Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) students donned their caps and gowns as family and friends gathered at the Forum River Center in Rome for GNTC’s Spring Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 9. The college awarded graduates with associate degrees, diplomas and certificates during the ceremony and recognized students from GNTC’s nine-county service area.

Highlights from the ceremony included two dual enrollment high school students earning an associate degree from GNTC before their high school graduation and a commencement speech by GNTC instructor Leyner Argueta, the 2019 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year for the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).

Elizabeth Carpenter of Rome High School earned an associate degree in Business Management and Dakota Finster of Chattooga High School earned his associate degree in GNTC’s Social Work Assistant program.

Carpenter plans to continue her education at Georgia Southern University and pursue a major in Marketing. She says that already having an associate degree gives her a great head start.

“This will definitely benefit me, look great on my resume and will help me be above where I need to be when I get into my career field,” said Carpenter.

Finster was the first student in Chattooga County Schools’ history to earn an associate degree before receiving his high school diploma. He plans to continue his education at Faulkner University.

After students, administrators and faculty marched into place during Processional, the Pledge of Allegiance was conducted by Jay Pickern, instructor of Business Management at GNTC. Invocation was led by Mark Upton, director of Marketing Management at GNTC.

Stuart Phillips, interim president of GNTC, began the evening’s proceedings by welcoming everyone and congratulating the graduates. He encouraged the graduating class to continue their education.

“Do not let this be the end of your journey,” said Phillips. “Whether you move forward to studying at another college, or you just need additional training for your career, never stop learning.”

Leyner Argueta, the 2019 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year for the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), was the keynote commencement speaker for the evening.

“We all have struggles, we all have challenges and you being here is a perfect example of what victory looks like. I know that some of you have struggled to get to this place and for many of you tonight is a dream come true,” said Argueta. “I share with you that same passion and it is a dream for me to be able to address this graduating class.”

Michael Fennell, dean of Business and Industrial Technologies at GNTC, recognized High Honor graduates, who have a 4.0 grade point average, and Honor graduates, who have a grade point average between 3.5 and 3.99.

A special recognition for graduates that are veterans, Phi Beta Lambda members, SkillsUSA members, Student Government Association members and dual enrollment high school students was also led by Fennell.

Elizabeth Anderson, vice president of Academic Affairs at GNTC, presented graduates with associate degrees, diplomas and certificates.

Listed are graduates that participated in the 2018 Spring Commencement Ceremony showing (from left to right) the graduate’s name and program of study. This list does not include students that have graduated, but did not participate in the ceremony, or students that registered for the ceremony after the commencement program was printed:
Associate of Applied Science        

    Rosa I. Aguilar, Business Technology
    Crystal Rose Alday, Cybersecurity
    Kelli B. Arthur, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Jasmine L. Askew, Respiratory Care
    Kyleigh L. Ballard, Respiratory Care
    Skky Monique Barrett, Respiratory Care
    Tony Alexander Barrios, Accounting
    Kimberlyn Bates, Business Technology
    Christa F. Beall, Respiratory Care
    Lindsay A. Bearden, Business Technology
    Misty Blasengame, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Barbara G. Booker, Business Management
    Samantha A. Bragg, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
    McKenzie C. Brown, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Jessica Callahan, Business Technology
    Jenifer C. Camacho, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Aleasha G. Cannon, Business Management
    Corey L. Carlile, Marketing Management
    Elizabeth Grace Carpenter, Business Management
    Jennifer Ines Cervantes, Business Technology
    Maegan L. Cheatwood, Respiratory Care
    Summer M. Cole, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Shannon M. Cooper, Business Management
    Jacob Cordell, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
    Carmen Davis, Respiratory Care
    Kayla Reece Davis-Anderson, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Sherrie Dean, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Grace Dunnaway, Criminal Justice Technology
    William M. Elsberry, Cybersecurity
    Robert B. Evans, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Dakota R. Finster, Social Work Assistant
    Elizabeth T. Gooch, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Janell Herrera, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Clarissa M. Jimenez, Business Management
    Cheyenne B. Johnson, Business Management
    Andrea Marie Jordan, Computer Support Specialist
    Kristina Marie Keith, Business Management
    Maciej F. Kozlowski, Networking Specialist
    Julie P. Langford, Respiratory Care
    Brandy Jean LeVan, Computer Support Specialist
    Courtni Lomenick, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
    Allie M. Long, Logistics and Supply Chain Management
    Ashley M. Long, Business Management
    Jasmaine Lovelace, Respiratory Care
    Haley L. Mann, Business Management
    Kimberly C. Marbutt, Business Management
    Teresa K. Marshall, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Jose L. Martinez, Electronics Technology
    Marlena Mondragon, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Hannah N. Nesbitt, Culinary Arts
    Jordan Bartley Newton, Industrial Systems Technology
    Mary Ann Owens, Business Management
    Maritza Perez, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Christopher M. Pope, Marketing Management
    Nya M. Powell, Business Technology
    Jonathan D. Privett, Networking Specialist
    Isabell Rincon, Business Management
    Dallas W. Roberts, Business Management
    Ashley M. Rosser, Business Management
    Thomas Scott, Marketing Management
    April Dawn Scruggs, Respiratory Care
    Jayla Shenee Shropshire, Business Management
    Michael C. Siefert, Networking Specialist
    Emily M. Smith, Business Management
    Charlina B. Smithers, Social Work Assistant
    Myra Rutledge Stone, Business Management
    Jarod Streetman, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Hannah J. Taylor, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Rebecca A. Thomas, Criminal Justice Technology
    Alexandra R. Trotter, Respiratory Care
    Matthew Vaughn, Culinary Arts
    Olivia Rachel Venable, Business Management
    Mariah S. Wallace, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Amanda Randale Watson, Web Site Design/Development
    Karah Ryan Witt, Accounting
    Holly L. Wright, Business Management
    Amanda L. York, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Jose C. Zamora, Automotive Technology
    John David Zapp, Automotive Technology

Associate of Science in Nursing     

    Neva Caroline Ayer, Nursing
    Santana Nicole Baker, Nursing
    Kayla Denise Brown, Nursing
    Blakely Campbell Burgess, Nursing
    Leigha Hayes Byars, Nursing
    Stephanie N. Gagliardi, Nursing
    Krista Marie Hammontree, Nursing
    Teresa Land, Nursing
    Tina Renee Minter, Nursing
    Amy Moriah Moore, Nursing
    Amy B. Neighbors, Nursing
    James D. Rewis, Nursing
    Ashley S. Wilburn, Nursing

Diploma

    Jose Alvarado, Industrial Systems Technology
    Dana L. Brannon, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Tevin M. Brown, Business Technology
    John H. Bunch, Air Conditioning Technology
    Norberto Castaneda Vazquez, Electrical Systems Technology
    Daniel J. Davis, Automotive Technology
    Larissa J. Douthit, Social Work Assistant
    Catherine R. Edwards, Criminal Justice Technology
    Malik S. Gleaves, Air Conditioning Technology
    Jaweah L. Hamilton, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Haley Johnson, Business Technology
    John C. King, Computer Support Specialist
    David Lebaron, Auto Collision Repair
    Abner J. Magana, Electrical Systems Technology
    Latorya F. Manning, Business Management
    Erika Y. Perez, Early Childhood Care and Education
    Brittany N. Thrasher, Marketing Management
    Tamara Villasenor, Business Management
    Felicia D. Waldon, Criminal Justice Technology
    Hilliard A. Williams, Welding and Joining Technology

Technical Certificate of Credit        

    Ella Butler Bennett, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
    Jocelyn Betsabe Cisneros, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
    Thomas Ray Cox, Phlebotomy Technician
    Cinthia Guadalupe Dominguez Andrade, Human Resource Management Specialist
    Paul L. Flurry, Commercial Truck Driving
    Macy P. Forrister, Medical Front Office Assistant
    Melanie Brooke Fowler, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
    Anna Davis George, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
    Drema N. Hall, Phlebotomy Technician
    Holli R. Hendrix, Medical Coding
    Aemy M. Lopez-Vicente, Project SUCCESS Manufacturing Specialist
    Kaelyn E. Madden, Phlebotomy Technician
    Jocelyn Medina, Project SUCCESS Manufacturing Specialist
    Mackinzie C. Parrott, Health Care Assistant
    Adrianna Nicole Resendez, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
    Abigail L. Sisk, Medical Coding
    Kristen Ann Skramstad, Health Care Assistant
    Jessica Smith, Phlebotomy Technician
    Emily Anne Thompson, Phlebotomy Technician
    Ashley Adriana Vasquez, Early Childhood Care and Education Basics
    Monika Yoana Vasquez-Lopez, Project SUCCESS Manufacturing Specialist
    Vanessa Vega, Medical Front Office Assistant
    Anna White, Phlebotomy Technician