West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) celebrated its graduates on Thursday, May 8 with two commencement ceremonies at the Murphy Campus Conference Center in Waco and the Callaway Conference Center in LaGrange. The ceremonies honored students who received associate degrees, diplomas, and technical certificates across various fields, including healthcare, information technology, business, and industrial technologies.
215 students walked across the stage to receive their degree, diploma, or technical certificate from WGTC President Dr. Julie Post, with some students obtaining more than one credential. Over 1,200 awards were conferred this semester.
The keynote speeches were given by Dr. Ray Perren, Deputy Commissioner of the Technical College System of Georgia, at the Murphy Campus, and by T. Scott Malone, President of the Development Authority of LaGrange, at the LaGrange Campus. Both speakers shared their journeys and highlighted the transformative power of technical education.
Dr. Perren, a Villa Rica native, shared his personal ties to WGTC, noting that both his mother and one of his brothers graduated from the college in the 1970s and 1980s. His mother, who had not graduated from high school, earned her GED and later completed the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program at WGTC. She went on to become a nurse—a career she held for the rest of her life. “This institution changed her life and changed the life of our family and for that I will forever be grateful to West Georgia Tech.”
Among the many inspiring stories from this year’s commencement ceremonies were several graduates who overcame challenges and achieved remarkable goals. At the Murphy Campus, mother-daughter duo Loyce Smith and Savannah Smith each crossed the stage to receive their Associate Degree in Nursing, proudly celebrating this milestone together. At the LaGrange Campus, Shaw Orange marked two major accomplishments in two days—receiving his Nurse Aide Accelerated Certificate just one night after earning his GED during the Adult Education commencement. These graduates are a powerful reminder of the dedication and determination found within the West Georgia Tech community.
“We are incredibly proud of our graduates and the perseverance they’ve shown to reach this moment,” said Dr. Julie Post, President of West Georgia Technical College. “Their success is a testament not only to their hard work, but to the strength of technical education in opening doors and changing lives.”
WGTC is enrolling now for fall. Classes start August 11. Apply today at westgatech.edu.West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit www.westgatech.edu.
