ALBANY, GA – Albany Technical College is having a virtual graduation celebrating the graduates from spring 2021, Saturday, April 24 at 3:00 PM. The video release will be on Facebook, Albany Tech’s YouTube Channel and on Mediacom Channel 19 (ASU TV). Candidates for Technical Certificates of Credit, Diplomas, Associate Degrees and High School Equivalencies will be recognized for their accomplishments. This notification comes as an official invitation to the graduates, families, friends and community to view the Spring 2021 Virtual Commencement of Albany Technical College.
The Spring 2021 Virtual Commencing is scheduled as noted below:
Saturday, December 24, 2021 Event Start Time: 3:00 PM Streaming: ATC Facebook Page & YouTube
ASU TV Cable Channel 19
- Saturday, April 24, 2021 @ 9pm
- Sunday, April 25, 2021 Mediacom Channel 19, ASU TV at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM
- Tuesday, April 27, 2021 Mediacom Channel 19, ASU TV at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM
- Thursday, April 29, 2021 Mediacom Channel 19, ASU TV at 9:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 9:00 PM
WASU-FM 92.7 Radio Broadcast
- Thursday, April 29, 2021 92.7 FM ASU Rams Radio at 12noon
- Saturday, May 1st 92.7FM ASU Rams Radio at 11:00 AM
Graduates picked up caps and gowns at a curbside drive through event in March. Two photo sessions were held to capture photos of graduates for the virtual graduation ceremony.
“We are excited to announce that ATC has a total graduating class of 343 students with an overall sum of awards totaling 691 for the spring 2021 commencement. This includes Technical Certificate of Credit, Diploma, and/or Associate Degrees,” stated Kennosha Hawkins, Albany Technical College Registrar.
There will be 64 Dual Enrolled high school students honored during commencement. Out of the 64, 29 of the dual enrolled graduates have completed their Associate of Applied Science degree prior to receiving their high school diploma. Eight graduates have received a diploma and 27 graduates earned an ATC Technical Certificate of Credit.
Dr. Anthony Parker, President of Albany Technical College said, “We are very proud of the accomplishments of these graduates during COVID-19. Albany Technical College works very closely with local employers to create placement opportunities for all graduates. If a student has made it this far, they know it takes hard work, but they can achieve their goals. We know that our students will go into the community prepared with the best career education available.”
Keynote speaker for the ceremony will be CaMia Whitaker Hopson. CaMia Hopson is a Georgia State Representative and an analyst for the Department of Defense.
Raised in Albany, GA, she was inspired to follow her family’s long line of Albany State University graduates and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems with a minor in Business Administration. She subsequently worked for Fortune 500 companies, marketing firms, and pharmaceutical companies as a project manager/analyst.
Representative Hopson campaigned and won the seat for the 153rd District of the Georgia General Assembly in 2018. She has subsequently served as a Deputy Whip since her election and also serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Defense & Veterans Affairs, State Planning & Community Affairs, and Special Rules committees.
Representative Hopson serves as a role model for young women and works as an advocate for many issues such as poverty awareness, maternal mortality, and education. She supported her Albany, GA community in a major way in 2019 during the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Albany quickly became one of the nation’s COVID hot spots. In addition to hospitals overflowing, rampant deaths, and widespread cases, Albany was faced with the threat of the Dougherty County School System no longer being able to provide meals to the 16,000 children in the district. Representative Hopson purchased masks to assist with providing PPE to the school system. Once her House colleagues learned of her efforts, they helped raise funds to help her provide PPE not only to the school system, but also to local nursing homes and day cares. From this effort, Representative Hopson won the RICE Award 2020 Civil Servant of the Year.
Active in public service and as a long-term community volunteer, she is a former president of the Albany Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Inc. and the immediate past Southeastern Regional Legislative Chairwoman of the National Legislative Committee. She was initiated into the Atlanta Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is a current member of the Albany, GA Chapter and has served on the Executive Board.
Representative Hopson is the immediate past Board Chair of Flint River Habitat for Humanity and has served on the executive boards of Leadership Albany, Albany’s Downtown Development Authority, and several others. As a servant-leader, she has organized community litter clean-up drives, holiday thank you letters to deployed military men and women, food & coat drives for the homeless, and much more.
Representative Hopson and her husband, Granger Hopson, have four children and live in Albany, Georgia.
ATC Graduation Statistics
Total graduates for Spring 2021 commencement – 343
Total awards to the graduates – 691 (TCC, Diploma and Degree)
GED/High School Equivalency graduates – 9
With Honors – 29
Honors with Distinction (GPA 3.75-3.94) –18 (unduplicated)
Presidential Scholars (3.95-4.0) – 11 (unduplicated)
Dual Enrollment Total – 64
Dual Enrollment receiving AAS Degree – 27
Dual Enrollment receiving Diploma – 7
Dual Enrollment receiving a Technical Certificate of Credit - 30