For the first time in Albany Technical College history, the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership student and Rick Perkins Teacher of the Year from Albany Tech have been selected as state finalists in their respective competitions. Carpentry student, Julianna Matthews, and General Education instructor, Lashea Dancer, have set a historic milestone for Albany Technical College with this accomplishment. Matthews has been selected as one of nine state finalists in the GOAL State Competition, and Dancer was named one of nine state finalists in the Technical College System of Georgia’s Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction Competition during the 2018 Leadership Summit at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta Hotel in Buckhead.

Matthews, a Lee County resident, will graduate from the Carpentry Program in December and plans
to pursue an associate degree from Albany Tech. Dancer has served as a Psychology Instructor at
Albany Tech since 2013 and was named Program Chair of the department in 2017. She is a native of
Bainbridge.

“We are very proud that Ms. Matthews and Ms. Dancer have represented Albany Tech so well,” said
Albany Technical College president, Dr. Anthony O. Parker. “To be named one of the top nine
instructors and top nine students in the state is an honor and is very indicative of their hard work.”

Overall state winners will be announced Wednesday night in Buckhead. State winners in both the
GOAL and Rick Perkins competitions will serve as official spokespersons for technical education in
Georgia for the upcoming year.