Media release from Georgia Northwestern Technical College:
The Foundation at Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) awarded $48,350 in grants and scholarships for spring semester 2026.
Grant and scholarship awards ranged between $100 and $5,000 to assist in paying for spring semester at GNTC. Sixty grants and scholarships were awarded to 56 students.
“We salute these students for their excellence and determination to realize their educational and career goals,” said Dr. Heidi Popham, GNTC president. “We also extend our gratitude to the generous donors who make these scholarships possible. We couldn’t do it without them.”
The GNTC Foundation Scholarship is for outstanding students with financial need who are enrolled in any program of study leading to a degree, diploma or certificate.
GNTC Foundation Scholarships have been awarded (showing student’s name, hometown, program of study and campus) to Breanna Clayton, Calhoun, Health Care Management, Walker County Campus; Hannah Culpepper, Rome, Health Care Management, Floyd County Campus; Amanda Evans, White, Practical Nursing, Floyd County Campus; Tonya Johnson, Rome, Health Care Management, Floyd County Campus; Jessie Jones, Fairmount, Health Care Assistant, Gordon County Campus; Malik McCluskey, Rome, Automation Technology, Floyd County Campus; Flor Querido, Cohutta, Health Care Management, Whitfield Murray Campus; Jake Ragan, Marietta, Respiratory Care, Floyd County Campus; Noelia Sargento, Rossville, Business Management, Catoosa County Campus; and Celia Suazo Pena, Dalton, Business Healthcare Technology, Whitfield Murray Campus.
The GNTC Foundation has awarded Success Grants to Ricardo Acevedo, Kingston, Aviation Maintenance, Floyd County Campus; Daniella Bates, Ringgold, Automation Technology, Catoosa County Campus; Samantha Belman, Dalton, Welding and Joining Technology, Whitfield Murray Campus; Montana Easterwood, Rome, Business Management, Floyd County Campus; Eric Harkins, Rome, Industrial Systems Technology, Floyd County Campus; Candice Long, Ringgold, Nursing, Walker County Campus; Carson Lucas, Dalton, Welding and Joining Technology, Whitfield Murray Campus; Jennifer Mullens, Ringgold, Health Care Management, Walker County Campus; Liliana Tafoya Ortiz, Dalton, Early Childhood Care/Education, Whitfield Murray Campus; and Jared Weaver, Chatsworth, Drafting Technology, Whitfield Murray Campus.
The GNTC Foundation has awarded Adult Education Scholarships to Toni Aaron, Ringgold, Undeclared, Catoosa County Campus; Monica Arrant, Rome, Health Care Management, Floyd County Campus; Jayden Allen, Lindale, Health Care Assistant, Floyd County Campus; Stephanie Cordle, Rome, Health Care Management, Floyd County Campus; Ja’Kia Perdue, Rome, Business Management, Floyd County Campus; and Steve Ware, Trion, Supply Chain Management and Logistics, Catoosa County Campus. This scholarship awards graduates of GNTC’s Adult Education program with funding to continue their education at GNTC.
O’Darius Davis, Rome, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Floyd County Campus, has been awarded the Matthew Vroman Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship was established in 2024 to support Aviation students who possess the character traits exemplified by Matthew Vroman: kindness, solid values and a relentless work ethic.
The Rome Home Builders Association Scholarship rewards academic excellence and provides financial support for students working toward a degree, diploma or certificate in residential construction-related programs, including Air Conditioning Technology, Construction Management, Electrical Systems Technology, Horticulture and Lawn Maintenance on the Floyd, Gordon and Polk County Campuses. Bryce Careathers, LaFayette, Electrical Systems Technology, Gordon County Campus, and Joseph Guerrero, Calhoun, Electrical Systems, Gordon County Campus, have received this scholarship.
Daniel Herrada of Dalton and Leslee Menjivar of Calhoun—both of whom are Electrical Systems Technology students at the Gordon County Campus—received the Electrical Systems Scholarship, which rewards academic excellence and financially supports any Electrical Systems program students.
Guerrero and Menjivar have also received the Latin American Association-Mohawk Scholarship. Other recipients are Yvonne Beltran, Dalton, Welding and Joining Technology, Whitfield Murray Campus; Melissa Del Real, Rome, Health Care Management, Floyd County Campus; Guadalupe Nunez, Dalton, Healthcare Billing and Coding, Whitfield Murray Campus; and Ronaldo Ramirez, Rome, Aviation Maintenance Technology, Floyd County Campus, have received the Latin American Association-Mohawk Scholarship. Open to GNTC students with a minimum 2.5 GPA in any program, this scholarship recognizes scholars engaged with the Latino/Hispanic community in one or more of the following ways: heritage, involvement, volunteerism, language and support. Students must be residents of Floyd, Gordon, Murray or Whitfield County.
Beltran has also received the Governor Nathan Deal Technical Education Scholarship. Other recipients are Jimmy Keener, Cisco, Automation Technology, Whitfield Murray Campus; Sarah Sane, Chatsworth, Welding and Joining Technology, Whitfield Murray Campus; and Gibson Scott, Fairmount, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, Whitfield Murray Campus. The scholarship, which honors former Gov. Deal for his dedication to technical education in Georgia, was established by The Carpet and Rug Institute to reward academic excellence and provide financial support for GNTC students at the Whitfield Murray Campus completing an associate degree, diploma or certificate in an industrial-related program.
Scott has also received the Gene Haas Scholarship, which rewards academic excellence and provides financial support for students working toward a degree, diploma or certificate in the Precision Machining and Manufacturing program and related fields on the Floyd County Campus and the Whitfield Murray Campus. The other recipients of this award are Jonathan Burnette, Summerville, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, Whitfield Murray Campus; Zachary Culp, Adairsville, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, Whitfield Murray Campus; Joshua Ruiz Campos, Dalton, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, Whitfield Murray Campus; and Mayahuel Yaoapoqa, Trion, Precision Machining and Manufacturing, Floyd County Campus.
Jeffrey Carter, Rome, Horticulture, Floyd County Campus, is recipient of the David Warren Memorial Scholarship. Open to students pursuing a degree, diploma or certificate in the Horticulture program, this scholarship was established in honor of David Warren, former director of the Horticulture program.
Mary Sharay, Chatsworth, Horticulture, Floyd County Campus, has received the Master Gardener Volunteers of Cobb County Scholarship, which is open to students pursuing a degree, diploma or certificate in Horticulture.
The Rabbit Valley Farmers Market Scholarship was established to provide financial support to incoming high school students and first-year GNTC students pursuing a degree, diploma or certificate. Scholarship applicants must be planning a career related to Culinary Arts, farming, gardening, landscape design, environmental issues, floral design or horticulture. The scholarship has been awarded to Quaneta Green, Rome, Culinary Arts, Floyd County Campus.
Samantha Ashmore, Cedartown, Respiratory Care, Floyd County Campus, is recipient of the B.J. Pharr Scholarship. This scholarship was established to reward academic excellence and provide financial assistance for full-time students working toward a degree in the Respiratory Care program on the Floyd County Campus.
The Registered Nurse Scholarship provides financial support for outstanding students enrolled in the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program. The scholarship has been awarded to Mattie McCroskey, Ringgold; Ashley Rich, Dalton; and William Sullivan, Rome. All three are Nursing students at the Walker County Campus.
The Roper Scholarship was established in 2024 and provides financial assistance to students employed by Roper Corporation. Students can be enrolled in any credit program and must work at Roper during the application and award semesters. The award applies to tuition, fees, supplies, tools or other educational materials. The recipients of the Roper Scholarship are Tammy Chandler, Trion, Computer Support Specialist, Walker County Campus, and Salvador Hernandez, Summerville, Automation Technology, Catoosa County Campus.
The Jerry Jones Memorial Scholarship honors the memory of Jerry Jones, firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). The award provides financial support for students in the Emergency Medical Technician certificate program or Advanced Emergency Medical Technician program. Nicholas “Connor” Elrod, Chatsworth, and and Everett Williams, Dalton, have received this scholarship; both are EMS Professions at the Whitfield Murray Campus.
Berenise Barajas, Dalton, Early Childhood Care/Education, Whitfield Murray Campus, is recipient of the Huston “Buck” Parson Scholarship. This scholarship was established in 2024 to support students with financial need who reside in Murray or Whitfield County.
The Gordon County Campus Scholarship recognizes excellence in students pursuing a degree, diploma or certificate on the Gordon County Campus. Johnny Rodriguez, Calhoun, Computer Support Specialist, Gordon County Campus, has received this scholarship.
The GNTC Foundation Trustees are Valerie Brown, Whitfield County; Phillip Burkhalter, Floyd County; Linda Case, Dade County; Steven M. Henry, Catoosa County; Luther Ingram, Walker County; Amy L. Jackson, Catoosa County; Jay LeGrande, Polk County; Craig McDaniel, Floyd County; Paul Meredith, Chattooga County; Sherrie Patterson, Murray County; Damon Raines, Walker County; Becky Redd, Gordon County; and Doris White, Walker County.
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