Stewart Named OFTC’s 2022 RPA Winner & Instructor of the Year
Mark Stewart, an instructor and Division Chair for Trades & Industrial Programs at Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC) was recently named the College’s 2022 Rick Perkins Award (RPA) winner and Instructor of the Year.
The announcement was made during the college’s employee staff development in Dublin on Wednesday, December 15.
The RPA program seeks to honor the Technical College System of Georgia’s (TCSG) most outstanding instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership.
Stewart served in the U.S. Navy until 2001, and later received his Bachelors of Science in Workforce Education and Development at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He then graduated from OFTC (formerly Sandersville Technical College) with diplomas in Industrial Systems Technology and Mechanical Control Systems in 2004. He continued his education and earned a Masters of Education in Post-Secondary Education and Administration from Troy University in 2005.
Stewart was nominated for the RPA by OFTC student, Marques Eagle.
“I think Mr. Stewart should be recognized as OFTC’s instructor of the year because he is a hardworking instructor who is great at teaching Electrical Control Technology,” Eagle shared. “He is an instructor who explains the work in detail so that a student will be able to demonstrate it correctly. I nominate Mr. Stewart because he is respectful, knowledgeable, he cares, he listens, helps, and keeps us entertained at all times. There is never a dull moment in the class. I have enjoyed him being my instructor and will definitely miss the class after I graduate.”
Stewart competed against two other finalists: Susan McGill, Biology Instructor on the Sandersville Campus, and Josh Bridges, Welding and Joining Technology Instructor on the Dublin Campus.
Each participant prepared a speech and participated in a series of interviews held by a panel of judges made up of local community members from Sandersville Pilot Club. The instructors were judged on criteria like innovative instruction, educational achievement, and college and community leadership.
As the college winner, Stewart will represent OFTC in regionals as he competes against other top instructors from TCSG colleges in February. The top region finalists will compete at the state-level in Atlanta in April where the winner will be named the state’s 2022 RPA winner by the TCSG.
For more info on OFTC or the College’s 130+ programs of study, visit the College’s website, OFTC.edu.
###
