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Augusta Technical College is pleased to announce the creation of the Built To Finish Endowed Fund, established with an initial $10,000 gift from Sherrie Rowe, a 1980 Augusta Tech graduate and current faculty member serving as Department Head of Design and Media Production Technology. The fund will provide support for new Augusta Tech graduates who must take licensure or certification examinations to enter their careers. Ms. Rowe's gift has been matched by a local employer, bringing the total funding to $20,000.
Of the 199 academic programs offered at Augusta Tech, 72 of them require or strongly prefer practitioners to complete federal, state, or industry certifications or licenses. Some of these exams can cost up to $600 per attempt. That is more than the tuition cost of a class at the College. That price can be prohibitive for most Augusta Tech students, especially those who are unable to work while completing clinicals in the final semester of their programs.
"As a graduate and a faculty member, I have seen firsthand how determined our students are and wanted to create a fund that would really make a difference for them," said Ms. Rowe, who also heads the College's Design and Media Production program and serves as advisor for Augusta Tech's nationally recognized SkillsUSA team. "Covering the cost of these exams removes a barrier for students who have already been successful in earning their degree or diploma but need that one last achievement to work in their field."
After completing a diploma in Graphic Art at Augusta Tech, Ms. Rowe owned and operated her own multimillion dollar graphic design and printing company. In 1997, she joined the College's faculty, leading the Design and Media Production Technology program, which includes graphic design for print and web, key frame animation, video production, and photography. She has been recognized several times as the College's Rick Perkins Award winner for faculty excellence and several of her students have won the College's annual Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership, including Brentson Judon, who was the runner-up for last year's statewide GOAL competition. In 2022, Ms. Rowe was one of the first class of alumni to be inducted into the College's Den of Distinction, which honors outstanding alumni. Since returning to Augusta Tech as a faculty member, she has made charitable contributions every year, earning a place in the school's Evergreen Society.
"We are truly blessed to have Sherrie Rowe as a distinguished alumna, outstanding faculty member, and generous donor," said Dr. Kendricks D. Hooker, President of Augusta Tech. "Her new Built to Finish Fund helps bridge a critical gap between the classroom and the workplace. She sets a fine example of the power of technical education to transform lives and the importance of giving back so that others can achieve their career goals. Thanks to her vision and generosity, more graduates will be able to cross the finish line and enter the workforce prepared for success."
The first recipients of the new Built to Finish fund will be selected next month.
Endowed funds may be created at the Augusta Technical College Foundation Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization with a minimum gift of $10,000, which can be given in installments over several years. To find out more about funding scholarships and other student support initiatives at Augusta Tech, contact the Foundation office at 706-771-4023 or foundation@augustatech.edu.
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