December 01, 2011
Gwinnett Tech Announces Donation of $250,000 from Clyde & Sandra Strickland
Gift will underwrite hundreds of scholarships in healthcare and public safety, and aid those seeking GED® and college training
Gwinnett philanthropists Clyde and Sandra Strickland have donated $250,000 to Gwinnett Technical College's Legacy of Lives Campaign, establishing scholarships for students in programs ranging from health sciences to public safety. The Strickland's gift will be also used to help students earn a GED® and then continue on to a college program at Gwinnett Tech.
"The Stricklands are known for contributing to organizations and efforts throughout the community to improve life for area residents and their actions really define the term 'giving back.' Healthcare and education are top priorities for Clyde and Sandra, and our citizens are so much the richer for the Strickland's significant support," says Sharon Bartels, president, Gwinnett Tech.
"This incredibly generous donation to Gwinnett Tech underscores their belief in life-long learning, rewards those who embrace the value of hard work, and will help hundreds of students improve their lives by advancing their education," adds Bartels.
The $250,000 scholarship gift from the Stricklands will enable students in need of financial assistance to begin or complete their workforce education and will specifically be used to establish scholarships for students in health sciences, public safety and in general academic programs. Reflecting their support of healthcare education, the Nursing Skills Suite and Medical Assisting Lab in GTC's new Life Sciences Center are named in honor of the Stricklands.
The gift will also be used to fund a portion of test costs and study materials for those seeking to prepare for and take the GED® exam at Gwinnett Tech, and then to also aid those who successfully complete the GED® exam to continue their education at Gwinnett Tech, in either the college credit programs or with workforce-focused continuing education courses.
For Strickland, who founded Metro Waterproofing here in Gwinnett, the GED® program is a special priority. He earned the GED® credential in the Army and studied drafting through the Technical College System of Georgia, and wants to underscore the value of workforce education. In addition to providing financial support for those seeking the GED®, the Stricklands have volunteered to mentor students in Gwinnett Tech's GED® program and in the college's Gwinnett Advancement Program, for 16 and 17-year-olds seeking the GED®.
The role of mentor suits Strickland perfectly. "I've been in that young warrior stage of fighting for what you believe in and coming up in the world. And I've been that cocky 40-year-old leader that thinks he can conquer the world. Now, I'm in the mentoring stage, that last stage," he explains. "... I think I'm in that last growth stage, that is the most perfect stage of a person's life. God has blessed me to do just about everything that I ever intended to do."
GTC 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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About Gwinnett Tech
Gwinnett Technical College, one of Georgia's largest technical colleges, is committed to delivering relevant knowledge to meet the workforce training needs of its community. The college offers more than 50 associate degree, diploma and certificate programs and hundreds of seminars, workshops and courses providing specialized training. GTC is Gwinnett County's largest provider of corporate training and now serves residents and businesses in north Fulton County. Gwinnett Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097,404-679-4500, www.sacscoc.org for questions about the accreditation of Gwinnett Technical College. For more information, visit www.GwinnettTech.edu.
A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia.
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