Americus, GA – South Georgia Technical College Criminal Justice Technology graduate Jeffery Thomas Gordy of Buena Vista, was awarded the Smarr-Smith Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice scholarship recently by the South Georgia Technical College Foundation.
The Smarr-Smith endowed scholarship at South Georgia Technical College was created in memory of fallen Americus Police Officer Nicholas R. Smarr and Georgia Southwestern State University Campus Safety Officer Jody C. Smith. The endowment was created by the Smarr-Smith Foundation, Lou Crouch, private individuals, and an anonymous donor. Both Nicholas Smarr and Jody Smith attended the criminal justice program at South Georgia Technical College.
“Being chosen for this award is an absolute honor,” said Gordy. “Those boys were awesome police officers and were definitely headed for a super successful law enforcement career. Not many days go by that I don’t think of them and the sacrifice they made for all of us.”
Gordy is currently working for the State of Georgia as an Investigator/Auditor with the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council and is responsible for 12 Law Enforcement training facilities.
He started his law enforcement career in 1981 as a security policeman in the United States Air Force. He served for six years and ended his military career as a Staff Sergeant. He began his civilian Law Enforcement Career with the Columbus Police Department in 1986.
In 1988, he transferred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, where he served as a Senior Narcotics Investigator and then as a Senior Special Agent for 18 years. He became a Government contractor as a Law Enforcement Professional in 2006 and spent the next six years in Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany and Fort Polk, Louisiana before joining the State of Georgia as an Investigator/Auditor with POST.
“I would like to thank SGTC Criminal Justice Instructor Teresa McCook for all that she does for the Criminal Justice program at South Georgia Technical College,” said Gordy. “She has been instrumental in guiding me through the process of completing one of the most important missions in my life. Without her motivation and assistance, I would most likely still be just thinking about returning to college.
“Now it’s on to the next level of education. I plan to continue my education at SGTC to take as many classes as possible before I transfer to either Georgia Southwestern State University or Columbus State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. The Smarr-Smith Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice Scholarship will help me continue my education and keep me close to the Criminal Justice program,” added Gordy.
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford congratulated Gordy on receiving the scholarship and thanked the Smarr and Smith families and others for their support of this scholarship. “We all regret that this scholarship opportunity had to come at the expense of the lives of two outstanding South Georgia Technical College students and law enforcement officers,” said Dr. Watford. “Our hearts will continue to go out to the family and friends of Officers Smarr and Smith. But it is our prayer that this gift will assist other POST certified officers who wish to continue their education. We hope that the fine men and women who earn these scholarships will honor the memories of Officers Smith and Smarr through their service to our citizens and that the memory of Nick Smarr and Jody Smith will continue to live on through the lives of these scholarship recipients.”
Nicholas Smarr and Jody Smith, both attended the South Georgia Technical College Criminal Justice Program. Smarr attained his Associate of Applied Science Degree in June of 2011 and became a certified law enforcement officer in 2012. Jody Smith had attended South Georgia Tech in 2010 and had returned in 2016 to begin completing his Criminal Justice associate degree.
Twenty-nine Smarr-Smith scholarships have been awarded since the scholarships were endowed. Charles Kinnamon and Adam O’Neal were the first two scholarship recipients. King W. Mitchell, Antoinette L. Johnson and Emerson R. Lundy were the second three recipients. Dalton Lee Windham and Cora K. Baker were awarded the scholarships in December 2018. Brandon Glover, April Cosby, and Matthew Pearce were the Smarr-Smith scholars in 2019. Amneh Laursen, Chris Owens, Monteze McCall, Cedric Smith, Chandler Buchanan and David Rueda-Fierros were the 2020 scholars and Christopher Prokesh, Michael Cobb, Rodney Gore, and Eric Taylor-Hair received the awards in 2021. Lt. Teresa Miller, Alisa Colwell, Michael Middleton and Hunter Fallin were recognized in 2022 and Jason Kyle Gourley was awarded the scholarship in the spring of 2023. Charles Allen Barnhill of Albany and Andrew Lee of Leesburg were recognized in December of 2023. Alexandria Spain earned the scholarship in December 2024 and Jeff Gordy received the scholarship in December 2025.
For more information about donating to the SGTC Foundation or endowing a scholarship at South Georgia Technical College, contact Su Ann Bird, Executive Director of the SGTC Foundation and Vice President of Institutional Advancement, at 229.931.2110 or sbird@southgatech.edu. Contributions may also be mailed to the SGTC Foundation, P.O. Box 6102, Americus, GA. Additional donations can be added to the Smarr-Smith Scholarship fund and all donations will be recognized and shared with members of the Smith and Smarr families.