Wiregrass Tech Names Employees of the Year for 2023-2024

August 9, 2023

Valdosta, GA – Wiregrass Georgia Technical College has recognized Erin Carter and Tabora Temple as its 2023-2024 Employees of the Year. These employees were honored for their dedication, hard work, and leadership skills by the faculty and staff of the college. Wiregrass employees annually nominate a staff member and a supervisor for their exemplary performance on the job. The nominations are narrowed down by a committee and the finalists are interviewed by a panel of judges to decide who will be honored.

Erin James-Carter, Student Success Coordinator, was awarded the annual James A. Bridges Vanguard Award for the staff member of the year. One of her nominations shared this about her, “Erin loves Wiregrass. She is very vested in her students and the programs she advises. She shows up at all the community events and talks about Barbering, Cosmetology, and her other areas. She is always promoting and recruiting. She has such a fun-loving personality and is always very nice to students and her co-workers.”

Carter has been with the college for five years. She started with the college as a WIOA Specialist and then transferred to Academic Affairs where she served as a Specialist in the Health Sciences Department. She is now a team member of the Student Success Team in the One-Stop Center on the Valdosta Campus. As a Student Success Coordinator, she provides enrollment, academic advising, and retention support services for a diverse student population. This includes orienting students to Wiregrass’ academic structure and policies; assisting prospects and students with admission processes, registration-related issues and processes, comprehensive academic planning, and financial aid; and referring students to professional support services offered through Wiregrass and the service area. Carter is a graduate of the Wiregrass Cosmetology Program and has served as a member of the United States Navy.

Carter shared, “As a graduate of Wiregrass, I truly believe in our mission and I’m honored to be in a position to help students achieve their dream. I am elated to have been nominated for this prestigious award.”

The James A. Bridges Vanguard Award was created in honor of former Valdosta Technical College president, James A. Bridges. Bridges served the people of Valdosta and Lowndes County for 40 years, first as the vocational director of Valdosta High School, and then as president at Valdosta Tech. During his tenure, Bridges provided leadership as Valdosta Technical Institute became Valdosta Technical College. A strong believer in work ethics, he was the co-author of Georgia’s renowned work ethics curriculum. Thanks to his leadership, work ethics is not only taught at every technical college in Georgia but also at post-secondary institutions all over the world.

Tabora Temple, Military and Veterans Services Director, was awarded the annual Lewis I. Brinson, Sr. Leadership Award for the supervisor of the year. One nomination for Temple stated, “Tabora takes time to really listen to our students and assist with making decisions about their education as well as ensuring they applied for their VA benefits and healthcare benefits, and that Veterans counselors are available to assist all students. Her programs are constantly showcased and have received awards for her top-notch programs. She is a pleasure to work with and makes everyone feel comfortable. She deserves to be nominated for this prestigious award.” She serves the college’s Military and Veterans by providing specialized support services and counseling for active military, military dependents, and veterans on all campuses in relation to their enrollment with the college. She supervises the daily operations and administration of the National Testing Center located at the Moody Air Force Base and maintains a presence on all campuses for support to all military and veteran students. Temple serves as a member of the Wiregrass WeCare Team, works with Suicide Prevention Training, and has been recognized several times for her outstanding performance in the Military and Veterans Service sectors. Temple is a retired member of the United States Air Force.

Temple has been employed by Wiregrass for eight years. “It is an honor and privilege to be selected as the Lewis I Brinson Award winner for 2023 – 2024. When I received notification that I was nominated, it meant so much to me that faculty and staff members thought I was worthy enough to represent the college in honor of a great person that assisted so many in his community. Mr. Brinson was a Veteran known for his integrity, passion for building relationships, and education; as a Veteran myself, I know and understand the core values he was known for and how having a passion for what you do makes your job enjoyable,” shared Temple.

This award was named in honor of Lewis I. Brinson, Sr. for his visionary leadership, his unquestionable integrity, and his passion for technical education. Brinson was the founding director (president) of Ben Hill-Irwin Tech. The World War II veteran taught in the Ben Hill County School System for 20 years. During these 20 years, he served as the vocational director at Fitzgerald High School. Based on his integrity and outstanding leadership qualities, in 1968, the Board of Directors of Ben Hill-Irwin Tech selected Mr. Brinson to serve as the first director of the school, a position he filled for the next 15 years, retiring in 1983. Brinson was responsible for overseeing the construction of what is now the 100 through 400 wings of the Charles Harris Learning Center as well as hiring the original faculty and staff of the college.

For more information about Wiregrass programs or visit www.wiregrass.edu.

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Photos attached: (WGTC Employee of the Year.jpg) Pictured l-r Tabora Temple, Military and Veterans Services Director, was awarded the annual Lewis I. Brinson, Sr. Leadership Award for the supervisor of the year. And Erin Carter, Student Success Coordinator, was awarded the annual James A. Bridges Vanguard Award for the staff member of the year.