New Scholarship established at South Georgia Tech in honor of Mark Brooks
A new South Georgia Technical College Foundation scholarship was established recently in honor of South Georgia Technical College retired Administrative Services Director Mark Brooks, who dedicated over 34 years of service to the college. Brooks’ family established an aviation maintenance scholarship in his honor recently and presented him with a foundation scholarship certificate.
“I am very humbled and honored my family established this scholarship,” said Brooks. “I am so glad that they are giving back to an institution that has given so much to our family. I look forward to helping another student or students in the aviation maintenance program through this scholarship.”
Mark and his wife, Angie Apperson Brooks, married shortly after he began working at South Georgia Tech and they are the proud parents of three grown children, Beth Brooks Wisham, and twin sons, John and Matthew Brooks.
“South Georgia Technical College has been a very important part of our family’s life,” said Mark’s daughter, Beth Brooks Wisham, who is a High School Initiative Specialist at South Georgia Technical College. “My brothers and I grew up coming to South Georgia Technical College with my mom and dad over the years. After graduating from college, I was fortunate enough to be hired here in a different department from my dad, but it was great getting to see him almost every day at work. My two brothers both graduated from South Georgia Technical College and were recipients of aviation maintenance scholarships from the SGTC Foundation, so this just seemed like the perfect retirement gift in honor of my dad.”
Her dad agreed. “Matthew and John both graduated from South Georgia Technical College in aviation maintenance and Beth works here,” said Mark Brooks. “John now works with The Boeing Aerospace Company in Charleston, SC, and Matthew works with Lockheed Martin in Marietta, GA. Both of them graduated without any student loan debt and they are doing very well in their careers. It makes me very proud to be a part of an organization that provides this type of education and workforce development training.”
Mark Brooks officially retired June 30th, 2021 and faithfully served four different college Presidents and four different administrative services’ Vice Presidents during his 34-years working at South Georgia Tech. “This was a wonderful place for me to spend my career,” said Brooks. “South Georgia Tech has been a huge part of my life. I got married and had a family while I worked here. I don’t know that I expected to spend my entire career here when I started, but I am very glad it worked out that way.”
He also had some nice words for the people that he worked with. “The people at South Georgia Technical College are what has made my job. We have some great people at South Georgia Technical College. I have been very fortunate to work at a place that cares about its employees and its students. That includes the people that have already retired and those that are still working here. It doesn’t seem like I have been here for nearly three and a half decades,” laughed Brooks.
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford expressed his congratulations to Brooks on his retirement and on the new scholarship. “Mark has been a model employee at South Georgia Technical College. He is dedicated and dependable and has a wealth of knowledge. He and his family also understand our mission of workforce development and this scholarship is proof of their support and dedication to the college and our students.”
Su Ann Bird, Vice President of Institutional Advancement at South Georgia Tech and Executive Director of the South Georgia Technical College Foundation, thanked the Brooks family for their generous donation to the SGTC Foundation in honor of Mark Brooks and for their willingness to give so that other individuals can have the opportunity to change their lives.
“This scholarship is a wonderful way for the Brooks family to honor their father,” said SGTC Foundation executive director Su Ann Bird. “We were excited Beth, John, and Matthew wanted to provide additional assistance to deserving young people seeking an education at South Georgia Technical College in the aviation maintenance technology program. This speaks volumes about Mark Brooks and his family.”
The initial Mark Brooks scholarship was established by the Brooks family but SGTC employees and friends of Mark Brooks have also donated to this new scholarship. Individuals who would like to support the Mark Brooks Scholarship, may contribute to the South Georgia Technical College Foundation, P.O. Box 6102, Americus, GA and put in honor of Mark Books in the memo line of the check. The family will be notified that a donation was made in their honor. For more information about this or other endowed scholarship opportunities, contact SGTC Foundation Executive Director Su Ann Bird at 229-931-2110 or sbird@southgatech.edu.