Georgia’s 2016 Technical College “Student of the Year” will drive away this spring in a new Kia, thanks to a partnership between Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia Foundation. A car made possible by the Georgia-based automobile manufacturer will be awarded to the 2016 State Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership winner, who will be selected in April.
 
“Kia shares our commitment to education in Georgia and to supporting the students who represent the future workforce of our state,” said Gretchen Corbin, commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia. “It has been a privilege for TCSG to partner with KMMG in training their workforce through our Quick Start program, and we deeply appreciate KMMG’s support of our GOAL students.”
 
“At KMMG, people are the heart and soul of our company. We know that it takes a great team to bring about the kind of success that we have had at Kia Motors,” said J. Randy Jackson, chief administrative officer at Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia. “That is why I am grateful to Quick Start, TCSG and the state of Georgia for being part of our team today and for helping us build the workforce for the future. We hope the GOAL winner is proud of his or her new Kia vehicle built here by today’s dedicated team members in Georgia.”
 
The 2016 statewide GOAL student serves as an ambassador for Georgia’s technical college system, and the new Kia will assist the student in making public appearances to promote technical education in Georgia. The winner is selected during the annual GOAL Week, typically recognized by a proclamation by Gov. Deal and a two-day event in Atlanta that culminates with the naming of the annual statewide GOAL winner, TCSG’s “Student of the Year.” Last year, Stephanie Jackson, a paralegal studies student from Georgia Piedmont Technical College, was named the 2015 State GOAL winner. The event will be held this year April 19-20.
 
Georgia’s unique GOAL program was launched during the 1971-1972 academic year and was the first of its kind in the nation. The competition begins during fall semester when instructors at Georgia’s 22 public technical colleges identify their most promising students, based on academic achievement and personal leadership, by nominating them for the GOAL program.  After each college selects its institution’s winner, competition among students moves to the preliminary regional level, at which nine finalists are selected to move on to compete at the state level in Atlanta. Following a rigorous judging process, the overall state winner will be selected and awarded funding for a brand new Kia automobile.
 
Through a similar process, each college selects its most outstanding instructor, and the state’s top technical college instructor is named the winner of the statewide Rick Perkins Award during GOAL week.