Eleven SGTC students earn Agrium/Nutrien scholarships from SGTC Foundation

July 28, 2023
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above (far right) with SGTC Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology Electric Power Generation instructor Keith McCorkle (back row left) and seven of the CAT Think Big students that received the scholarships for their outstanding academic and leadership qualities.
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above (far right) with SGTC Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology Electric Power Generation instructor Keith McCorkle (back row left) and seven of the CAT Think Big students that received the scholarships for their outstanding academic and leadership qualities.

Americus, GA – Eleven students enrolled in heavy equipment, diesel repair, and agricultural related programs at South Georgia Technical College were awarded Agrium/Nutrien scholarships for exceptional academic performance and work ethics.

   Nine students enrolled in the South Georgia Technical College Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology and Electric Power Generation programs earned the scholarships as well as one student in the John Deere Agricultural Technology program and one from the general Diesel program.

   Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology students Thomas Walker Cely V, of Evans, GA; Jackson Gannon of Winder, GA;  Alaina Worthington of Fortson, GA; and Noah Smith of McDonough, GA; all of whom are sponsored by Yancey Brothers in Austell, GA; Forest White of Rockford, AL; sponsored by Thompson Tractor of Birmingham, AL; Aaron Olivas of Memphis, Tennessee; and Andrew Turner of Murfreesboro, Tennessee sponsored by Thompson Machinery in LaVerge, Tennessee; Justin Ethan Troglin of Crossville, TN; sponsored by Stowers Equipment in Knoxville, Tennessee; and David Ferguson of Ethel, Mississippi sponsored by Puckett Machinery of Flowood, MS; were the nine Heavy Equipment students recognized with the Agrium/Nutrien scholarships for earning all A’s and being on the SGTC President’s List for their academic achievements. 

   Jake Pope of Silverhill, AL, was the John Deere Agricultural Technology student recognized, and Kentravian Clark of Cordele was the general Diesel Equipment student selected for the Agrium/Nutrien scholarships.

    Agrium, a major retail supplier of agricultural products and services in North and South American, and a leading global whole producer and marketer of three major agricultural nutrients, endowed its first academic scholarship with the SGTC Foundation in 2011.  Nutrien bought Agrium in 2019 but continued to support South Georgia Technical College and its students as well as the South Georgia Technical College Foundation with endowed scholarships.  The two companies have provided a total of nine endowed scholarships for students displaying strong academic and leadership potential and who have a financial need.

   Nutrien, a Canadian fertilizer company and one of the largest producers of potash and the third largest producer of nitrogen fertilizer in the world, sold Rainbow Plant Food and its manufacturing company in Americus, GA to Timac Agro USA in 2021.   

   South Georgia Technical College, like each of these companies, is working to grow the state and local communities through its commitment to a workforce education that fosters innovation in agriculture, builds awareness of agriculture’s contributions, and provides education, training and support for the community.

   The Argrium/Nutrien scholarships are for students enrolled in the Diesel Technology, the Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Diesel Technology and Electric Power Generation programs and John Deere Agricultural Technology students among others. 

    SGTC President Dr. John Watford thanked the local companies for their support of the foundation, the college, and its students. “Partnerships are crucial to our success.  Investments in an endowed scholarship continues to give back to students indefinitely. It also helps provide business and industry with a trained workforce today and tomorrow.”

   Dr. Watford also thanked each of the students for choosing South Georgia Technical College and congratulated them on their academic accomplishments and their scholarship awards.

   South Georgia Technical College Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the SGTC Foundation, presented each of the scholarship recipients with a certificate and also congratulated them for being selected to receive the Agrium/Nutrien awards.

  For more information about contributing to the SGTC Foundation or endowing a scholarship at South Georgia Technical College, contact Su Ann Bird, Executive Director of the SGTC Foundation and Vice President of Institutional Advancement at 229.931.2110 or sbird@southgatech.edu.  Contributions may also be mailed to the SGTC Foundation, P.O. Box 6102, Americus, GA.  

   South Georgia Technical College offers over 200 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate of credit programs.  It offers students the “Complete College Experience” with on-campus housing and nationally ranked academic programs, intercollegiate athletics, and student activities.  It has been ranked as the number one community college in Georgia for the past four years.

   Fall semester begins August 17 and it is not too late to apply.  For more information, contact the SGTC admissions office at 229-931-2760 in Americus or 229-271-4051 in Crisp County.  Students can email Candie Walters at cwalters@southgatech.edu on the Americus campus with questions.  Applications can also be found on the SGTC website at www.southgatech.edu.  Financial aid is available.