News and Updates

SGSC receives 2018 Community Partner of the Year

South Georgia State College (SGSC) was honored with the first-ever Community Partner of the Year award by the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber of Commerce. The award was presented at the 2018 Annual Event held by the Chamber on January 25, 2018, at the Central Square Complex in Douglas, Ga.

SGSC president Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers accepted the award on behalf of the College and expressed her gratitude for being a member and partner of the Douglas-Coffee County Chamber. “Our SGSC family works hard each day to provide a high quality educational experience for our students,” she says. “The Chamber’s staff and board members do a great job advocating for our community. We appreciate their efforts and are proud to partner with them and assist in helping enhance the quality of life in our region.”

South Georgia State College has been a part of the Douglas and Coffee County community since the early 1900’s, originally known as the Eleventh District Agricultural and Mechanical School. In the 1930’s the name changed to South Georgia College and now it is South Georgia State College, which was created by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia on January 8, 2013 from the consolidation of South Georgia College in Douglas, Ga. and Waycross College in Waycross, Ga.

The College currently offers 19 transfer pathways leading to an associate of arts or associate of science degree. In addition, three bachelor degrees are currently offered in biological sciences, nursing and management.

Over the past year, SGSC has experienced a number of milestones and achievements.  A fifteen percent increase from the prior year’s economic impact to the region caused the number to stand at $75.1 million. SGSC’s residence life and housing coordinator Sandra Adams was awarded with the Gold medal distinction and named Outstanding Individual of the Year at the University System of Georgia Chancellor’s Service Excellence Awards in December. Dr. Kimberly Hunt, assistant professor of biology and genetics, was selected as a 2017 Governor’s Teaching Fellow, an outreach program of the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia. Dr. Yuna Chen, professor of economics; Dr. Bobby Jean Musgrove, associate professor of nursing and Ms. Annette Nation, coordinator of student support services were recipients of the annual National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Awards. NISOD’s Excellence Awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues.

Plus, the nursing program was named “#2 for Most Affordable Nursing Degrees in Georgia” by College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources and the School of Nursing’s most recent graduating class scored a 98% pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.

This past August SGSC celebrated and cut the ribbon, opening the recently completed renovations of Davis Hall, one of the college’s three original buildings on the Douglas Campus, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A new 56-passenger Hawks motor coach was unveiled to enhance travel for our eight athletic teams as well as provide students more opportunities to be engaged in the various student life and club activities between both campuses.

Dr. Thompson-Sellers adds, "We are very blessed to be a part of such a progressive community, and I look forward to working alongside our regional partners to enhance the social and economic viability of the Douglas-Coffee community."