More than 300 graduates participated in Greenville Technical College’s Commencement Exercises held Thursday, May 4 at the TD Convention Center, and almost twice that number of students received degrees, diplomas, and certificates at the college this spring.
Amber Morgan was recognized as Professor of the Year. Morgan leads the Academic Connections department, which includes college success courses, the First-Year Experience program, the Financial Education Center, and the Office of Campus and Civic Engagement. A faculty member at Greenville Technical College since 2009, she considers her most significant professional accomplishment to be the impact she has had on students and their ability to reach educational and personal goals. She is driven every day to excel in creating courses, developing programs, and leading task forces that will have a positive impact on students.
Mary Ann Billig was honored as Adjunct Professor of the Year. Billig has taught at Greenville Technical College for over 20 years. While her contributions in the classroom have been instrumental to student persistence and success, she has also participated in many efforts that further the college’s mission of driving personal and economic growth through learning. These efforts include course redesign and academic projects such as “Achieving the Dream” and “Unlock Your Future,” and service on many committees alongside full-time faculty.
Lisa Bayne received the Outstanding Alumnus Award. A Travelers Rest High School graduate, she was determined to pursue an engineering career and enrolled at Greenville Technical College in 2004 intending to transfer. Days before the start of her second year at GTC, she was involved in a serious car accident that left her with broken legs and a long road to recovery. Throughout her ordeal, her parents, family, and professors were supportive and encouraged her to take enough time to heal before continuing her college career. After two and a half years at GTC, she transferred to Clemson, pursuing a degree in industrial engineering. By 2010, she had completed a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and a Six Sigma Green Belt certification. Since graduation, Lisa has worked in industrial engineering for The Boeing Company.
Craig Brown received an Honorary Alumnus Award. A dozen years ago, Craig came to Greenville with a dream of building a highly successful minor league baseball operation based in a world-class stadium. His entrepreneurial skills, knowledge of the sport, and ability to create partnerships made that dream come true. The team, the Greenville Drive, and the stadium, Fluor Field, have become centerpieces for the renaissance of a significant portion of Greenville’s West End. Participating in many community activities and making the team a major participant in the community led Brown to the opportunity to be co-chair of a Greenville Chamber of Commerce program called Accelerate. The purpose was to accelerate the economic growth of Greenville by focusing on, and investing in, major catalytic projects. In that role, he was among those who helped gain significant community support for the new Greenville Technical College campus, the Center for Manufacturing Innovation. Craig and his wife personally supported the college, too, with a pledge of $100,000 to the Greenville Tech Foundation to establish an endowed scholarship fund.
David Killinger received a President’s Award. Killinger, a student in the Honors program, is described by several instructors as one of the most promising students they have taught at the college. He has maintained a 4.0 GPA in his course work while part of the Honors program’s community of like-minded students and professors who push him to work beyond even his own expectations of what he can accomplish. Though he serves as a paramedic, he finds time to give back to the community, assisting with the college’s Habitat for Humanity build and volunteering at Miracle Hill. Eager to participate in academic opportunities outside of the classroom, David has worked with Dr. Susan Hall on a research project to determine allele frequencies related to easily observed genetic traits and presented his finding at the college’s 2017 Scholar Showcase. As he leaves Greenville Technical College, David plans a career as a physician’s assistant and will transfer to a four-year institution this fall to complete his studies.
Amy Harrison also received a President’s Award. At seventeen, Harrison dropped out of high school thinking she had the necessary skills to achieve her dreams. Before long, she realized that without completing high school, her opportunities for success were greatly hampered. After ten years away from education, she earned her GED. With that credential in place, Amy enrolled in the Marketing program at GTC and the next semester, decided to also earn a certificate of Web Design, a combination that complements her talents and goals. Amy’s hunger for success led her to an internship opportunity with the Fountain Inn Museum. While a Marketing student, she wrote and received a grant for $10,000 from Bosch Industries to benefit the children of her community. Currently, she is applying her advertising skills at an internship with Changing Leads, marketing the non-profit’s services in rehabilitating, retraining, and rehoming thoroughbred horses that are no longer suitable for racing. Her passion for horses has also led her to assist Sherry Traynham at Cross Country Farms in rebuilding the lesson program and bringing the farm back to life.