Fast Facts
Alumni Success
Carlie Mathis
Carlie Mathes grew up on a farm and driving and working on tractors was just part of her childhood, so when it came time for her to choose her career path it was a complete “no-brainer”.
“I knew before I finished high school what I wanted to do,” she said. “I grew up on a farm in Crisp County and have always enjoyed working on tractors. I learned a lot from my father about tractors and worked at a John Deere dealership before I enrolled in the program here. The Agricultural Technology program at Southwest Georgia Technical College was perfect for me, because I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
“The program was a great experience for me and even though it is traditionally an ‘all male’ program, I didn’t find being the only female in the program to be a disadvantage at all. I had already been working in an all male environment so it was not that different. I just made sure they knew I was not afraid to get in and get my hands dirty!”
Carlie said she feels very fortunate that she knew exactly what she wanted to do as a career and the Agricultural Technology program was available here at SWGTC. “This is the only program of its kind in the state and I was so happy that it was here for me. I never even considered another field and being able to stay close to home while I got my education was a big bonus for me.”
“I would certainly recommend the program to others who might be considering working in this field. The instructors were always able to give us individual attention and make sure we fully grasped the concepts of what we are working on. I was very confident when I graduated that I had all the skills I would need to be successful. ” Carlie is employed by Albany Tractor Company in Cordele.
Karen Murray
Karen Murray, a 1976 Data Processing graduate, has come full circle from being a student at SWGTC to now being an adjunct instructor in the Criminal Justice Program.
Murray enjoyed a 30 year career with the Thomasville Police Department before retiring. “Law enforcement was truly my calling,” she said. “It didn’t take long for me to discover that after I went to work for TPD and I am delighted that I now have the opportunity to teach others who want a career in criminal justice or law enforcement.”
During her impressive career with TPD, Murray worked her way up from a patrol officer to hold various other positions within the force, including DARE drug-awareness officer, community relations/public resource officer, investigator, and achieved the rank of Lieutenant and watch commander before she retired in 2007.
“I absolutely loved working in law enforcement,” she said. “Probably my favorite aspect of the job was the DARE program because I enjoyed working with children. I think this is where my interest in teaching began. I also truly enjoyed investigations, and I am happy I had that experience and can now share that with the students I teach here at SWGTC.”
All of Murray’s classes are taught on line, but she hopes to someday teach in the class room. “I do want that face-to-face contact with my students and the direct interaction that you get from the classroom.”
In addition to being an alumna of SWGTC, Murray holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Masters of Public Administration from Thomas University. She also completed training at the Police Academy and the national Federal Bureau of Investigations Academy.
Murray has a wealth of experience to share with her students and also offers advice to those who might consider criminal justice/law enforcement as a career path. “To be happy and successful in this field one needs to be dedicated, loyal, and have a willingness to help people,” she stated. “Working in criminal justice or law enforcement is not the glamorous career you see depicted on television crime shows, but it is very rewarding work for those who have a natural curiosity and sense of fairness.”
Jerry Ethridge
Everyone enjoys a success story. Stories of people who have pulled themselves up from hardship to achieve great success through perseverance, hard work, and determination inspire us all. The story of Jerry Ethridge is one of those.
Ethridge graduated from Southwest Georgia Technical College with a degree in Respiratory Therapy and is now the Vice President of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Services at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton. In addition to holding his Registered Respiratory Therapist credentials, Ethridge is also RPC, registered nurse, and a Reverend. He is also the President of the Georgia Society of Respiratory Care.
His pathway to a career in the medical profession began when he was in his early teens. “My earliest memory of wanting to be in the healthcare field was in middle school,” Ethridge said. “Up to that point, I had my heart set on being a farmer or a politician.”
His interest in the medical field was solidified when his father was diagnosed with emphysema and atypical tuberculosis. The young Ethridge sat by helplessly as his father’s health deteriorated. “I watched the respiratory therapists as they worked with my father and it really motivated me to become one.”
The family lost the senior Ethridge just six short months after he was diagnosed. It was a terrible time for the family. “I spend a lot of time with my father during that six month period. I cherish that time as it drew me closer than ever to my father. “
“After he passed away, I enrolled at Southwest Georgia Technical College,” Ethridge continues “At that time, the Thomas Area Vocational School had the only respiratory care program in South Georgia,” he said. “The next closet one was in Augusta.”
My father had only been gone for a year and I really could not even consider leaving my mother, brother, and sister behind so going to school in Thomasville was the perfect answer to the question of how I was going to get the education I needed to become a respiratory therapist.”
Ethridge knows that his father would be very proud of him and his accomplishments. “If my father were here today I think he would say that he has always believed in his children and that they could do whatever they set their minds to. I believe he would be very proud of me and I pray that he is smiling down on me from Heaven.”
In addition to his career in respiratory care, Ethridge is also a Reverend. He also serves as Member at Large on the Governing Board of the International Christian Community Churches and currently serves as the Georgia Regional Representative for the Governing Board.
Ethridge is a member of the American Thoracic Society, National Board of Respiratory Care, American Lung Association, and the Respiratory Advisory Boards for Darton College and Okefenokee Technical College. He was the founder of the Tift Regional Medical Center Foundation, was VHA Respiratory Council chairperson for 2004-2006, and was Chair of the Ryan White Consortium for District 8-1 from 1998-2004.
However, no matter where he goes and how his career advances, Ethridge has never forgotten the College that gave him his start. “Without SWGTC, I would not be where I am today.”
Debbie Griffiths
Debbie Griffiths, who graduated from SWGTC in 1975 from the Practical Nursing program, has published her autobiography. Titled, Little Lady, BIG DREAM, the book is meant to serve as inspiration to others and to encourage them to follow their own dreams.
A licensed practical nurse by the time she was 18, Griffiths was also the youngest GOAL (Georgia Occupational Leadership Award) winner in SWGTC history. “I graduated from the College when it was Thomas Area Vocational School and had attended classes there while I was still enrolled at Thomasville High School,” Griffiths explains.
Griffiths knew at a very young age that she wanted to become a nurse. “I just always knew that being a nurse is what I wanted to do, and I worked very hard to achieve that goal. I later graduated from Georgia Southwestern State College in 1979 as a Registered Nurse.”
Little Lady, BIG DREAM is the story of how Griffiths overcame obstacles in her life to achieve great success as a nurse and as the founder of Southern Pines Retirement Inn, one of the premier senior living facilities in the state of Georgia. She has since sold Southern Pines and retired at the young age of 48.
“I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks,” she says. “I was shy and quiet and had parents who drank. I had a lot to overcome and I talk about all of that in the book. I sincerely hope that it will inspire others to pick themselves up and not let life get them down.”
Griffiths credits her education from SWGTC with much of her success. “I got off to a great start in my career as a nurse as a result of my experience with technical education. I consider myself lucky, too, that I had the opportunity to earn my practical nursing degree while still in high school. It gave me a solid foundation for continuing my education in nursing.”
Little Lady, BIG DREAM is available at local bookstores and will soon be available in paperback and on tape as well. “I am very excited about all of this,” Griffiths says. “Writing the book was very cathartic for me and joyful at the same time. We all have wounds; we all hate to admit it and denial runs bone deep. So often we put on the armor and trudge the battlefield of life looking strong, not daring to show weaknesses.”
“My book proves that we all have trials and tribulations. It is how you meet those challenges that matters and I want others to see that you can overcome anything in your life, fulfill your dreams, and be successful.”