VALDOSTA, GA — Wiregrass Georgia Technical College English instructor and Department Chair for Arts and Sciences, Michael Williams, received the 2014 Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction, also known as Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year award.
The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction is awarded annually. This award is designed to recognize and honor technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. Instructors are nominated for the Rick Perkins Award by their peers. Competition among instructors occurs at the college, regional, and state levels.
Twenty nominees participated in the first round interviews in December, and the screening committee selected the following four finalists: Denese Davis, Practical Nursing; Kathleen Metzger, Allied Health Core; Walt Moore, Banking and Finance and Michael Williams, English. On January 14, the four finalists completed the second interview process. A luncheon was held, and Michael Williams was named the 2014 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year. He will compete at the regional level in March.
Williams was nominated by several of his peers throughout the college. He is described as “a compassionate, knowledgeable, professional educator who enjoys his life’s profession”. Williams has been an instructor at Wiregrass since 2006. When asked about being chosen as this year’s winner, Williams stated “It’s truly an honor to be chosen. We have some of the best and most dedicated instructors in the state here at Wiregrass. These guys are changing students’ lives each day, fighting illiteracy and joblessness in our communities, helping our students to join the middle class and claim a portion of the American Dream for themselves. I’m proud to work alongside them.”
Sabrina Cox, Director of Distance Education, serves as the Rick Perkins coordinator. Wiregrass employees Lisa Bedford, Paula Herring, Susan Ranson, Amelia Roberson, and Bill Tillman served on the screening committee. Brian Atwater of Atwater and Houston Insurance; Terri Ball, Housing Program Coordinator for South Health District 8-1 in Lowndes County; Gloria Mitchell, retired from the Air Force as a civilian and a community leader in Cook County; and Joy Paulk, Vice President of Williams Institutional Foods in Coffee County served on the local selection committee.
The following instructors were nominated and participated in the selection process for the instructor award (in alphabetical order); James Bland, Mathematics; Kiva Brownlee, Adult Education; Denese Davis, Practical Nursing; Jesse Davis, Automotive Technology; Christi Fletcher, Business Administrative Technology; Jill Griffin, Early Childhood Care and Education; Kristy Henderson, Cosmetology; Betty Howell, Adult Education; April Lott, Cosmetology; Kathleen Metzger, Allied Health Core; Wayne McDuffie, Business Administrative Technology; Bryan McRee, Criminal Justice; Walt Moore, Banking and Finance; Kelly (Lu) Mullis, Medical Assisting; Donna Norman, Mathematics; Mark Pack, Criminal Justice; Michael Seabolt, Industrial Electrical Technology; Scott Watson, Air Conditioning Technology; Tabitha Wilcox, Cosmetology; and Michael Williams, English.
Source: Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Press Release
