Nine SGTC Caterpillar Heavy Equipment/EPG students earn Agrium/Nutrien scholarships

February 21, 2023
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above (far right) with SGTC Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology instructors Don Rountree (back row left) and the seven CAT Think Big students that received the scholarships for their outstanding academic and leadership qualities. They are: (front row l to r) Justin Ethan Troglin, Benjamin Smelcer, Alaina Worthington, and Noah K. Smith. On the back row (l to r) with instructor Don Rountree are: Andrew Turner, Patrick Hamby, and David Ferguson. Not shown are Andrew Grun and Dion Wilson.
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above (far right) with SGTC Heavy Equipment Dealer Service Technology instructors Don Rountree (back row left) and the seven CAT Think Big students that received the scholarships for their outstanding academic and leadership qualities. They are: (front row l to r) Justin Ethan Troglin, Benjamin Smelcer, Alaina Worthington, and Noah K. Smith. On the back row (l to r) with instructor Don Rountree are: Andrew Turner, Patrick Hamby, and David Ferguson. Not shown are Andrew Grun and Dion Wilson.

Americus, GA –Nine students enrolled in the South Georgia Technical College Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology and Electric Power Generation programs were awarded the Agrium/Nutrien scholarships for their

exceptional academic performance and work ethics.

   Caterpillar Heavy Equipment Dealer’s Service Technology students David Ferguson, who is sponsored by Puckett Machinery in Flowood, Mississippi; Noah K. Smith and Alaina Worthington, sponsored by Yancey Brothers in Austell, Georgia; Patrick Hamby with Carolina CAT in North Carolina; Justin Ethan Troglin and Benjamin Smelcer of Stowers Equipment in Knoxville, Tennessee; and Andrew Turner sponsored by Thompson Machinery in LaVerge, Tennessee; were the seven 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.  Andrew Grun of South Carolina, and Dion Wilson of Mississippi were the two Caterpillar Electric Power Generation students selected.

    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.

   Eight week mini-mester classes start March 13th 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 also email Katrice Taylor at ktaylor@southgatech.edu on the Crisp County Campus or Candie Walters at cwalters@southgatech.edu on the Americus campus.  Applications can also be found on the SGTC website at www.southgatech.edu.  Financial aid is available.