Middle Georgia Technical College

TCSG Commissioner Ron Jackson to Speak at MGTC Graduation

Warner Robins - Ron Jackson, commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), will serve as the keynote speaker for the Middle Georgia Technical College graduation ceremony held Thursday, June12 at 7 p.m. The commencement exercises will take place at the Miller-Murphy-Howard Building at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry where over 220 students will walk across the stage to receive a diploma or degree and over 100 students will receive their GED.

Jackson, who was officially named commissioner of the Technical College System in February 2008, served as interim commissioner since December 2006. Previously, he served as deputy commissioner.

One milestone cited as a major accomplishment during his short time at the helm of the agency that oversees 33 technical colleges across the state is the renaming of the system from the Department of Technical and Adult Education to the Technical College System of Georgia. The bill designating this name change was just signed in to law in May by Governor Sonny Perdue.

Prior to joining the Technical College System of Georgia, Jackson was the deputy director of the Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) from 2002-2004 and prior to that, he worked as the director of strategic planning, research, and evaluation. While at OPB he served three governors and worked on many projects across state government, including strategic planning, results-based budgeting, and development of the state's web-based financial management system.

During 1996, Jackson's talents were put on loan as he served as the executive assistant to the commander of the State Olympic Law Enforcement Command.

Prior to his arrival at the Office of Planning and Budget, Jackson served as the director of parole with the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles and was also the agency's director of field operations. He began his professional career with the Texas Department of Corrections after graduating from Sam Houston State University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. From 1982 to 1990, he served as commissioner of the Texas Parole Board before arriving in Georgia.

Jackson has published several articles in professional journals and newsletters for the corrections filed and supervised the editing and publishing of the Texas Journal of Corrections. In 1991, Jackson co-authored the book Current Parole Practices: United States and Canada, which was published by the American Correctional Association.

Middle Georgia Technical College offers credit courses and continuing education classes at the main campus in Warner Robins and at the Sam Way, Sr. Hawkinsville Workforce Development Center (HWDC) in Pulaski County. In addition, MGTC offers Adult Education courses, including GED and English as a second language (ESL), at centers in Dooly, Houston, and Peach counties, and at HWDC in Pulaski County. For more information or to apply for Summer Quarter, call (478) 988.6800 or log on to www.middlegatech.edu. Classes start July 8.

Ron Jackson, commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG)