FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 14, 2008

Contact: Lisa Kostellic
             912.260.4349
             lisa.kostellic@sgc.edu

Valdosta Native Selected for National Education Board of Directors

     Angelica M. Mathis, 30, has been appointed a student board member of the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP) for the 2008-2009 school year by Dr. Virginia Carson, South Georgia College Interim President and NACCTEP President-Elect.

     The opportunity for Mathis arose when Dr. Virginia Carson was elected president of NACCTEP for the 2008-2009 school year. The election came with a place on the board for one SGC student, and to her surprise, Mathis was that lucky student.

     Established in 2001, NACCTEP supports institutions and individuals by serving as a voice for community colleges in national discussions about teacher education. Specifically, it works to enhance current community college teacher education programs and is a resource for those looking to develop new programs. The organization is made up of community colleges and universities, staff and students of teacher education programs, industry partners, and professional associations.

     Mathis was recommended for the appointment by one of her instructors, Kit Carson, Assistant Professor of Education at South Georgia College, because of her involvement in community activities, high grade point average, initiative, maturity, potential for leadership, and well-rounded personality.

     “I couldn’t turn it down. They’re really active in making sure that education students from community colleges are prepared to enter their four-year university,” said Mathis. “It’ll be really interesting as a student to have input into that process.”

     Kit Carson, who’s been a member of NACCTEP for three years, says this is an opportunity for Angel to be exposed to the inner workings of teacher preparation at the political and higher education levels.

     Mathis will also get to experience her first plane ride in September where she’ll head to Washington, D.C. with Dr. Virginia Carson for the NACCTEP board of directors meeting. There, she’ll primarily be an observer to get an overall feel for the organization as well as an introduction to what will be expected of her as a student member.

     “The meeting in D.C. revolves around political discussions, national issues, interaction with other professional organizations, and federal government agencies, so this is an opportunity for Angel to be a part of some national policy discussions, which will hopefully encourage her to step into more of a leadership role among her peers,” said Dr. Virginia Carson. “The more discussions she has with her fellow education majors, the more feedback she’ll be able to provide us.”

     As president, Dr. Virginia Carson’s primary duty is serving as a conduit for NACCTEP with other national organizations focusing on how to improve the process of educating our future teachers.

     In March, Dr. Virginia Carson, Kit Carson, and Mathis will go to the NACCTEP annual meeting in Reno, Nevada, where Mathis will have the opportunity to provide inputs from a student’s perspective about the education process of becoming a teacher, specifically via a community college, which is where more than half of the nation’s future teachers start their education according to NACCTEP’s web site.

     “I was surprised when I went to their web site and found out the percentage of education students who start out at a community college, but at the same time it makes sense—smaller classrooms and a friendlier atmosphere than a four-year college,” said Mathis, who has wanted to teach young children for as long as she can remember.

     Since she started attending SGC during the summer of 2006, Mathis has maintained a 4.0 grade point average. She will graduate from SGC in May 2009 with an Associate in Early Childhood Education. She plans to transfer to Valdosta State University.

PHOTO CUTLINE: (Left to Right) Angelica M. Mathis, South Georgia College sophomore, and Dr. Virginia Carson, SGC Interim President. Dr. Virginia Carson is the 2008-2009 President-Elect of the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs, and she recently appointed Mathis as a student board member for the upcoming school year.
 

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About South Georgia College

South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu) was founded in 1906 and is a two-year institution in the University System of Georgia. Located in Douglas, Ga., the college's environment gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty.