Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) student Juan Miguel Lopez has received the Kitty Felker Memorial Scholarship.

Lopez, a resident of Dalton, is a student in the Surgical Technology program at the Walker County Campus in Rock Spring.

Established by Octavio Perez, the scholarship provides financial support to students enrolled in any credit program. Perez said he funded the scholarship to honor the legacy of Kitty Felker, a dear friend who passed away last year.

“Kitty was a great person, but she was also a smart and talented individual,” Perez said. “She made stained glass projects and wrote poetry.”

Felker had worked as a nurse and then as a hospice nurse, so Perez said he is happy that the scholarship award is helping a student in the health care field.

“We are so appreciative of the ongoing support from Mr. Octavio Perez,” said Dr. Heidi Popham, GNTC president. “This scholarship, in memory of his good friend, will no doubt benefit students for several years to come.”

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 aviation, business, health, industrial or public service career paths. This past year, 11,601 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. GNTC has an annual credit enrollment of 8,071 students and an additional enrollment of 3,530 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.