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 Dr. Michele Seay has been named the 2024 Rick Perkins Instructor of the Year Award winner for South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) for her work as the psychology instructor at SGTC. Dr. John Watford, SGTC President, presented the award to Dr. Seay at a breakfast ceremony held in the John M. Pope Industrial Technology Center on the Americus campus. Also nominated for the honor was criminal justice instructor Teresa McCook.

After remarks from last year’s winner, mathematics instructor Chester Taylor, SGTC Academic Dean and Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator Katrice Martin introduced Dr. Seay as one of the finalists. Academic Dean Brett Murray followed with an introduction of McCook.

Before announcing Dr. Seay as the winner, President Watford thanked all the instructors for their dedication to providing outstanding education to SGTC students. “It comes down to how you relate to not just students,” Watford said,” but how you relate to each student, because everyone learns differently. As educators, we know that every one of our students has their own story.”

In an emotional acceptance speech, Dr. Seay thanked President Watford, Academic Dean Dr. David Finley, Martin, McCook, and several others for their support, not just as an instructor, but also on a personal level following the recent passing of her sister, former SGTC Assistant Vice President for Student Navigation and Institutional Support, Dr. Deborah Jones. “I also want to thank the entire South Georgia Tech family,” she said. “A lot of times, people say ‘family’, but you all really showed and expressed what I meant to you, as well as what my sister meant.”

Dr. Seay earned a Doctor of Education in Counseling Psychology from Argosy University, her Master of Science in Counseling and Psychology from Troy University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Albany State University. She has been employed at South Georgia Tech since 2000 as a general core/psychology instructor.

For being honored as 2024 instructor of the year, Dr. Seay received monetary stipends from Synovus Bank, presented by Emory Parker, and from the late SGTC President Emeritus Sparky Reeves’ wife, Allene Reeves, and son, Kevin Reeves.

The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors the Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG) most outstanding instructors. The award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields.

As the winner at SGTC, Dr. Seay will compete with other Instructor of the Year nominees at the regional level, where three finalists will be chosen to represent the region in Atlanta in April. The state winner will make many public appearances throughout the year, including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, the governor and the TCSG Leadership Conference, to name a few, and will receive a $1000 grand prize.

In addition to competing for the statewide Rick Perkins Award, Dr. Seay will also deliver the commencement address at SGTC’s graduation ceremony in December 2024 as part of the Instructor of the Year honors.