Albany Technical College names Jerri Jarrell as its 2015 GOAL Student

ALBANY — The 2015 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner for Albany Technical College was announced during the Albany Rotary Club lunch Thursday by Albany Area Chamber of Commerce President Chris Hardy. This year’s winner is Jerri Jarrell, who is a Medical Assisting associate degree student at ATC.

“I was very surprised that I won,” Jarrell said. “It’s a wonderful feeling that the panel thought enough of me to make me the winner.”

The final two GOAL nominees that were interviewed by a panel comprised by a Chamber panel earlier this week included Jarrell and James Tillman (Design and Media Production Technology).

During a banquet held in November, 13 nominees for GOAL were presented including Jamie Darlington (Business Administrative Technology), Brennon Farmer (Electrical Computer Engineering), Jarrell (Medical Assisting), Elvin Mallory (Cosmetology); Donald Poole (Design and Media Production Technology), Perry Reeves (Environmental Horticulture), Pamela Roberson (Accounting Technology), Lacreasha Small (Design and Media Production Technology), Tillman (Design and Media Production Technology), Benjamin Warren (Civil Engineering Technology), Joe White (Environmental Horticulture), Lucretia Williams (Environmental Horticulture), and Riley Williams (Environmental Horticulture.

Prior to naming the GOAL winner, ATC President Anthony Parker said, “I’m proud to be standing here today to introduce the person who will represent more than 4,000 Albany Technical College Students.”

Jarrell will compete at the regional competition for GOAL, which will be held on Feb. 25 at Moultrie Tech’s Tifton campus. The regional winner will move on to compete at the State GOAL competition to be held April 21-23 in Atlanta. The state winner is the official spokesperson for technical education in Georgia for 2015.

“Technical education provides convenient, high quality, hands-on training delivered by professional, personable instructors,” said Jarrell. “I will be workforce ready once my career as a student comes to an end.”

Jarrell’s career plans are to continue to build on her skills as a medical assistant in the healthcare industry. She was nominated to participate in the GOAL program by her instructor, Cathy Garmon, who is also the chairperson of the Medical Assisting program at Albany Tech.