Three Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) Industrial Systems Technology students from the Whitfield Murray Campus (WMC) in Dalton received The Governor Nathan Deal Technical Education Scholarship in recognition of their academic achievement in an industrial program.

The three students, Eric Garcia, Jonathan Garcia and Eduardo Hernandez, were recognized by their instructors for excelling in their program.

The Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) established the scholarship in 2018 in partnership with the Community Foundation of Northwest Georgia. According to President and CEO of CRI and Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Board Member Joe Yarbrough, the scholarship honors former Governor Nathan Deal for his dedication to technical education in Georgia.

“I am most proud of the great relationship enjoyed by the member companies of the Carpet and Rug Institute and the entire Whitfield Murray region,” Yarbrough said. “The students attaining the skills needed for our workforce have great career opportunities here. The desire to provide scholarship support to high-achieving students through the Governor Nathan Deal Scholarship established by the CRI is truly a privilege.”

The scholarship was set up as an endowment, which gains interest over time and will fund future awards, Yarbrough added. WMC students majoring in Applied Technical Management, Automation Engineering Technology, Chemical Technology, Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Technology, Diesel Equipment Technology, Flooring Production, Industrial Systems Technology, Precision Machining and Manufacturing as well as Welding and Joining Technology programs are eligible for the scholarship.

“We are so grateful to the Carpet and Rug Institute and its members for making these scholarships possible,” said GNTC President Dr. Heidi Popham. “It is a joy to see these students being recognized for their excellence and I am confident that they will bring that level of performance to the workforce as well.”

CRI is the leading industry source for science-based information and insight on how carpet and rugs create a better environment for living, working, learning and healing. CRI’s mission is to serve the carpet industry and public by providing facts that help people make informed choices. Its best practices promote a balance between social, economic and environmental responsibility for the long term. CRI does this for its industry, yet it strives to be a model corporate citizen for all industries.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College provides quality workforce education to the citizens of northwest Georgia. Students have the opportunity to earn an associate degree, diploma or a certificate in business, health, industrial or public service career paths. This past year, 11,820 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,591 students and an additional enrollment of 3,229 people through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start. GNTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and an Equal Opportunity Institution.