VALDOSTA — Four Wiregrass Georgia Technical College students have been selected as the college’s semi-finalists for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership, said Molly Sumner, coordinator for the Wiregrass GOAL program.

Chosen as semifinalists are Jacquelyn Mallard, automotive collision repair, Valdosta campus, Rose Sysskind, practical nursing, Valdosta campus, Megan Wolfe, automotive technology, Valdosta campus, and Keith Wright, barbering, Valdosta campus, college officials said. 

Mallard has already completed the automotive technology program and is in automotive collision repair. She completed the Entrepreneurship Academy by Guardian Bank, which has helped improve her leadership skills and run her own two small businesses, college officials said. 

She said plans to one day have her own chain of quick-lube shops. 

Sysskind is not only on track to graduate from the practical nursing program but is also the 2020 SkillsUSA national champion in her field, college officials said. 

She said she plans to work while continuing to further her education by enrolling in the upcoming Wiregrass LPN to RN Bridge Program. 

Wright, a veteran and barbering student, decided to make a hobby a career through the hands-on learning and instructor support he is receiving at Wiregrass, college officials said. 

He is on his way to obtain his master barber license and plans to open his own barber shop after graduation. 

Wolfe completed her GED through Wiregrass’ Adult Education program at the age of 21. She didn’t stop there, college officials said. 

She enrolled in automotive technology to help her work toward a career that could provide for her family and fulfill her lifelong dream of owning a restoration shop, college officials said. 

Once she has completed the automotive program she will enroll in Wiregrass’ automotive collision repair. 

The top four candidates were among nine students nominated by their instructors from Wiregrass’ four campuses. The other nominees were Abigail Abonza, business administration technology, Coffee campus, Brandy Bradford, practical nursing, Valdosta campus, Rebecca Kidd, early childhood care and education, Valdosta campus, Jacquelyn Mitchell, business administration technology, Coffee campus, and Jennifer Bruce, health information technology, Valdosta campus.

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

GOAL winners from each college will compete in regional judging in February. In April, all college winners will come to Atlanta where the nine regional finalists, three finalists from each of the three regions, will be announced and compete at the state-level. One student will be named as the statewide GOAL winner.

“The purpose of the GOAL program is to spotlight the outstanding achievements by students in Georgia’s technical colleges and to emphasize the importance of technical education in today’s global workforce,” Mollye Sumner said.

“The next step is for a panel of business, civic, and industry leaders from the community to interview and evaluate these four students and select one to be the college’s 2020 GOAL winner,” Sumner said. “The one judged most outstanding will compete in the South regional judging. Three finalists from the South region will be named and will compete in the state GOAL competition in Atlanta in April, and vie to be named as the 2020 statewide GOAL winner.”

The state GOAL winner becomes the student ambassador for the Technical College System of Georgia and receives the grand prize of a new car, college officials said.