On June 13, Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) held its Spring Commencement ceremony. Held twice annually, SRTC’s graduation is an evening of celebrating and conferring degrees, diplomas, and certificates to students who have completed their respective credit and GED programs of study. The June 13 ceremony served to recognize the accomplishments of over 900 individual graduates. Many graduates received multiple honors as certain programs have embedded certificates that are obtained when completing said program in its entirety. In total, 744 Technical Certificates of Credit, 84 Diplomas, 90 Degrees, and 39 General Education Diplomas (GED) were conferred at the end of the 2019 Spring Semester. 259 students participated during the June 13 commencement ceremony, which was held in Moultrie.

SRTC selected special guest Mr. Ben Huntzinger to deliver the commencement address. Mr. Huntzinger, a current student at SRTC, spoke on the importance of technical education and the role it has played in his life, particularly how it provided a supportive foundation for his dream of providing an off-road wheelchair at an affordable price. “I feel very fortunate to have found technical education. Coming to SRTC has changed by life and my future,” he said. In April of this year, Ben competed against student innovators from universities and colleges across the state during the first inaugural George InVenture Prize competition. His invention, the Spartan Wheel Chariot, earned two of the top three awards and $25,000 in cash prizes.

SRTC President Dr. Craig Wentworth thanked the graduates in attendance for choosing Southern Regional Technical College, and extended his appreciation to the gathered family and friends for supporting the students during their college journey. He encouraged the students to continue to work hard and take the lessons that they have learned at SRTC with them as they move forward in their education and their careers.

The Spring Commencement ceremony of 2019 held special significance for Dr. Wentworth. After thirty-seven years of service in higher education, including twenty-nine years within the Technical College System of Georgia, Southern Regional Technical College President Dr. Craig R. Wentworth has announced that he will retire June 30, 2019.

“It has been tremendously rewarding to lead an organization that is as student-focused as SRTC. As we have grown, we have remained wholly dedicated to positive and successful student outcomes. During each commencement ceremony, I have been able to shake the hands of hundreds of students whose lives have been improved by technical education. I can assure you that I’m smiling just as wide as each student as they walk across that stage,” said Dr. Wentworth.