(Media release from Georgia Highlands College):
Georgia Highlands College (GHC) spring 2024 Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene graduate Amanda Winn has been chosen as the Board of Regents Academic Day Representative for GHC.
Raised in the borough of Greenwich, London, Amanda worked as a dental technician fabricating dental appliances and taught dental students at Guy’s Hospital for 12 years. She emigrated to the U.S. in 2001 and has lived in Georgia for the past 23 years.
Being named Academic Day Representative came as a surprise to Amanda.
“As I read the email, I was both crying and laughing,” Amanda said. “I have never won such a prestigious award before, and I could not believe I was nominated as the scholastic student of the year for Georgia Highlands College. Even today I am still amazed.”
Academic Recognition Day is hosted annually by the Board of Regents in Atlanta. Amanda said it was an honor to meet and dine with GHC President Mike Hobbs; Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs of the University System of Georgia Ashwani Monga; Associate Vice Chancellor, Student and Faculty Success at the Board of Regents Jonathan Watts Hull; and University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue, who presented her with her award.
“It is an event in my life that I will never forget and never stop talking about,” Amanda said.
Amanda worked for the Dentistry for the Developmentally Disabled Foundation, of Atlanta, for 7 years, where she provided dental hygiene care to patients under sedation.
For the past 8 years she has worked as a dental hygienist for Windy Hill Dentistry.
“During COVID, I had time to think about my career and where I saw myself in five years. I decided to enroll in the dental hygiene program to do my bachelor’s degree and expand my career opportunities in dentistry,” Amanda said. “Also, a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene was a personal goal of mine that I thought I would never reach. I was worried because of my age, I was not computer savvy, and I was working. My two daughters Shelby and Hailey, my fiancé James and my son-in-law Brenden all spurred me on, which kept me motivated.”
Amanda is also a member of the Alpha Psi Omicron chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honors society. Outside of work and classes, she enjoys spending time with her two children and fiancé and dancing to calypso music, which is music from Barbados where her parents were born. In addition, she enjoys being able to visit care homes, daycares and elementary schools to give dental advice, discounts and goody bags as part of her role with Windy Hill Dentistry.
“After working for over 15 years as a dental technician in London and America, I left that career to do an associate degree in dental hygiene to become a dental hygienist, and I have been a dental hygienist for 15 years,” Amanda said. “Now that I have graduated with a bachelor’s in dental hygiene, I would be interested in teaching in a dental hygiene institute. I also have an interest in working in a high school setting.”
Amanda said her instructors and the resources available at GHC helped guide and assist her as she earned her degree.
“When I struggled in some areas, Georgia Highlands College did not give up on me – there was always someone available to turn to who could help me,” Amanda said. “Online tutors, faculty staff, and various support options were available. I would recommend this school and the dental hygiene programs over and over, and I would return to this college.”
Academic Recognition Day began over 30 years ago as a celebration of Georgia students’ academic achievement. The honorees receive a resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives along with a letter of commendation from USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue.
Each of the system’s institutions select a student with a 4.0 GPA who also reflects the system’s best qualities: “They aim to strive for excellence and have the ability to share knowledge in various areas of expertise.”
Georgia Highlands College will hold its 2024 commencement ceremonies on Thursday, May 9, at the Floyd Campus gym, 3175 Cedartown Hwy, Rome GA 30161. The 2024 commencement ceremonies will be held May 9 at 10:30AM and 6:30PM, with the Nursing pinning and commencement ceremony at 2:30PM. More information can be found on the commencement ceremony page regarding details, directions and campus guidelines.
A livestream of the event will be available here.
