Other Profiles:
- Dantever Hicks
- 2008 EAGLE Winner - Theresa Watkins
- 2007 GOAL Winner - Cynthia Rumney
- 2007 Instructor of the Year - Keri Olson
- Dental Hygiene Student and Scholarship Recipient - Wendy Bloodworth and Alyssa Shaw
- Emilie Fisher Foundation Scholarship Winners
Theresa Watkins: 2007 MGTC GOAL Winner
Theresa Watkins, an Administrative Office Technology student was recently named the College’s 2007 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) Winner.
Theresa was born and raised in Cairo, Georgia. As one of six children, her dreams of becoming a teacher or secretary were shattered when she realized that her parents could not afford to send her to college. She began her journey through mediocre jobs that led nowhere. Merely surviving, she always had a desire to further her education, but the timing never seemed right and finances always seemed short.
Ms. Watkins moved to Warner Robins in 2001 and found herself with no self-confidence, no motivation, and no money. As Theresa says, “I allowed the people in my past to take away my confidence. I was told that I was stupid, fat, ugly and that I would never amount to anything without a man to support me.” Not only did Theresa lack the confidence to believe that she could succeed at school, but she also lacked the motivating force. She believed that after fifteen years absent from the learning environment she could never accomplish her goals of furthering her education. “With so many marks against me, it didn’t seem I would ever find my way back to school,” says Theresa.
In 2006 Theresa lost her job and that loss triggered the realization that she needed a true career, not just a job. Spurred on by a desire to illustrate to her children that they didn’t have to settle and could strive to reach their goals, she sought counsel with a member of her local church. This member, Ms. Cheronie Anderson, just happened to be a former employee of Middle Georgia Technical College and pushed her to pursue furthering her education.
Renewing her education, says Theresa, has been a life changing experience. She not only gained her confidence and re-started her education, but with that renewed confidence she has also lost 57 pounds. She became an honor student at Middle Georgia Technical College and has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards for her dedication to her studies. Since August 2006 she has been a work study student in the College’s Admission Office and has been receiving training that will one day help her in her career.
“I want to make my family, my teachers, my mentors, and most of all myself proud while continuing to promote technical education. I now strive for success and I am meeting the challenge it takes to become all I can be. Thanks to MGTC and its community partners, I am now a knowledgeable, well trained, confident, and productive member of my community – and soon to be the workforce.”
