Middle Georgia Technical College

Jolie Martin Named Instructor of the Year at Middle Georgia Technical College

Warner Robins - Jolie Martin, Cosmetology program chair, has been named Instructor of the Year for Middle Georgia Technical College. She will go on to compete in the regional competition with winners from eight other units of the Technical College System of Georgia in March.

Martin, who was nominated for this honor by her peers, was selected from a group of five candidates. Other nominees for the award were Randy Rynders, Industrial division chair; Tal Loos, Aviation Maintenance program chair; Debbie Harkins, Dental Hygiene instructor; and Stephanie Krajewski, Dental Hygiene instructor.

Candidates were judged by a panel made up of community leaders and MGTC staff. Judges for the competition were Paul Hibbitts, MGTC Board of Directors member; Craig Jackson, vice president for Student Affairs; Charles Stone, MGTC's director of Operations for the Hawkinsville campus; Beth McLaughlin, director of Community and School Affairs for the Houston County Board of Education; and Billie Abbott, a retired educator from Pulaski County.

Martin, who began teaching at MGTC as an adjunct instructor in 2005, is also a graduate of MGTC. She attended MGTC in 1990 and received a diploma in Cosmetology in 1990. In 2004, she returned to the College and received a Cosmetology Instructor training certificate. She began teaching as an adjunct in 2005 and in 2006, joined the faculty full time. In 2007, Martin became the Program Chair for the Cosmetology department. In that same year, she received her Associate of Science in Business Management from Ashworth College.

"I chose to teach in a technical college because, as a graduate of MGTC, I am able to share a unique experience with my students of having been exactly where they are," said Martin. "I can share my passion for Cosmetology and help others achieve their life's dream of having a successful career. There is nothing more satisfying than going to work every day and giving back to the college that trained me in the career I enjoy so much!" Since becoming a full time instructor at the College, Martin has been instrumental in the development of innovative teaching techniques and new opportunities for her students. In 2007, she started the Cosmetology department's first online courses and funded scholarships for students in her program through the MGTC Foundation. She also instituted Happy Hour Consumers day, which allows students to provide haircuts and styles for residents at a local adult care facility. Proceeds from Happy Hour go directly to the MGTC Foundation to fund more Cosmetology scholarships. Martin also developed criteria for class hair challenges to help students improve skills and collaborated with a local business owner to host the Great Clips Hair Challenge. During the challenge, students created styles and were judged by local salon managers, with the first place winner receiving a $100 cash prize from Great Clips.

Regional competition will take place at MGTC March 30th. Two out of the nine instructors in the Central Region Competition will move on to the state level competition in May. The state winner for Instructor of the Year will be chosen from among the top six in the state and will receive the Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction.

For more information on Middle Georgia Technical College, please call 478.988.6800 or log on to www.middlegatech.edu. Spring Quarter begins April 6, 2010.

Jolie Martin, MGTC Instructor of the Year