Makayla McCants of Oglethorpe, an Aircraft Structural student at South Georgia Technical College, was awarded the Gulf Coast Avionics Corporation endowed scholarship by the South Georgia Technical College Foundation recently.
McCants, who was a Student of Excellence at South Georgia Tech as well as a member of the SGTC President’s List for her outstanding academic record, was also inducted into the National Technical Honor Society (NTHS). NTHS recognizes students not only for their academic performance but also for their leadership, responsibility, skills, honesty, citizenship, and service attributes. She is the daughter of Latonya and Milton McCants of Oglethorpe.
Gulf Coast Avionics Corporation President/CEO Rick Garcia and Lisa Garcia, owner of Daphne Lodge Restaurant at Lake Blackshear endowed scholarships at South Georgia Technical College recently for the aviation and Culinary Arts programs through the South Georgia Technical College Foundation.
SGTC President Dr. John Watford and SGTC Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Executive Director of the SGTC Foundation Su Ann Bird presented McCants with the scholarship award with her instructor Jason Wisham looking on.
“Makayla is an excellence student,” said Instructor Jason Wisham. “I am very proud of her and her accomplishments and I think she is going to do great things in this field.” McCants has already participated in job interviews with the Warner Robins Air Force Base and talked with Gulf Stream in Savannah about opportunities after graduation.
When asked why she decided to enroll in the aircraft structural program at SGTC, McCants replied, “I really liked the idea of a hands-on education and I love working with airplanes. I knew several people from Macon County that had enrolled in this program and they all had good things to say about Mr. Wisham and the college.”
Wisham also commended McCants on her leadership qualities. “She is great at helping other students. She is always quick to make sure that they understand or know how to do something the right way. I am very appreciative of having a student like her in my classes and I am going to miss her when she graduates.”
SGTC President Dr. John Watford congratulated McCants on her accomplishments and thanked her for entrusting her education to South Georgia Technical College. He also thanked Rick and Lisa Garcia for supporting SGTC students with endowed scholarships. “The Garcia’s willingness to partner with our college and foundation serves two very important purposes. First, you have the opportunity to help students pursue their dreams of getting a great education in career fields that are in demand by business and industry partners and, second, you are helping provide a trained workforce for those same business and industry partners.”
Rick and his wife, Lisa, purchased Daphne Lodge Restaurant in Crisp County earlier this year. His love of avionics combined with his and his wife’s new culinary arts business venture sparked his interest in partnering with South Georgia Technical College.
“I am very impressed with everything that South Georgia Technical College has to offer,” said Garcia. “My wife and I are passionate about what we do. I employ avionics technicians and my wife will employ individuals to help manage Daphne Lodge Restaurant. This seems like it was a perfect partnership opportunity for us and the South Georgia Tech students.”
South Georgia Technical College offers over 200 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate of credit programs of study. SGTC also provides the “Complete College Experience” with on-campus housing and nationally ranked intercollegiate academics, athletics, and student activities.
Fall semester begins August 18th and it is not too late to enroll. Financial aid is available. To sign up for the Aircraft Structural Technology program contact Jason Wisham at 229-931-2585 or jwisham@southgatech.edu. To apply, visit the SGTC website at www.southatech.edu or contact Admissions Director Candie Walter at cwalers@southgatech.edu or 229-931-2299 or Admissions Coordinator Katrice Taylor in Cordele at 229-271-4051.
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.