Students representing Georgia Northwestern Technical College’s (GNTC) nine-county service area will participate in two Spring Commencement Ceremonies on Thursday, May 7, to celebrate their success in completing their program of study.
The 2026 Spring Commencement Ceremonies will take place at the Forum River Center in Rome. Two separate ceremonies are being held to accommodate friends and families of the graduates.
The Commencement Ceremony for students in GNTC’s Business and Cyber related technology programs and Nursing and Health Technology programs will begin at noon, and the Commencement Ceremony for students in GNTC’s Industrial and Public Service programs will take place at 4 p.m.
Mark Upton, program director and instructor of Marketing Management at GNTC, will lead the invocation at the noon ceremony while Donny Holmes, program director and instructor of Construction Management, will lead the invocation at the 4 p.m. ceremony.
At both ceremonies, Dr. Heidi Popham, president of GNTC, will welcome guests; Stuart Phillips, vice president of Student Affairs and Student Success at GNTC, will introduce keynote commencement speaker Noelia Sargento. Sargento, a resident of Rossville, is GNTC’s 2026 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) winner and was the Technical College of Georgia’s 2025 Adult Education Student of the Year for the State of Georgia.
Legare Price, associate vice president of Student Success at GNTC, will recognize High Honor and Honor graduates. A special recognition for graduates who are veterans, FBLA Collegiate members, National Technical Honor Society members, SkillsUSA members and Student Government Association members, as well as Dual Enrollment graduates, will also be led by Price.
Dr. Elizabeth Anderson, executive vice president and chief academic officer of GNTC, will present the graduates. Dr. Popham will confer the graduates with associate degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Susan Bowman, program director, assistant dean and instructor of Health Information Management Technology, will administer the GNTC Alumni Association Oath prior to Dr. Anderson’s closing remarks.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College delivers high-quality workforce education to the citizens of northwest Georgia. Students can pursue associate degrees, diplomas and certificates in a wide range of career pathways, including aviation, business, health, industrial and public service. Over the past year, 14,082 people benefited from GNTC’s credit and noncredit programs. The college has an annual credit enrollment of 9,342 students and achieved a 100 percent placement rate. An additional 4,740 individuals are served through adult education, continuing education, business and industry training and Georgia Quick Start® programs.
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