FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Contact: Robert Preston, Jr.,
912.260.4276
robert.preston@sgc.edu
‘Night to Shine’ showcases 40 years of the SGC
Foundation
The Night to Shine Gala, a 40th anniversary celebration of
the South Georgia College Foundation, was an occasion to celebrate the
charitable work the Foundation has performed over the last four decades. It
was also an important night for one of SGC’s dearest friends.
At the gala, Satilla REMC President/CEO Romeo Reyes received the prestigious
Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award, the first-ever such honor SGC has
given. Mr. Reyes, a 1996 SGC alum, began his career with Satilla REMC as a
lineman. He decided to return to school in order to obtain an engineering
degree. He was married with a young family and had numerous financial
obligations when he returned to school. Through the help and support of his
family and his employer, he eventually completed his education, graduating
with honors from both South Georgia College and Mercer University, where he
finished his degree in 1999. Today, after serving as an engineer and
district manager, he leads the company.
An emotional Reyes accepted the award, and expressed a heartfelt thank-you
to Satilla REMC and his family for their support while he attended school.
“I would not have been able to accomplish all of this without their
encouragement. They believed in me and made this possible,” stated Mr.
Reyes. He also expressed his gratitude to SGC, stating that as a
non-traditional student, if it had not been for South Georgia College, he
would have not been able to achieve a college education. His wife, Tammy and
children -- Hannah, Jake and Ansley, as well as his father -- joined him on
stage as he accepted the award.
Mr. Mickey Whittington, Director of Customer Service and Chairman of the
Satilla REMC Foundation, offered these compliments about Romeo: “It is a
pleasure to work with Romeo. His constant movement up the chain of command
from lineman, to engineer, to district manager, to CEO shows that in life,
the good guy can still win. He has always had a positive attitude, even
through the tough times he has faced. I consider it a privilege to have him
as my boss.”
SGC also recognized several other important friends of the College during
the gala. Three individuals who figure prominently in the life of the
Foundation were in attendance: Mr. Dick Worrell, Mr. Wendell Sears and Mr.
Myles Greene, all charter members of the Foundation, came to the Gala and
were recognized for their significant contribution to the SGC community. Dr.
Virginia Carson presented a plaque to Coffee Regional Medical Center for its
years of support and for recognition as the largest corporate donor of
endowed funds, most in the form of scholarships for the nursing program. Dr.
Carson also mentioned the Herman McGouirk family, which has been the most
generous private donor. Mr. McGouirk, a long-time SGC faculty member who
served as a chairman for the Division of Humanities and Professor of
English, created a planned gift and left over $300,000 to SGC upon his death
in 1983.
Recently, the Foundation had learned that Mary Ann Saylor and her sons,
Johnny and Michael, wished to endow a scholarship in memory of John Saylor,
a long-time faculty member at SGC. The evening was the perfect time to make
this endowment public. The Saylor family attended the Gala and announced
their intentions of making such an endowment. Dr. Carson expressed her
enthusiasm at the news, stating, “It is exciting any time we can announce a
new endowment but being able to do so against a backdrop such as this gala
is even more extraordinary.” John and Mary Ann moved to Douglas in 1967
after they both graduated from the University of Florida. They thought they
would be at SGC for just a few years before moving on. Nearly half a century
later, the Saylor family is still in town. John Saylor was a beloved faculty
member who wore a number of hats during his 34 years on campus. He began his
career as Director of Housing, and also served as Director of Student
Activities and Director of Counseling. Mr. Saylor loved each of these
positions, but his true passion was teaching. He taught several different
classes, including psychology, sociology, education, human growth and
development, criminal justice, and, on occasion, fishing for the PE
department. Mr. Saylor retired in 2001 after being diagnosed with throat
cancer. He passed away in 2006, and his absence is still felt by his friends
and co-workers on the SGC campus. “This college was an important part of our
life and remains so today. We have wanted to do this for a long time and we
are very thankful we can finally announce our endowment,” said Mrs. Saylor.
Before the evening ended, Ms. Shelly McLean, SGC Foundation Vice President,
personally thanked the gala’s VIP Sponsors, Ambling University Development
Group and Juneau Construction Company, as well as Premier Sponsors Hendessi
& Associates and ABL Educational Enterprise. She also thanked the numerous
other businesses and individuals who help make the event happen. “This event
was 40 years in the making. When those 39 business and community leaders
gathered for that first meeting way back in 1971, they had no idea how that
initial gathering would help shape South Georgia College. We are honored to
pause at this Gala to honor our past and look forward with great
anticipation to a bright future. The South Georgia College Foundation has
been a vital asset in the life of this College for the last four decades,
and it will continue to be for many, many years to come,” state Dr. Carson.
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About South Georgia College
South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu)
was founded in 1906 and is located in Douglas, Ga. The college's environment
gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and
close collaboration with faculty. With over 20 majors and transfer
opportunities, South Georgia College provides the finest education possible
to the citizens of its service area.
