Education & Career Development

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/09/2009 - Chatham Academy and the Royce Learning Center celebrated the completion of the school’s $350,000 in renovations with a ribbon cutting on Thursday morning, Oct 29.

A large group of parents were in attendance to watch students perform, hear about the school’s kickoff of its annual fundraising event and thank contributors to the project.

Several of the school’s older students said the new entrance looks much more “high-tech” and gave them a “proud feeling, compared to the prior entrance” and exterior.

Ashley Smith with Neely Dales Commercial Realty, who is this year’s chairman of the board of the school, thanked Erickson Associates, Inc., led by Clate Ralston, president, who was the general contractor, and Cogdell & Mendrala Architects, who did the design.

On hand for the event were Claudia Thomas, the school’s past board president; Chelsea Davis, Mall Boulevard manager for Darby Bank; Connie Williams, chairman of the board of Darby Bank; Doug Yates, Darby Bank’s city president;  Catherine Cooper, board member; and Liz McAlpin, with Travelers Insurance, also a board member.

Smith also thanked Chatham County for supporting the project.  Darby Bank provided a portion of the lending on the project, along with funds raised by contributors to the school.

According to Doug Yates, Darby's new city president, who was formerly on the board of a similar school in Greenville, S.C., such projects "are some of the most meaningful work you do."

Fresh Market and Krispy Kreme both donated food for the event.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/09/2009 - The Savannah College of Art and Design and Jittery Joe's Coffee have joined to market a unique, university-specific blend of coffee with product packaging that features the artwork of SCAD sequential  art student Andy J. Hirsch.

The Slam-N-Study Blend, a certified organic blend, is being sold at the Jittery Joe's location at the school’s Ex Libris bookstore, 228 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. SCAD and Jittery Joe’s are sharing proceeds from the sale of the blend.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/09/2009 - Catherine Malandrino, Angel Sanchez and Tuleh’s Bryan Bradley have joined the Savannah College of Art and Design Style Lab in Savannah and Atlanta to mentor top student designers in the fashion department.

“The Style Lab program and designers will challenge and influence students to develop and grow their creative thought process, preparing them for an ever-changing fashion industry that is redefining itself,” said Michael Fink, dean of the School of Fashion.

Malandrino arrived on the New York fashion scene with the idea of blending the romance of Paris with the energy of the Big Apple. Her eponymous designs attract a dedicated clientele among the Hollywood and New York elite.

Bradley apprenticed in many New York fashion houses before he and then-partner Josh Patner launched Tuleh in 1998, inspired by Mary McCarthy’s Vassar girls. His designs are a blend of American sportswear and couture.

Sanchez is renowned worldwide for both bridal and eveningwear designs that reflect his architectural discipline and structure while creating new shapes and proportions that hold true to the timeless perfection of traditional couture dressmaking.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

10/26/2009 - The Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute helps companies, entrepreneurs, economic developers and communities across Georgia improve their competitiveness through the application of science, technology and innovation. Savannah’s campus is located just off Interstate 95, north of the airport.

It is one of the most comprehensive university-based programs of business and industry assistance, technology commercialization and economic development in the nation, and provides programs that help entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies and improve the competitiveness of established Georgia companies.

An example of this just took place where a Marietta company was assisted by one of the Institute’s offices, enabling then to land a major government contract.

In 1996, Toney Sellers, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, decided he wanted to start a janitorial company. Unique Cleaning Service, Inc. began with commercial clients, and by 2000, had branched into the federal arena. Over the past nine years, Unique Cleaning’s government contracts have grown from one to more than 60, a feat Sellers attributes partially to Georgia Tech’s Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC).

GTPAC – part of the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute – provides no-cost assistance with government procurement to any company licensed to do business in Georgia. Last year, GTPAC conducted seminars in Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Carrollton, Columbus, Gainesville, Rockmart, Savannah and Warner Robins. The center assists companies with all aspects of federal, state and local government procurement processes, including solicitation analysis, proposal preparation, pre- and post-award counseling, and quality and accounting systems.

Procurement counselors also analyze whether companies have the potential for participating in the government procurement process.

“We heard about GTPAC, contacted a procurement counselor, and he helped us develop a company profile to begin receiving electronic notifications that enabled us to view solicitations in the janitorial field based on a certain geographical area,” recalled Sellers. “Postings that we were interested in led us into the bid process with government agencies.”

In January 2001, Unique Cleaning became 8(a) certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration, meaning the company meets the requirements of being a small business, is unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged people who are U.S. citizens, and demonstrates potential for success. Most importantly, having 8(a) certification means a business can bid on government projects that uncertified companies cannot.

In addition, at least one staff member from Unique Cleaning has attended every GTPAC seminar on topics as varied as preparing successful bids and proposals, understanding the General Services Administration schedules process, using the computer to win government contracts and marketing to state and local governments. They have also contacted procurement counselors to prepare a Freedom of Information Act request and provide information on small business size standards.

Unique Cleaning has now grown from a one-person business to more than 125 employees today, with contracts from Massachusetts to Puerto Rico to Oregon. The company, which has increased its revenue from $225,000 its first year, is now targeting the $10 million threshold, and now generates approximately 90 percent of its revenue from government-related contracts.

Unique Cleaning’s success has even been recognized by its hometown economic development agency. In 2009, the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce named Unique Cleaning one of the Top 25 Small Businesses in Cobb County, an award that recognizes member companies for increased sales and contributions to community-oriented projects.

“When we signed on with GTPAC in 2000, we had one government contract; we now have more than 60,” Sellers said. “Their professionalism and dedicated efforts to providing needed information are second to none.”

It’s a story that highlights what is possible by tapping into the local resources available for all businesses in the region, particularly in light of the constantly changing technology landscape affecting all businesses.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

10/26/2009 - Savannah Technical College enrollment has reached an all-time high for fall quarter 2009 with 5,559 students enrolled, representing a 23.2 percent increase above fall quarter 2008 when 4,514 students were enrolled.

This is the first time STC enrollment exceeded 5,000 students and includes figures for all of the college’s locations in Savannah, Liberty and Effingham counties.

It’s consistent with other technical colleges statewide. Georgia’s Technical College System has also set a new record high with 110,254 students on its 28 college campuses, representing a 24 percent increase over the same time last year when 88,725 students attended classes.  The total also shatters the system’s all-time record enrollment for one quarter, 91,838, which was set in 2003.

Kathy S. Love, Savannah Tech president attributes the growth in part to the economy and in part to the college’s flexibility in offering its programs. “Certainly the economy has something to do with it,” says Love. “People reassess their career paths and often turn to technical education when times are tough. This, in addition to new and more flexible program scheduling, has lead to this phenomenal growth.”

This quarter, the college began offering evening cosmetology and commercial truck driving at its Liberty campus; this past summer, two new programs began in Effingham – welding on-site at Temcor and electrical/mechanical manufacturing technician.

In January, STC will be offering an evening peace officer academy to become “POST certified” in one year, at the Savannah campus. Other new programs include construction management and barbering.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

SBJ Staff

10/26/2009 - Tybee’s approximately 90 city employees will get a 1.5 percent pay hike starting Jan. 1.

The City Council agreed Thursday, Oct 22 to give workers a cost-of- living pay increase for the second half of the 2010 fiscal year.  A decision was made during the council’s budget hearings in the spring not to increase wages for the budget year that began July 1.

The $35,970 for one-half of year’s raises will come from the city’s contingency fund.

Councilman Dick Smith urged members to honor a pledge to try to restore the raises for the last half of the fiscal year. He encountered resistance from some council members who argued the raises should be based on merit, and that awarding them selectively would increase productivity among workers.

“I think you need to reward your best-performing employees,” said Councilman Charlie Brewer, who – along with Paul Wolff – came out on the losing end of the ultimate pay-raise vote.

The other members – Smith, Wanda Doyle, Eddie Crone and Barry Brown – said merit raises should be considered separately and at another time.

In arguing for the cost-of-living raises, Smith and Brown noted the city had dipped into the contingency pot for other expenditures not as important as worker pay hikes in tough economic times.

“If you can spend $50,000 on turtle signs to tell people where the lighthouse is,” the city can give these raises, said Brown, citing an earmark the council made from the contingency money in September.

The cost-of-living raises are based on the same formula used to set increases in Social Security, though with inflation at bay, Social Security recipients will not be getting a raise this year.

Mayor Jason Buelterman noted Tybee’s good fortune, that the city is able “to talk about cost-of-living raises” when other local governments are having to do layoffs and furloughs and cut worker pay.

The vote was just 12 days before municipal elections on Nov. 3 when all of the city council members are up for re-election and are being challenged by six residents. A high percentage of municipal employees can normally be expected to turnout for city elections, an issue this year with little else on the ballot.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) has received $1,534,100 under the Georgia Facilities Retrofit Program to fund an energy-conservation project in AASU’s 126,000 square-foot science center.

The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority is providing the funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act known as the federal stimulus package. The AASU award is one of 71 energy-conservation measures funded by a grant to the University System of Georgia totaling $27.3 million.

The project will reduce total building energy consumption by reducing airflow during unoccupied hours, according to David Faircloth, director of Plant Operations. Fume hood exhausts will be converted from constant to variable airflow; occupancy sensors will be installed to reduce airflow by as much as 50 percent while maintaining room comfort; and code-required air changes in the labs will be made. Additionally, installing variable airflow valves on fume hoods will reduce sound levels in the labs, he said.

“One of the reasons we were successful in the application for this project is that we did two pilot projects in previous years. The results of these projects demonstrated a potential for substantial energy savings and gave us a ‘near shovel ready’ design for our grant proposal.  Now we must complete the design, finding a way to execute the almost year-and-a-half modification while the labs are in full use. But that’s a good problem to have.”

Energy savings are expected to reach $343,383 per year.

Ten new construction workers will be hired for the 17 months it will take to install the new technology. In addition, two engineering positions will be retained during the four-month design phase and 17-month construction phase, Faircloth added.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

Georgia Southern University in Statesboro has named its new president, Dr. Brooks A. Keel, 53, currently vice chancellor for research and economic development and professor of biological sciences at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, a position he has held since 2006.

The University of Georgia Board of Regents made the announcement at its October meeting.
“Dr. Keel has Georgia roots, and is a graduate of two USG institutions, so he is an outstanding success story for the University System and the state. He brings tremendous academic credentials, understands our state challenges on all dimensions and has the experience to link industry and the academy together in creative and compelling ways,” said Chancellor Erroll Davis. “I have no doubt that he will be a great partner for the board while leading Georgia Southern to the next level.”

Regent Donald M. Leebern Jr., chair of the Special Regents’ Committee for the presidential search at Georgia Southern, added that Keel’s “history of leadership in higher education is impressive. The committee is extremely confident in his ability and readiness to lead Georgia Southern.”

Prior to his current appointments, Keel was a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and associate vice president for research at Florida State University, Tallahassee, from 2002-2006. He began his career in 1985 at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, where he served in a variety of positions including the Daniel K. Roberts Distinguished Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (1995-2001), president of the Women’s Research Institute (1993-2001).

He holds a degree in endocrinology from the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, and a bachelor of science in biology and chemistry from Augusta College (now Augusta State University), Augusta, Ga.

Three finalists had been announced in early October by Leebern and University System of Georgia Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer Susan Herbst, who helped oversee the selection process for the board.

A national search was conducted to replace GSU president Bruce Grube, who will step down as president, effective Dec. 31, 2009. Dr. Grube has served the University System in this role since July 1, 1999.

All of the finalists were from out of state institutions, but Keel had strong Georgia ties. Also named as a finalist was Dr. David Belcher, currently provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a position he has held since July 2003. Prior to his current appointment, Belcher was dean of Missouri State University’s College of Arts and Letters, Springfield, from 1994-2003.

A pianist, Belcher has appeared throughout the United States as recitalist and chamber musician and was a 2006 participant in the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Mass.  Belcher holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the Eastman School.

The third finalist was Dr. Kathleen Long, Associate Provost since 2008 and dean of the College of Nursing, since 1995 at University of Florida, Gainesville.  Prior to her current appointments, Long was dean and professor in psychiatric nursing at Montana State University, Bozeman, from 1990-1995. She has been actively involved in baccalaureate and higher degree education for more than 20 years, serving as a faculty member, administrator and consultant at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md., the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Husson College, Bangor, Maine and Montana State University, Bozeman. Long served as president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing from 2002-2004, in addition to serving several terms on its board of directors.

Long received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. and earned a master’s degree in nursing from Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich., specializing in child psychiatric nursing and nursing education. She earned her PhD in behavioral sciences from Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.