Middle Georgia Technical College

Michele Boone Named Instructor of the Year at Middle Georgia Technical College

Warner Robins - Michele Boone, Business Administrative Technology program chair, has been named Instructor of the Year for Middle Georgia Technical College. She recently represented MGTC in the Central Region competition held at Heart of Georgia Technical College in Dublin in pursuit of the title of Rick Perkins Award winner for the state of Georgia.

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Education recognizes instructors at each of the 26 Technical Colleges across the state. College winners compete at the region level and the top two from each of three regions will interview for the title of state winner.

The Rick Perkins Award, formally the Commissioner's Award of Excellence, was named for the Late Rick Perkins after his untimely death. He was a commercial truck driving instructor at West Georgia Technical College.

Boone, who was nominated for this honor by her peers, was selected from a group of six candidates. Other nominees for the award were Ethel Ross, Adult Education instructor—Dooly County; Linda Lewis, Cosmetology instructor at Houston County Career Academy; Jeffery Hoffman, Electronics Technology Program Chair; Esiquio Hernandez, mathematics instructor; and Susan Walker, Criminal Justice Technology program chair.

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; LaToya Lawson, former MGTC High School Initiatives Coordinator; Charles Stone, MGTC's director of Operations for the Hawkinsville campus; Billie Abbott, a retired educator from Pulaski County; and Rick Pogue, minister and community leader.

Boone, who began her career at MGTC in 2000, has held several positions across campus. She began with the Continuing Education department and then was selected to work as a Career Transitions Specialist with the New Connections to Work program. In 2003, she began working with the Adult Education department at MGTC as an instructor and counselor. In 2007, she became an instructor in the Business Administrative Technology program and was selected as Program Chair in 2010.

Boone holds a Bachelor's degree from Tuskegee University and a Master's degree from Walden University in Business Administration.

Boone, along with Rick Perkins award winners from across the state, will attend the state conference in Atlanta in May where region winners will be announced. The top six from region competitions will interview for the title of state Rick Perkins Award winner and the announcement will be made at the Rick Perkins Award Banquet.

Michele Boone