Mary Cross Named SGTC Instructor of the Year for 2025

January 9, 2025
SGTC President Dr. John Watford (left) presents the Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year Award to marketing management instructor Mary Cross.
SGTC President Dr. John Watford (left) presents the Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year Award to marketing management instructor Mary Cross.

South Georgia Technical College marketing management instructor Mary Cross was named the 2025 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year during a recent breakfast ceremony in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center on the college’s Americus campus. SGTC President Dr. John Watford, presented the award.

Also nominated for the honor were mathematics instructor Rose Leggett, heavy equipment dealer service technology instructor Donald Rountree, and aircraft structural technology instructor Jason Wisham.

After remarks from the 2024 winner, psychology instructor Dr. Michele Seay, the nominees were introduced by their respective academic deans. Dr. David Finley introduced Cross, saying “She is passionate about marketing, but also about what her students learn about life, about how to be better people.”

Before announcing Cross as the winner, President Watford thanked all the instructors for their dedication to providing outstanding education to SGTC students. “What you do in the classroom is the most important thing that happens at South Georgia Tech,” Watford said to the instructors. “There are two key passions you bring to the table: one is a passion for your field, and the other is a passion for teaching.”

SGTC marketing management instructor Mary Cross was recently honored as the 2025 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year for South Georgia Technical College.
SGTC marketing management instructor Mary Cross was recently honored as the 2025 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year for South Georgia Technical College.

In her acceptance speech, Cross thanked Watford, Finley and others for their support during her time at South Georgia Tech. “I am so honored to accept this award,” she said. “I hope that I will move forward to make everyone proud.”

For being honored as 2025 instructor of the year, Cross received monetary stipends from Synovus Bank, presented by Tracey Hagerson, and from the late SGTC President Emeritus Sparky Reeves’ wife, Allene Reeves, and daughter, Mandy Reeves Young.

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors the Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG) most outstanding instructors. 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.

As the winner at SGTC, Cross will compete with other Instructor of the Year nominees at the regional level, where three finalists will be chosen to represent the region in Atlanta in April. The state winner will make many public appearances throughout the year, including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, the governor and the TCSG Leadership Conference, to name a few, and will receive a $1000 grand prize.

In addition to competing for the statewide Rick Perkins Award, Cross will also deliver the commencement address at SGTC’s graduation ceremony in December 2025 as part of the Instructor of the Year honors.