After two rounds of interviews Eli Metts was named Wiregrass Georgia Technical College’s 2017 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership winner.  Eli enrolled at Wiregrass after he conducted some interviews himself.  After working in the medical field as a sales representative for many years he became concerned that he was at a disadvantage and felt he lacked long-term job security a college degree would provide for him. Working with registered nurses he knew this field would provide him with long-term job security and satisfaction.  Eli then began his interview process with nurses from area hospitals and doctor’s offices gathering information on where he needed to go to pursue his career goal.  After conducting these interviews, Metts felt that Wiregrass Georgia Technical College would be the best choice for him to begin his college career.
 
He choose Wiregrass because he felt the quality education coupled with clinical training he would receive would best prepare him for a career as an RN.  One of his concerns was accruing a lot of college debt. After applying he learned the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act would be able to pay 100%, in his case, for his Associate of Science in Nursing degree.  Eli was accepted into the competitive admissions RN program and will be graduating in May 2017.
 
GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the state’s technical college students.  Local GOAL winners are selected at each of the state’s 24 technical colleges as well as one Board of Regents college with a technical education division.
 
Metts competed against 18 nominees from Wiregrass’ four campuses in Valdosta, Douglas, Fitzgerald, and Sparks before being named as one of the top four nominees, and now college winner.  The runners-up were Jana Wojcik, Valdosta, RN; Jamie Mize, Valdosta, Health Information Technology; and Candace Zakar, Valdosta, Health Information Technology.
 
Eli was nominated by his RN Instructor, Darlene Ridley.  “I nominated Eli as our GOAL representative because he is one of those exceptional students as he excels in every academic aspect.  His work ethics are superb.  He is a positive role model for other students and, was selected by the ASN faculty as a student member of the WGTC ASN Advisory Committee.  I am sure he will excel at any endeavor he pursues and will represent our program and college with professionalism, sincerity, and warmth,” shared Ridley.

Metts will now advance to regional judging in late February. In April, he will learn if he is one of the nine state finalists.  A panel of leaders from the business, industry and government sectors will interview them and choose one to be the 2017 state GOAL winner and the recipient of the GOAL medallion. The grand prize also includes a new car, courtesy of KIA, the statewide corporate sponsor of the GOAL program.
 
Metts shared, “I am truly honored to be the 2017 Wiregrass GOAL winner. Simply being nominated was a privilege, but I am now eager to represent WGTC at the regional level.  I never tire of sharing how technical education has impacted my personal and professional life."  Mett’s career goals include working in an acute care setting as a registered nurse, and ultimately enter an ASN-BSN bridge program so he will be eligible to work in an academic medical center.