Kyser selected as STC’s 2017 Instructor of the Year

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Savannah Technical College Mathematics Instructor Laura Kyser has been selected as STC’s 2017 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year. The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors outstanding faculty members at each of the Technical College System of Georgia institutions. Kyser will represent Savannah Technical College in the statewide competition.

“Laura is a creative educator, who is committed to providing the best educational experience possible for her students,” said STC President Dr. Kathy Love. “She has a passion for helping students achieve their dreams and goals for college, career and life. She is an inspirational instructor, who shows her students how math applies to their everyday life.”

Kyser has worked as a mathematics instructor at the College since 2012. She previously worked as an adjunct mathematics professor for Strayer University and was a math teacher at Richmond Hill High School for five years. She has actively participated in STC’s redesign of the MATH98 ACE course to better serve students. She also played a major role in developing the master shells for College Algebra, which are used by all instructors in the College’s transition to Blackboard

The award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the Rick Perkins Award was renamed in memory and honor of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Central Technical College, now West Georgia Technical College, who received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death. The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) provides oversight for the Rick Perkins Award program through the System Office’s programming staff, the presidents’ Academic Improvement committee and the state planning committee.

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

A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, Savannah Technical College (Savannah Tech) is the premier provider of career-ready technical education in Coastal Georgia, offering a comprehensive range of nearly 150 market-driven programs, preparing students for high-demand careers including Aviation Technology, Cybersecurity, Health Sciences, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, Automation & Robotics, Information Technology, Culinary Arts, Public Services and more. With campuses in Chatham, Effingham, and Liberty Counties, Savannah Tech serves more than 13,000 credit and non-credit students with a variety of pathways to success, including dual enrollment programs for high school students and specialized support services for military veterans and their families. Beyond academics, Savannah Tech is an economic and community development partner, collaborating with industry leaders to provide customized training programs, assessment services, and continuing education opportunities. For more information, visit www.savannahtech.edu.

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 complies with the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). The TCSG State Board prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status (“protected status”). No individual shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation under, any TCSG program or activity because of the individual’s protected status; nor shall any individual be given preferential treatment because of the individual’s protected status, except the preferential treatment may be given on the basis of veteran status when appropriate under federal or state law.