Education

B2B Stories

Update: Augusta airport Helene damage

The Augusta Aviation Commission heard an update from staff members on the damage suffered during Hurricane Helene. Chief Richard Beal, the Fire Chief and EMA Director at Augusta Regional Airport, said they are still working on a formal report. What he presented on Thursday was an overview. “The airport dealt with pretty much the same thing that the entire community did,” he said. “A lot of trees down, power issues and water issues. We had them across the airport. On top of having some of the power issues we had with

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B2B Stories

A successful year and big plans at Augusta Tech

The president of Augusta Technical College hit the high points of the previous 12 months while laying out ambitious plans for the next 12 in his State of the College address. As anticipated, enrollment was up, crossing the 5,900 mark to reach 5,940 students, a 3% increase over last year. But Whirl said that number is somewhat deceiving. That represents students enrolled in credit classes, achieving certificates and degrees. Thousands more were on campus for non-credit classes, the so-called continuing education offerings. “The last few years, we’ve only really talked

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B2B Stories

350 trees wiped out on AU campus

Officials with Augusta University are continuing cleanup and repairs in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Work is ongoing at the Summerville and Health Sciences campuses, and the Forest Hills campus, which includes the Christenberry Field House. On Oct. 18, ABD was taken on a tour of the campuses to see the progress being made and get an update on what has been lost. Repairs are underway on the Christenberry Fieldhouse, along with the tennis courts and golf course, with the properties bounded by piles of cut-up trees. “These are some

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B2B Stories

Businesses pitch in to help students impacted by Helene

Hurricane Helene prompted the cancellation of an in-person fundraiser, but organizers converted it to an online event to help students. The Aiken Technical College Foundation sponsors an annual scholarship and fundraiser. It had been set for Oct. 17, but the event was transformed to raising money for the Student Emergency Support Fund. The original event included a raffle. “So what we decided to do is we had these wonderful items donated to our raffle that we said, ‘Well, hey, we can still go ahead and have an online raffle and

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B2B Stories

Sustaining students with food post-Helene

An organization known for job training, education, and food preparation is combining its strengths to nourish students at a school in Augusta’s Olde Town neighborhood. Helms College, part of Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA, is providing meals to students at Heritage Academy. Haley Wesley, Associate Vice President of Marketing and Brand Advancement, told ABD it is a win-win partnership for the college and the school. “These are our Helms College culinary students preparing these meals, being supervised by our faculty, who are chefs. It also was such

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B2B Stories

Historic Summerville Campus dealing with hurricane damage

Augusta University’s Summerville campus, one of Augusta’s most historic places, is assessing damages and planning steps forward, while also tending to the needs of faculty, staff, and students. When Helene hit the CSRA with hurricane-force winds, the campus on top of Walton Way suffered damage to buildings and its landscape. There have been some estimates that 85%-90% of the trees have been damaged or destroyed. “I can’t quote a percentage on that, but it is certainly going to look different,” University President, Russell Keen told ABD. “The landscape is devastated,

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B2B Stories

$50,000+ raised for CSRA student resources

The Augusta Technical College Foundation has announced $57,225 in gifts and pledges for the annual Family First campaign. The 2024 Family First campaign, which ran from September 4-18, focused on directly impacting students’ lives. Family First events were held at all Augusta Tech campus sites, where Faculty and staff were encouraged to contribute to bridging the financial gaps many students experience. Suggested donation amounts included $1,200 to help cover tuition shortfalls, $511 to cover student fees, $250 for textbooks, $200 for laptops, and $50 for emergency funds. “This year saw

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B2B Stories

Same impact, new location for annual event

Business is booming for colleges and universities in the CSRA and beyond! Next week, downtown Augusta will host a crowd of around 500 with an estimated economic impact of about $62,000. It’s an annual event that showcases post-secondary options for students. CSRA College Night, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and Savannah River Site, is set for Thurs., Sept. 12, from 5-8:00 p.m. Although traditionally held at the James Brown Arena for more than 30 years, construction of the new arena necessitated a move to the Augusta Convention Center,

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B2B Stories

Bracing for demand of skilled workers in building trades

A new program launched at Aiken Technical College, envisioned as a short-term way to address thousands of construction jobs at the Savannah River Site, could turn into a regular offering. “My expectation is that’s going to be short term for the immediate need, but that need is so great that we’ll probably be running these courses for quite some time,” Dr. Steven Simmons, Dean of the School of Technical and Continuing Education told ABD. “One of the benefits is that the state of South Carolina has allocated a lot of

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B2B Stories

Georgia’s tech colleges notch big enrollment increase

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) announced a 9.3% increase in enrollment for the upcoming academic year. Total enrollment is more than 148,000 across the system’s 22 campuses in Georgia. It is the highest enrollment since 2013. “With the highest enrollment in more than a decade, this growth underscores the strong need for technical education and skilled workers in Georgia,” said TCSG Commissioner, Greg Dozier in a news release announcing the enrollment numbers. “Our 22 colleges remain focused on delivering the kind of education that makes a real difference

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