South Georgia Tech included in Community Colleges Top 100 Associate Degree producers national poll for 2018

December 18, 2018
Shown above are some of the Lady Jets basketball players who earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Sports and Fitness Management at South Georgia Technical College in the Spring of 2018 and went on to continue their education at various universities. Shown above (l to r) are: Davesha Murray, Kanna Suzuki, Sceret Ethridge, Houlfat Mahouchiza, and Esther Adenike.
Shown above are some of the Lady Jets basketball players who earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Sports and Fitness Management at South Georgia Technical College in the Spring of 2018 and went on to continue their education at various universities. Shown above (l to r) are: Davesha Murray, Kanna Suzuki, Sceret Ethridge, Houlfat Mahouchiza, and Esther Adenike.

South Georgia Technical College was included for six different areas in the Community Colleges Top 100 Associate Degree Producers national rankings by the “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education” magazine. The rankings were based on U.S. Department of Education data.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for South Georgia Technical College,” said President Dr. John Watford. “This national ranking is a good indication of the outstanding job that our faculty and staff are doing in educating the students who entrusted us with their educational needs and career opportunities.

“These rankings also speak to the dedication and commitment of administration, faculty and staff to ensure student success,” added Watford. “South Georgia Technical College is committed to helping students earn an exceptional education and will continue to enhance our educational programs to better serve students and our community in the future.”

Numerous studies indicate that two-year colleges cost less than four-year schools and represent an important future investment. For every $1 students invest in their community college education, they receive $6 in higher future earnings over the course of their careers.

“Diverse: Issues in High Education” ranked South Georgia Technical College 7th nationally in African American Associate Degree awards in the Parks, Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies area. At South Georgia Technical College 87% of the students in the Sports and Fitness Management program earned an associate degree and SGTC was able to expand the number of associate degrees to African American students in 2016-2017 than in the previous year.

In addition to the top ranking among African American students, the SGTC Sports and Fitness Management program received a 55% ranking for total minority graduates that included African American, Asian American, Hispanic and Native American students.

Another area at South Georgia Technical College with an impressive ranking was the Marketing Department. It was recognized as one of the top 14 associate degree producers for African American students nationally. Fifty-seven percent of the students enrolled in the marketing management associate degree program completed their degree and this program had an increase of 33% in the total number of African American graduates from the 2016 – 2017 year.

The two other associate degree programs that earned top rankings for African American associate degree production included Business and Education. The SGTC Business programs are currently ranked 41st in the nation. Fifty percent of the business students earn an associate degree and there has been a 50% increase in the overall number of graduates over the past year.

The SGTC Early Childhood Care and Education program was ranked 52nd among the Top 100 Producers. Eighty percent of the students in the associate degree program earned an associate degree and this program of study has a 71% increase in the number of students seeking an associate degree within the past year.

The final field of study that recognized South Georgia Technical College for associate degree production was in the Computer and Information Sciences area. The SGTC Computer area was ranked 94th overall. Forty-seven percent of the African American graduates in this program area at SGTC earn an associate degree

“In today’s economy, individuals need to know that the education that they are receiving is relevant and valued. South Georgia Technical College and the Technical College System of Georgia are delivering on those two key issues,” explained SGTC President Watford. “We are helping all students succeed and providing the workforce for our area’s business and industry partners.”

South Georgia Technical College offers over 200 different associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate of credit programs of study. The college is currently registering students for Spring semester, which begins on Wednesday, January 9th. Registration will be held on Monday, January 7th on both the Americus and the Crisp County Center campuses.

South Georgia Tech has a free textbooks policy that allows students to be assigned textbooks at no cost to students. The offer applies to non-consumable items only. Students will still be required to purchase workbooks, kits, tools, and other consumable items for specialty programs. Students whose books are damaged, lost, or stolen, will be required to pay for replacement books.

For more information on how to apply for Spring semester, contact the admissions office at South Georgia Tech at 229-931-2760 in Americus or 229-271-4051 in Cordele. Interested persons may also visit the college website at: www.southgatech.edu for more information.