Chattahoochee Technical College honored graduates at two commencement ceremonies held Thursday, May 9, at the Clarence Brown Conference Center in Cartersville.
Nearly 700 Chattahoochee Tech students petitioned to graduate this fall, with 330 of them participating in the commencement ceremonies. These students crossed the stage to receive associate degrees, diplomas and Technical Certificates of Credit (TCC) in a wide variety of programs of study. Popular areas of study for graduates who earned associate degrees included Cybersecurity, Business Management, Surgical Technology, Film & Video Production, and Accounting.
Delivering the commencement address at both ceremonies was political science instructor Dr. Natalia Meneses, the college’s 2024 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year award recipient. “Your struggles have not been in vain. They have shaped you into the resilient, compassionate individuals you are today,” said Dr. Meneses. “As you step out in the world armed with knowledge and determination, remember the transformative power of education. Education can change your life, your families’ lives and the communities that you live in.”
Included among the graduates were 10 military veterans, 95 Dual Enrollment high school students and 19 Dual Achievement high school students. 49 of the Dual Enrollment students earned a Nurse Aide Technical Certificate of Credit. A TCC, which may be embedded in the coursework for an associate degree or diploma, is designed to meet a specific educational need to prepare students or update their skills for the workforce. The Dual Enrollment program allows qualified high school students to maximize their education and career training by taking courses that earn college and high school course credit at the same time.
The 19 high school Dual Achievement Program students simultaneously earned a high school diploma from the Chatt Tech Academy along with a college credential in a specific career pathway. The Dual Achievement program provides qualified students between the ages of 16 and 21 with an alternate path to high school graduation.
A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Chattahoochee Tech has nine campus locations serving some of the state’s most dynamic counties. The college offers real-world training that helps students quickly start, change or accelerate their careers. The college also offers customized workforce training, continuing education classes, and adult education programs that include free GED and HiSET preparation classes.
