“ It is okay for plans to change because on the other side of change is opportunity.”
– Chenanniah Mac-Cephas
“ It is okay for plans to change because on the other side of change is opportunity.”
– Chenanniah Mac-Cephas
A key strength of Georgia Gwinnett College is our community engagement. The relationships we foster with external communities are essential to the success of our curricula, programs and operations. More importantly, our students are the primary beneficiaries of the connections we nurture with corporate and government leaders, nonprofit organizations and friends of the college.
We can effectively lead our students to success because of strong bonds with our community collaborators. Whether through scholarship support, agreements with sister universities and colleges for continued learning, or internships and mentoring through local businesses, GGC students have expanded opportunities to achieve their personal and professional goals. We value a well-rounded education steeped in the strength and depth of quality training opportunities crafted to enhance our students’ experiential learning and critical thinking capabilities.
This issue of Engage contains some examples of how we leverage our affiliations to broaden the educational experiences of our students. I am most excited about our first African-American Male Initiative Summit that brought together GGC students and professional businessmen of color to build a network of resources. Also, the groundbreaking ceremony of our Convocation Center highlighted our joint collaborations with the University System of Georgia and state and local governments. It will be in this multipurpose center where the college can enhance student services and strengthen our community connections for decades to come.
Our linkages are a win-win for GGC and the community. We eagerly look forward to expanding our connections as we continue to serve as an institution of choice in Gwinnett County.
Go Grizzlies!
Dr. Jann L. Joseph PresidentDr. Rebecca Cooper, professor of curriculum and instruction, Dr. Amy Farah, associate professor of teacher education, and Dr. Samantha Mrstik, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, recently won the D2L Excellence Award. The honor recognized the team’s work in developing the Technology Integration Project, which was designed to prepare the School of Education’s majors to teach in a virtual environment.
Send your ideas and comments about Engage to engage@ggc.edu or call 678.407.5549
Production
Editor-in-chief: Sally Ramey
Graphic design: Phil Smith
Photography: Rod Reilly
Writing: Sally Ramey, Jackie Todd, Ken Scar
Other support: LaKeidra Veal Hill, Laurie Hudson, Hoang Huynh, Simona Lucchi, Barbara Martell, Allana Walker
Collaborators
Jennifer Hendrickson, associate vice president for Advancement
Sloan Jones, associate vice president for Communications
Jackie Todd, executive director of Public Relations
Mailing List
To be added to or removed from the Engage mailing list, email engage@ggc.edu or call 678.407.5549
Dr. MaryBeth Chrostowsky, lecturer of anthropology, will teach and conduct research at Uganda Martyrs University in Kampala, Uganda, for one year as a 2023-24 Fulbright Scholar.
Dr. Lee Kurtz, professor of biology and Biological Sciences Department chair, and Dr. Omar Villanueva, associate professor of chemistry and Chemistr y Department chair, were selected for the year-long National Science Foundation ADVANCE-funded Latina THRIVE Partnership.
Dr. Alesha Harris, director of Counseling and Psychological Services, has been selected to serve on the advisory board for the Center for Collegiate Mental Health.
The School of Business was reaccredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
The School of Education was reaccredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
THE GEORGIA GWINNETT COLLEGE MAGAZINEJuan Curz Parisi Sitjar faced adversity early in life. At five, his family moved to Spain after his father was nearly killed by gunfire at work in Argentina.
At 15, he earned money by tutoring when his mother was diagnosed with cancer, and his father lost his job after a work injury. He did volunteer work to cover his soccer fees.
He again assimilated into a foreign culture when he moved to the U.S. to play soccer for GGC.
“Adaptation was complicated, but I am glad it happened here,” he said, noting GGC’s diversity. “That made things easier.” He worked as a resident assistant in Housing, and went from not understanding a word in class to achieving a 4.0 GPA in five of his nine semesters.
Overcoming an ACL injury, he became team captain his last three seasons, earning 1st Team All-Conference and All-American honors. He also volunteered as a youth soccer league coach. With a degree in exercise science and a minor in business administration, Parisi Sitjar plans to coach soccer, eventually at the college level.
“Even though my life hasn’t been easy, I am thankful for everything that happened to me,” he said. “Without those experiences, I would not be here –the first college graduate of my family!”
At GGC, it is often said that every student has a story. These nine members of the spring Class of 2023 are examples of the transformative experience at GGC.
At GGC, Kevin Becerra-Cardoza took every opportunity to learn and grow. He participated in the Student Government Association, Organization for Latin American Students, Volleyball Club, four national honor societies, study abroad and more.
“My involvement helped drive my passion for helping others, leadership and self-love as a Latino student,” he said. “Serving as a student ambassador and orientation leader allowed me to create meaningful impacts on incoming students and interact with local leaders and government officials.”
He received the Goizueta Aspirational Recruitment Scholarship and the Goizueta Success Retention Scholarship, enabling him to graduate debt-free.
“My educational journey was full of support from professors, wonderful experiences and a greater sense of self-identity,” he said. “As a first-generation student, graduating college was a dream most dear to myself and my family.”
Becerra-Cardoza earned a degree in political science and is pursuing a master’s in criminal justice at Kennesaw State University. He plans to become an FBI agent or a criminal law attorney.
As a child in Nigeria, Chenanniah Mac-Cephas wanted to be one of the youngest lawyers to pass the bar exam, but when her family moved to the U.S., the extra work she’d done abroad to skip a grade didn’t count in the U.S. system. So, she took summer classes, started high school at 12, graduated at 16, and then enrolled at GGC.
After learning that being a patent law attorney required a science background, she chose to study information technology (IT). After only a few classes and encouragement from IT professors, she was hooked on it.
Mac-Cephas graduated with a bachelor’s degree in IT with a minor in film.
“Change is not your enemy or a villain,” she said. “You will end up right where you belong despite any uncertainty you may feel. It is okay for plans to change because on the other side of change is opportunity.”
Now a software developer, Mac-Cephas still plans to pursue a law degree and hopes to produce short films.
Floyee Gresham was working as a paraprofessional when she heard about GGC’s paraprofessional track for its special education degree, including evening and Saturday classes.
“I said, ‘Sign me up!’ One must know how to meet the needs of students in all aspects of education, but in special education, you must know how to meet the needs of students of varying exceptionalities and, in some cases, multiple exceptionalities.”
Of course, Gresham had to become a student again.
“I was overwhelmed and sometimes felt out of place, but I always had the help and support of my professors, classmates, husband and family. That means more to me than anyone can imagine because college is hard – and being a full-time student, having a full-time job and being a parent makes things a little more difficult.”
Gresham also earned a minor in religious studies and an honor society membership.
“These past few years here at GGC have taught me so much about who I am as a person and an educator,” she said. “I am so glad I could complete that milestone at a college that I love. I am proof that anything is possible with dedication, support and perseverance.”
Sydney Pelaez of Tampa, Florida, chose to play softball for GGC because of its small classes.
“This was a school that I thought would push me to succeed and set me up for my future after college,” she said. “With small class sizes, I knew I would be forced to participate, and I would also know my professors and not just be a number.”
She immersed herself in campus life, lived in student housing, gained confidence in class and made many friends. She became a starter on the softball team, which finished fourth at the NAIA World Series. She became director of athletics for the Student Government Association and got involved with the Council for Student Athletes. In her last season, she was named to Academic All-Americans of the Year.
Pelaez earned a degree in political science, a double concentration in international relations and public administration and a minor in criminal justice/criminology. She is pursuing a master’s in political science, specializing in international security, at George Mason University.
“If you set difficult goals and work to achieve them, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.”
Camille Covarrubias moved to Georgia after violence seeped into her hometown in Venezuela, where she was in nursing school. Unfortunately, her Venezuelan college credits were non-transferable. She would have to start over.
“That hit me like a ton of bricks, but I was determined,” she said. After struggling at a larger institution, she came to GGC. She stayed because of how welcoming it was.
“The diversity around campus made my experience a lot less intimidating and incredibly interesting.”
Unable to get into GGC’s nursing program, Covarrubias entered the new health science program, which offered a patient navigator concentration – a perfect fit.
“I naturally enjoy helping people. Patient navigation is advocating for patients and helping them decrease any burden that is preventing their wellness, which I strongly believe is very important in health care.”
Covarrubias is pursuing a master’s in nursing at Emory University and said she owes her success at GGC to her many caring professors.
“None of my plans happened as I planned them. However, I trusted God and followed his lead, and I could not be happier with how my life is turning out.”
Sam Kaplan, 72, ran a cleaning service and a telemarketing company. He worked in customer service and even drove a taxi. But he never considered college, until ...
“I was riding down 316 and heard on the radio that GGC was offering a degree that involved script writing. My car seemed to have developed automatic steering and I pulled off on Collins Hill Road. Five minutes later, I was registering for the fall semester.”
His journey wasn’t easy. He hadn’t been to school in 50 years and had to relearn how to study. He was nervous about fitting in with students 50 years younger than him, but he found commonalities and strengthened bonds among both students and faculty.
When Kaplan walked across the commencement stage to receive his degree in cinema and media arts production, his biggest fan was in the audience – his 99-year-old mother.
“I’m the first of my seven siblings to earn a degree,” he said. “She’s excited, happy and proud.”
Nana Afia Serwaa Oppong chose Georgia Gwinnett because of its small class sizes, but she knew that building relationships with her classmates would be essential to her success as an international student from Ghana.
This was an easy task at GGC, starting in her very first class when the students all wanted to know about each other. In her second class, she found that she shared the same culture and background with her professor.
“I started to feel at home, even though I was 5,500 miles away from Ghana,” she said.
Oppong said she had some advice for her younger self.
“Do not let where you come from be a barrier to you, and do not be afraid to try new things. Do not be afraid to ask questions because it is through those answers you will find your way,” she said. ”Use your degree to define who you are, what you can achieve and the places you can go. Let your hunger and passion to achieve greater things drive you forward.”
Oppong earned a degree in criminal justice/criminology with a minor in information technology. She plans to work in forensics and further her education.
As a young child in foster care, Alexis McMillian’s life changed when she was adopted. And while her mom worked, her grandmother watched her, always with a film playing.
“From animation to dramas to international films, she opened up that world for me,” said McMillian. By high school, she knew she wouldn’t always just watch movies – she would make them. She enrolled at GGC to major in cinema and media arts production just as the pandemic began, so she adapted to online learning. When restrictions lifted, she was eager to form connections on campus.
“Having previously stepped into a new family, I found attending GGC to be a familiar experience,” she said.
She worked three jobs, including resident assistant in Housing, while in school. She graduated at age 20 with a 4.0 GPA, and spoke on behalf of her class at spring commencement.
“No writer gets to produce their first script,” McMillian told her class. “Rewrites are inevitable. No matter where you go, never forget that you have the power to rewrite your story – as many times as it takes – for you to fulfill all of your hopes and dreams.”
McMillian plans to work in digital media and marketing and pursue a graduate degree.
Environmental science majors Amani Allen-Beale, ’24, and Isabel Medrano -Cervantes, ’23, are already changing the world through a new fellowship program offered though RCE Greater Atlanta. The year-long program connects students with groups or individuals pursuing a sustainable development goal (SDG).
“The SDG Futures Fellowship provides students with hands-on experience and networking opportunities,” said Dr. Jenna Andrews-Swann, associate professor of anthropology and interim director for GGC’s Institute for Environmental Sciences and Sustainability. At five students, Georgia Gwinnett College had more students accepted into the fellowship than other schools, and hosted the program’s kickoff.
The GGC students worked on teams comprised of other students from schools
like Georgia Tech, Emory University and Kennesaw University.
Allen-Beale’s team partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council to better reach college students about its job openings. The team hosted focus groups of college students to determine how they searched for jobs. The findings were used to recommend strategic changes the council could make to its website.
Medrano-Cervantes’ team developed a comprehensive plan to develop a largescale solar installation for a Virginia community. The team’s work was shared with another organization that used it to win a significant grant that may eventually lead to a community solar project.
Their experiences reinforced the fact that, as Medrano-Cervantes said, “Sustainability is more than science.” A firstgeneration student, she wants to earn a
graduate degree in environmental policy and then a job in the sustainability arena where she can make a difference.
“I feel that I have chosen the right investment in my education,” she said. “I know I have a place in this field. We must try to fix things, or this world just isn’t going to make it.”
Allen-Beale now has a job with RCE
Greater Atlanta as student coordinator for the fellowship program. After GGC, she plans to obtain a law degree and practice environmental law. She wants to focus on areas involving environmental justice for minorities, sustainability and livable communities.
“I love the social science aspects of environmental science and how the environment affects people and vice versa,” she said. “We can make communities better for everyone.”
The Grizzlies earned titles, honors and a little sweet revenge Georgia Gwinnett College’s athletic teams had another successful year, with five teams advancing to their national NAIA tournament final site and two bringing home national championships – the 17th and 18th additions to Athletics’ burgeoning trophy collection.
Along the way, GGC athletes also earned top individual national and conference honors for their performances in their sports and classrooms.
The MEN’S TENNIS team (22-1) captured its ninth straight national championship after not dropping a point in four
Keiser had outlasted GGC 4-3 at the NAIA Indoor Championships in February.
Two rallies in doubles paved the way for victory in this spring’s rematch. The team of Justine Lespes and Cassidy Mataia won six of its last seven games for a 7-5 triumph on the No. 1 court. Then, Eva Siska and Stephanie Fernandez came back for a 6-4 win on the No. 2 court – clinching the match’s important doubles point that paved the way for the program’s eighth title.
Lespes was named the NAIA tournament’s Most Valuable Player after winning all three of her No. 2 court singles matches and her only completed doubles match. She won all 17 of her singles matches and 15 of her 17 doubles matches in her first GGC season. That earned Lespes first All-American team honors, along with Tereza Koplova (9-3 in doubles; 5-4 in singles) and junior Teodora Jovic (8-3 at No. 1 singles; 4-0 in doubles). Stephanie Fernandez (17-0 singles; 16-1 doubles) garnered second-team recognition.
Elsewhere this spring, the BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL teams advanced to
team. Ponder set a program record with a 37-game hitting streak during the season. Earning first All-America team softball honors with Wood was designated player Lindzie Owen, while catcher Sydney Pelaez was a second-team honoree.
Last fall, GGC’s MEN’S SOCCER team had a quarterfinal appearance at the
their respective NAIA World Series. Paving the way for this success were record-setting performances by outfielder Ajay Sczepkowski and pitcher Annalise Wood, who were named Players of the Year in their sports. Sczepkowski became the first NAIA player to achieve a season with at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases. Wood was the first pitcher in NAIA history to toss three perfect games in a season.
Sczepkowski joined fellow outfielder Jon Ponder on the first NAIA All-America
NAIA National Championships, led by first-team All-American Karim Tmimi and second-team choice Gianmaria Fiore. The WOMEN’S SOCCER squad quali-
fied for the Opening Round of its national tournament for the sixth straight season.
Off the field, four GGC student athletes earned Academic All America team honors in 202223, with tennis player Tereza Koplova and softball player Sydney Pelaez being named Academic All-Americans of the Year. Women’s soccer player Addie Adame became the college’s first, three-time honoree while Stephanie Fernandez was a first-team tennis selection.
Georgia Gwinnett has begun construction on a 72,280-square-foot Convocation Center that will transform the campus. Part of a $48 million state-funded capital project, it also fulfills GGC’s need for an infrastructure upgrade including a central energy plant expansion.
Scheduled for completion in late 2024, the three-story, multipurpose facility will host large events like orientations, commencement ceremonies, athletic competitions, concerts and more. Flexible use rooms will support students through formal and informal learning and collaboration.
• Collegiate-sized basketball court or two recreation-sized cross-courts
• Main arena/event space with retractable seating for up to 3,100
• Concourse level with additional arena/ event space with retractable seating
• Athletic game day facilities/locker rooms (men, women, gender neutral)
• Media production room
• Social commons/lobby seating space
• Concessions and vending
• Wellness Suite
• Wellness Recreation Center locker rooms
• Fitness area with weight and cardio machines
• Fitness assessment space
• Group fitness space
The spring 2023 Step Up for GGC fundraising campaign raised more than $17,000 to support students and programs through the GGC Fund, which provides funding for the areas where it is needed most for student success.
The campaign is held during GGC
Days, an annual celebration of Georgia Gwinnett College.
“GGC Days is a great time to raise funds supporting student success because the event brings awareness of the college’s impact on our students and community,” said Nate Jones, director of Annual Giving.
This year, GGC Days also kicked off the 15th birthday of General, GGC’s mascot.
All donors of $60 or more to the Step Up for GGC campaign received a pair of custom-designed GGC socks.
The Inaugural African-American Male Initiative (AAMI) Summit, hosted by GGC’s AAMI-Elite Scholars program, created a forum for African American males to share experiences and discuss positive solutions. GGC students also shared remarks about their challenges, as well as the support provided by AAMI. Workshops and breakout sessions focused on a variety of topics, including wellness, emotional intelligence and navigating through daily life, which aligned with AAMI’s mission to provide an integrated program model of academic, leadership and life skills that support students in successfully completing each academic level and graduating.
More than 100 guests and GGC faculty, staff and students gathered
for the summit, which was themed “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother. ” GGC enrolls 73% of the African American males seeking bachelor
degrees at the University System of Georgia’s nine state colleges.
he GGC Foundation welcomed scholarship donors and recipients, trustees, company and foundation representatives, and members of the college leadership, Alumni Board and Scholarship Committee to its annual Scholarship Celebration in March.
“The event enables the GGC community to show appreciation for its donors, and for them to witness the impact of their generosity on the college by meeting student recipients of the scholarships they fund,” said Jennifer Hendrickson, president of the GGC Foundation and associate vice president for Advancement.
Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful Scholarship recipient Brian Bland, ’25, psycholog y, has a strong interest in the environment. He told the audience the scholarship allowed him to spend fewer hours on his job and more on his studies and college experience.
“In fact, I’m an officer in the SCRUBS student organization, which is a pre-med club that prepares you for medical school,” he said.
“Today’s GGC students will be leading citizens of a future Gwinnett, who will tackle increasing environmental, civic and business challenges in our community,” said Schelly Marlatt, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful’s executive director, who also cited the organization’s nearly 20 years of GGC scholarship support.
“I am always awed by your philanthropy and commitment to this institution and to our students,” said Dr. Jann L. Joseph, president, to the donors. “We know you could invest your time and money in other places, and so we are certainly forever grateful that you have chosen Georgia Gwinnett College.”
She also had a message for the scholarship recipients.
“We understand the focus it takes to accomplish your goals, and that is why the community leaders you see here tonight support you in the way they do.”
Schelly Marlatt, executive director of Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful (GCB), with Brian Bland, ’25, psychology, GCB Scholarship recipient, and Chuck Button, chair of the GCB Citizens Advisory Board. Dr. Jann L. Joseph, president, takes a selfie with scholarship recipients Dominique Morissette, ’22, nursing, and Leo Dowlatkhah, ‘23, nursing.The schools of Liberal Arts (SLA) and Science and Technology (SST) recently established boards of visitors (BOV). They join the School of Business, which established its BOV in 2012. At GGC, boards of visitors are philanthropic advisory boards. They support their school by providing financial resources, advocacy and subject matter expertise. BOV members advise their school’s dean, help generate annual and/or major gifts, and share their expertise with students and faculty.
“As we develop our majors, the expertise and community involvement of our BOV members will help us understand the needs of regional organizations and businesses,” said Dr. Teresa Winterhalter, SLA dean. “They will also create connections among resources and agencies throughout our area that will support our efforts to grow.”
“Our BOV members have experience in a broad range of the sciences, which makes their counsel very meaningful to SST and our plans for the future,” said Dr. Chavonda Mills, SST dean.
SLA’s BOV members include:
Claire Dees, executive director of Spectrum Autism Support Group, Inc., brings a background in education and nonprofit management.
Alex Raul Rivera is chief of staff of the bilingual brokerage firm, Rudhil Companies, and a member of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Jeff Smith, SLA BOV chair, is chief investigator for Gwinnett County’s Solicitor General’s Office and a part-time adjunct criminal justice and criminology instructor at GGC.
Margaret Washburn, P.C., is a founding partner of Washburn Law Offices, chief judge for the City of Sugar Hill and associate judge in the City of Duluth Municipal Court and Municipal Court of the City of Berkeley Lake.
Winterhalter and Chrissy Rosen, executive director of individual engagement, serve as ex-officio members.
SST’s BOV members include:
Jay Bassett is a retired community development connector from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Harrison Finney, SST BOV chair, is general manager at IndSpyre Solutions, Inc., a provider of specialty chemicals.
Sathya Nagesh is vice president of Software Engineering at Assurant, Inc., a global provider of risk management products and services and a member of GGC’s Corporate Affiliates Program since 2015. Ex-officio members are Mills and Darcie Johnson, director of Development.
School
Harrison Finney, Jay Bassett and Dr. Chavonda Mills present a check to Libby Humphries, ’23, environmental science, the presentation winner for the spring 2023 Science and Technology Annual Research Symposium (STaRS) event.
Members of the School of Liberal Arts Board of Visitors gather for their first meeting earlier this year. Shown are Chrissy Rosen, Dr. Jeff Smith, Dr. Teresa Winterhalter, Clare Dees and Alex Raul Rivera. Not shown is Margaret Washburn. of Science and Technology Board of Visitors membersGGC has become one of nine University System of Georgia institutions offering an autism endorsement program approvedby the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC).
This program increases one’s knowledge about teaching students with autism spectrum disorders. It consists of three, 3-hour, online courses available in fall and spring semesters. Certified K-12 teachers who want to become eligible for the GaPSC’s autism endorsement may take the courses all at once or spread out over time.
Certified K-12 teachers interested in the program should contact the School of Education at 678.407.5019 or soesped@ggc.edu
In addition, GGC students who graduate with a Bachelor of Science in special education will earn both a special education teaching license in the general curriculum and the autism endorsement.
The GGC Foundation received a $20,000 Georgia Foundation for Public Education Innovation Education Fund Prototype Grant for a one-year, pilot math tutoring project for elementary school students needing targeted support.
The School of Education collaborated with GGC’s Advancement team to write the proposal in response to a need in the local community.
The pilot project is being implemented for first- through fourth-grade students at Alford Elementary School in Gwinnett County. The school was chosen based on a past collaboration and a data-driven need for math support, as evidenced by test scores and past student performance.
The project also provides professional development for tutors, including GGC students who want to build their tutoring skills. engage.ggc.edu
Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) provides access to targeted baccalaureate- and associate-level degrees meeting the economic development needs of the growing and diverse population of Gwinnett County and the northeast metropolitan Atlanta region. GGC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404.679.4500 for questions about the accreditation of Georgia Gwinnett College. Visit www.ggc.edu
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