Date Posted: February 27, 2025
For a third evening in a series of four dinners, supporters of Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) and The University of Georgia Griffin Campus (UGA-G) joined together to attend an intimate and casual dinner at the Dundee Café on The University of Georgia Griffin Campus. This dinner series aims to foster community and educational partnerships between the two institutions and their supporters and highlight key programs offered locally.
Dr. Irvin Clark, SCTC President kicked off the Community Engagement Dinner by welcoming attendees to the event. Supporters enjoyed a meal provided by talented SCTC Culinary students under the guidance of their faculty with a menu of southern fried breast of chicken with cornbread stuffing, coca cola braised collard greens, baked macaroni with gruyere cheese, roasted beet and walnut salad, and key lime pie for dessert. This experience will enhance students’ culinary technical skills through
food preparation and presentation and provide real-world experience in customer service and business operations.
After dinner, participants heard from SCTC’s Instructors Kim Rawlins and Rochelle Rodriguez. Each spoke on their experience working, teaching, and training at SCTC. Kim Rawlins, Cosmetology Program Coordinator, shared her experience of completing the Cosmetology program in 1981, then becoming an instructor here 35 years ago. She has changed thousands of lives through her personal connection with students and encouraged each of them to find the best in themselves. Rochelle was an SCTC GED Graduate, who then completed several programs at SCTC before graduating from the Esthetics Program and moving into a Lab Assistant roll then full time instructor. She has opened a Med Spa in Stockbridge in which she employees SCTC graduates. Onbehalf of UGA-G, Bochra Bahri, Associate Professor of Turfgrass and Forage Pathology and Dr. Phillip Vines, Assistant Professor of Crop & Soil Sciences, spoke about the Turfgrass Management program offered at UGA Griffin, the environmental changes they have seen, and the research they are conducting in creating disease free turfgrass for the future.
“Southern Crescent Technical College and UGA Griffin are both focused on creating unique opportunities for both the students and communities that we serve,” said Dr. Clark. “We are thrilled to partner with our colleagues at UGA Griffin to offer this dinner series where we can showcase both institutions and our remarkable programs while strengthening our commitment to local partners.”
The next SCTC/UGA-G dinner will be held on March 26, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at the Dundee Café. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the SCTC Foundation office at foundation@sctech.edu.
Pictured in photo
L-R: Candice Buckley, Dr. Randy Peters, Dr. Phillip Vines, Dr. Irvin Clark, Dr. Bochra Bahri, Melissa Todd, Kim Rawlins, Rochelle Rodriguez, Jack Bowdoin