Faculty and staff at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) have nominated seven of their peer instructors for the Rick Perkins Award of Excellence in Technical Instruction competition.

The Rick Perkins Award 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.

Listed are the nominees for the 2020 award, including (from left to right) instructor’s name and program.

    Susan Bowman, Health Information Management Technology
    Donna Estes, Health Information Management Technology
    Wayne Henderson, Welding and Joining Technology
    Mandy Jones, General Education- English
    Gina Stephens, Business Technology- Healthcare
    Dick Tanner, Instrumentation and Controls
    Tracy Wimberley, Early Childhood Care and Education

“We are fortunate at Georgia Northwestern Technical College to have instructors who care so much about the students and the learning process,” said Beverly Padgett, GNTC Rick Perkins Coordinator. “These nominees continuously go beyond what is expected of them to not only meet but to surpass the needs of their students.”

Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the award was renamed in honor and memory of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Central Technical College, who received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death.

The Technical College System of Georgia provides oversight for the Rick Perkins Award programs through the system’s office, the college presidents’ Academic Affairs Committee and the state planning committee.

A screening committee at GNTC reviewed each of the nominated instructors and conducted personal interviews with the nominees. From the screening committee interviews, a winner will be chosen to represent the college as GNTC’s 2020 Rick Perkins winner and move on to the regional competition.

The winning instructor will be announced at the GOAL, Rick Perkins and EAGLE Presentation Awards Luncheon held Tuesday, Jan. 28, at noon at the Coosa County Club. The luncheon is sponsored by The Seven Hills Rotary Club, Rome Floyd Chamber and Georgia Northwestern Technical College.