Government Market News StaffProfiles in Power highlights public officials nationwide who are improving their communities through their dedication, enthusiasm, creativity, and experience.
This week’s profile is Dr. Jermaine Whirl, President of Augusta Technical College.
Public career and education highlights: I’m celebrating my 20th year in public service. Specifically, working in public two- and four-year institutions of higher education. I was most recently named the sole finalist for president of Savannah State University. I’ve had the pleasure of serving as an academic dean, a vice president for economic development, a vice president of academic affairs and college president in Georgia and South Carolina. Among my degrees, I have earned a doctorate in organization leadership at Valdosta State University, a Master of Business Administration at Charleston Southern University and a second Master’s in Adult Education and Community Leadership.
What I like best about public service: Serving students, transforming their lives and eventually their families’ lives are my greatest passions. Second would be the ability to improve the community, region and state by producing an educated workforce for generations to come.
The best advice I have ever received: My first department chair told me, “You may have to go to grow.” In other words, you may have to move from one community to another in order to obtain new professional experiences.
People might be interested to know that: The two-year colleges within Georgia are the secret sauce to economic development activity. Most prospective companies looking to locate to an area of the state will visit the local two-year college, speak with the faculty and utilize the institution or state’s training services as an incentive to locate their business there.
Current projects and initiatives that I am working on: Our institution is actively pursuing state funding for a new 48,000-square-foot advanced manufacturing and engineering technology facility to train the next generation of manufacturing professionals.
One thing outside of government service people may not know about me: I’m an avid NFL fan and would have pursued a career as an NFL head coach if I wasn’t in higher education.
