high school and college programs; E-learning and faculty.

Smith has been with an aviation maintenance instructor with the College since October 2017, teaching the FAA Part 147 curriculum. Before coming to Savannah Technical College, he worked for 29 years in the aviation industry. He also served in the U.S. Navy for seven years.

He has a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics with a minor in management from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

The College’s Aviation division offers specialty aviation continuing education courses and credit aviation programs for Aircraft Structural, Aviation Maintenance and Avionics training. Graduates from STC’s credit aviation programs have an average of 93% placement in field (AY21). Its state-of-the-art Aviation Training Center is located at the Crossroads Campus. For information about the College’s Aviation programs, call 912.443.4094 or visit www.savannahtech.edu/AviationTechnology.

#2404 | August 15, 2023

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College recently selected Leigh Anne Moore as its Career Services Coordinator. In this role, she will work with business and industry recruiters to identify job openings and provide career development counseling to students and prospective students.

She will also assist students with developing resumes and cover letters and job interview preparation. Additional responsibilities include coordinating job fair activities, promoting program services to the community; coordinating with faculty members to assist student in securing employment; developing and maintaining an employment database; participating in community events and volunteer opportunities; serving as the key student affairs staff member responsible for capturing and recording placement data. She will also manage STC’s Student Activities resources and will advise the Student Leadership Council.

She has worked in higher education for the past 15 years and was previously STC’s Procurement Services Specialist. She has a master’s degree in higher education from Walden University, a bachelor’s degree in history from Brewton-Parker College, and an associate of arts in history from Darton State College.

Savannah Technical College’s Career Services promotes opportunities for experiential learning, assists workforce development, cultivates and maintains partnerships with employers, and serves as a resource for staff, faculty, and the community. Career Services also supports employers with the recruitment, hiring, and retention of well-qualified teams. Through the College’s online job portal, Career Connections, employers may directly connect with STC’s highly trained pool of students and graduates by posting employment opportunities.

#2403 | July 25, 2023

ATLANTA, Ga. – Savannah Technical College students won gold for Mobile Electronics Installation and OSHA and won silver for TV and Video Production at the national SkillsUSA competition for 2023 in Atlanta, Ga.

U.S. Army veteran and STC automotive student Erin Smith won gold for Mobile Electronics Installation. The OSHA team also won gold with Brandi Burkett (Cosmetology), Hunter Mathews (Business), and William Smith (HVAC). The TV and Video production team won silver with Savannah Film Academy students Dalton Kleman and Lore Carter.

A total of seven STC teams and individuals, who won gold at the state competition this spring, competed in the following national competitions for Community Service, Culinary Arts, Mobile Electronics Installation, Occupational, Health and Safety (OSHA), Promotional Bulletin Board, Sheet Metal, and TV/Video Production.

For a list of previous national wins for SkillsUSA visit the College’s national awards page. 

SkillsUSA is a national career and technical student organization/competition that annually serves more than 395,000 high school, college and post-secondary students–and their instructors–in technical, skilled and service-occupation instructional programs.

#2402 | July 20, 2023
Media Contact: Amy Shaffer, APR
912.443.5512 or ashaffer@savannahtech.edu

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College will offer a new Hybrid/Electric Vehicle (EV) Repair Technician certificate starting in Fall 2023 at the Savannah and Liberty campuses.

The Hybrid/EV Repair Technician technical certificate of credit (TCC) focuses on hybrid/EV operation, systems diagnosis, and repairs with an emphasis on personal and overall shop safety with high voltage batteries. This training will help meet the growing demand for auto technicians with hybrid/EV systems knowledge.

Most automotive manufacturers have plans to change their fleet makeup in the coming years to all or very high percentages of hybrid/EV models. The need for service and repair of these vehicles will increase as more are on the road with standard OEM warranties running out.

Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Repair Technician is a 19-credit hour TCC that prepares graduates to service, diagnose, and repair hybrid or fully electric vehicles. The five courses in this TCC include: Automotive Engine Performance; EV/Hybrid Vehicles Intro/Safety Protocols; EV/Hybrid Vehicle Batteries and Powertrains; EV/Hybrid Vehicle Battery and Powertrain Service; and EV/Hybrid Vehicle Body, Chassis, HVAC and Support Systems.

The College recently added light-duty diesel repair to its automotive service training and added Electric Vehicle Professional training for entry level employment in the electric vehicle production industry.

Automotive Technology graduates troubleshoot complete automotive systems for diagnosis, service, and repair. Graduates are qualified for positions such as service technicians, inspectors, and maintenance and repair mechanics. According to the 2020 U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, these positions earn an average pay of $44K annually, and upwards of $70K, depending on the position within the industry. Automotive Technology graduates had a 99.1% placement in field for AY21. These occupational programs are open to high school students in 10-12th grade through Dual Enrollment.

Automotive Technology is offered at the Savannah and Liberty Campuses. For more information about the program, visit www.savannahtech.edu/Automotive. Fall semester begins August 21, 2023.

#2401 | July 14, 2023

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College has selected Stephanie Grant as its Early Childhood Care & Education (ECCE) Department Head. She is responsible for oversight of all instruction, curriculum development, administrative and budgetary aspects for the College’s ECCE program.

Grant has been an ECCE instructor at Savannah Tech since 2016. She also serves as STC’s Faculty Senate Awards & Accolades Committee Chair and ECCE Student Organization Advisor. She has served as the Instructional Faculty Consortium Committee South Region Vice-Chair. In 2022, Grant was named the Georgia SkillsUSA Advisor of the Year and was a national judge for SkillsUSA for the past two years.

She is a graduate of Hershel Victor Jenkins High School in Savannah. She started her college career at Armstrong Atlantic State University. After two semesters, she felt like she was not “smart” enough. She met with the President of Armstrong, who told her of an articulation agreement with Savannah Technical College. She completed STC’s Early Childhood Care and Education Associates Degree program and then went back to Armstrong to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts with a minor in Elementary Education. She also earned a master’s in Adult Education, specializing in Early Childhood Education, from Walden University.

She has taught Pre-Kindergarten in Savannah at Windy’s Preschool, where she was honored as employee of the year in 2013. She also taught at Ridgeland Elementary School in South Carolina. She has worked with reputable community leaders to create an influential professional learning community. She served as the PTA president for Woodville Thompkins Technical and Career High School.

The College’s ECCE classes are offered at the College’s Liberty and Savannah campuses. The program prepares graduates for employment in a variety of positions in childcare and related fields. Graduates are qualified as paraprofessionals, private pre-kindergarten teachers or Assistant Pre-K teachers, owners and/or directors of child care centers. The associate degree provides graduates with the opportunity for continued education and articulation to baccalaureate programs.

#2344 | June 30, 2023

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College has selected Robert Sexton as its Cyber Department Head. He is responsible for oversight of all instruction, curriculum development, administrative and budgetary aspects for the College’s Cyber and related programs.

Sexton retired from the U.S. Army after two decades of service. Most recently he was a senior information system security engineer for Abacus. He has worked as a senior consultant for Verizon and as an IT specialist as a Department of Defense contractor.

He has a master’s degree in information security and assurance from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City Utah and a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in information technology from Colorado Technical University in Colorado Springs. He is a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP).

Cyber and related programs at Savannah Tech include Cyber Forensics, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Networking and Computer Support. These are high-demand training options in Georgia. Students that qualify for financial aid and are enrolled diploma/certificate Cyber and related programs may receive additional HOPE Career Grant funds. For more information about STC’s Cybersecurity programs visit: www.savannahtech.edu/cybersecurity

#2343 | June 29, 2023

Rincon, Ga., –Leadership from Sewon America and Savannah Technical College (STC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a training partnership at the College’s Effingham Campus (2890 Hwy 21 South, Rincon, GA 31326). 

“We look forward to a long-lasting partnership with our new friends at Sewon America,” said Dr. Kathy Love, STC President. “This training partnership is a win-win for both business, industry and Savannah Technical College. We will work closely with them to make sure we are preparing people to qualify for the great jobs they are bringing to Effingham County.” 

The training partnership MOU will include credit and non-credit training programs that could be offered at the College’s Effingham campus along with other campuses.

“I am very happy to have the honor of joining the future of Sewon America’s Rincon plant together with Savannah Technical College with the signing of this MOU,” said Sewon America Vice Chairman Eugene Kim. “Together we will prepare talented individuals, who will posses a deep understanding of manufacturing and our company.”

In February 2023, Sewon America, a subsidiary of Korean-based Sewon Precision Industry Co., announced that it will create 740 new jobs in Rincon and invest more than $300 million in a new Effingham County manufacturing facility. This project is the largest known private investment in the City of Rincon, to-date. This announcement also fulfills the commitment to create jobs and investment in all four of the Savannah Harbor Interstate-16 Joint Development Authority (JDA) counties as a result of Hyundai’s Metaplant location in Bryan County – the largest economic development project in state history. Suppliers for the Metaplant have now committed over $1.8 billion in investment, surpassing initial estimates by at least $800 million.

Effingham County Industrial Development Authority CEO Brandt Herndon, who is also vice chairman of the STC Board of Directors said: “I am so excited to see Sewon America and Savannah Technical College formalize their relationship with this MOU signing. We are certain that Savannah Tech can provide a pipeline of quality, trained employees for Sewon’s new facility in Effingham County.”

Sewon America operates one of the largest automobile body parts manufacturing plants in North America. The company opened a manufacturing facility in LaGrange in 2008, which has since doubled in size. Following the completion of the Rincon facility, Sewon is expected to support 1,600 jobs in Georgia.

On October 25, 2022, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America officially broke ground in neighboring Bryan County on its first fully dedicated EV and battery manufacturing facility. Building on the assets that make the automotive industry successful, Georgia is positioned as a hub for the electric mobility industry. Since 2020, more than 35 EV-related projects have announced more than $21 billion in investment and 26,700 jobs in Georgia.

 

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About Sewon America

Sewon America was established in 2008 in LaGrange, as a Georgia company. Sewon primarily operates in the Motor Vehicles and Car Bodies industry within the Transportation Equipment sector, producing stamped body components. Sewon Group is celebrated for its high-quality automotive parts and will continue its tradition of excellence in the new Rincon facility.