August 03, 2012

SunTrust Bank Trusteed Foundation – Thomas Guy Woolford Charitable Trust Gifts $30,000 to Gwinnett Tech

Donation funds the purchase of video conferencing system to advance student learning

The SunTrust Bank Trusteed Foundation – Thomas Guy Woolford Charitable Trust has gifted Gwinnett Technical College with $30,000 to support the purchase of a Cisco Tandberg video conferencing system to enhance learning, professional development and external relationships for students.

The Tandberg elevates face-to-face learning and collaboration by delivering a mobile communications experience through high-definition audio and video. Gwinnett Tech's students and faculty will now be able to access university and industry experts as well as increase professional development with a look inside a company's inner workings – all from the classroom with just the touch of a button.

"We are grateful to SunTrust's ongoing support of Gwinnett Tech and education as a whole in our community. Their donation will have a direct and positive impact on our students by helping us provide learning tools using the latest technology that will greatly contribute to student success," said GTC President Sharon Bartels.

The mobile video conferencing system will be used as a teaching aid for the college's new one-year health information technology (HIT) certificate program and for additional life sciences courses. The new HIT certificate program provides industry-designed training to help veterans, the underemployed and those unemployed seek employment as skilled coders in many healthcare settings.

"SunTrust is pleased to support Gwinnett Tech's mission to develop a well-trained and highly skilled workforce for our community and region. We share a common goal: to advance student achievement and higher education," says Assistant Vice President of Community and Government Affairs Jolie Maxwell, SunTrust Banks, Inc.

The SunTrust Bank Trusteed Foundations have been supporting Gwinnett Tech initiatives since 2002.

Gwinnett Tech's role as one of the region's largest educators of life science and healthcare professionals continues to grow. Currently, more than 43 percent of Gwinnett Tech students are enrolled in one of the college's health sciences programs. GTC offers associate degrees, diplomas and certificates for more than a dozen health science careers.

In total, Gwinnett Tech offers more than 50 degree, diploma and certificate options that can be completed in two years or less. For more information, visit www.GwinnettTech.edu or call 770-962-7580.

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