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President's Message

On behalf of the faculty and staff, let me welcome you to Athens Technical College and congratulate you on your decision to further your education. Learning is a life-long process.

Our college is a growing, vibrant institution dedicated to providing high quality educational programs and the support services students need to achieve their educational and career goals. We enroll more than 8,000 students annually from nearly 90 counties in Georgia and from more than a dozen states throughout the United States. Students now can choose from more than 130 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate programs in the business and public service, life sciences, and technical career fields.

We are proud of the fact that we are the first college in Georgia to be selected to participate in Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count. Achieving the Dream is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping more community college students succeed (complete courses and earn certificates and degrees). This emphasis on completion takes on added significance when you take into consideration the fact that nearly six in 10 jobs in today's labor market are held by workers with at least some postsecondary education or training. And 63% of projected job openings by 2018 will require at least some college education. Americans turn to community colleges - institutions that currently enroll close to half of all undergraduates in the United States - to address major shifts in America's needs by providing the education that leads to greater economic opportunity and improved quality of life.

As you contemplate your future, I encourage you to visit our college in order to explore the educational opportunities available to you here at Athens Technical College. We want your educational experiences to be positive and rewarding. I wish you every success as you begin one of the most important journeys of your life.

Sincerely,
Flora W. Tydings, Ed.D.
President