Submitted PhotoJacquelyn Mallard, Wiregrass GOAL winner, was named a state finalist in the GOAL student of the year competition.

VALDOSTA — Wiregrass President Dr. Tina K. Anderson announced college GOAL winner Jacquelyn Mallard and Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year Mike Day have been named as state finalists. 

The college learned it has two state finalists recently during a social media video announcement by the Technical College System of Georgia Commissioner Greg Dozier. 

Colleges normally learn the state finalists and winner during the state conference in Atlanta each April but the state conference was cancelled due to the national pandemic. 

Mallard and Day advance to state competition interviews that will be in September. 

Mallard, an auto collision repair student, and Day, a welding instructor, will compete against eight other college winners also named as state finalists, college officials said. 

Mallard is enrolled in the Wiregrass’ auto collision repair technology program after successfully completing the automotive technology program. She attributes her success to the hands-on skills training through practical scenarios in completing live work, along with the tactile and kinesthetic curriculum where she received one-on-one support from her instructors. 

GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students. Local GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 22 technical colleges, as well as one Board of Regents college with a technical education division. 

Day serves the college as the welding instructor on the Coffee Campus. 

“We can truly say the world has changed since we started the Rick Perkins process at the beginning of the year,” Day said. “With this thought, one of the reasons I love being a technical college instructor is the ability to be flexible and overcome obstacles like the COVID pandemic. I am proud to be part of the Wiregrass and TCSG team. I only hope I can represent my fellow instructors, staff and students in a manner that they deserve. “ 

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction is awarded annually. The award is designed to recognize and honor technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields. 

Instructors are nominated for the Rick Perkins Award by their peers. Competition among instructors occurs at the college, regional, and state levels.

For more information, visit the college’s website www.wiregrass.edu.