An educator at Georgia Northwestern Technical College is gaining national recognition for her work helping instructors adapt to the growing use of artificial intelligence in education.
Berry College has earned top honors in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, including two No. 1 rankings among regional universities in the South.
The Rome college was ranked No. 1 for Best Value and No. 1 for Best Undergraduate Teaching. Berry also placed second overall among regional universities in the South, a category covering institutions across 13 states and territories.
Berry says its Best Value ranking reflects affordability efforts along with its LifeWorks program, which guarantees students up to eight semesters of paid, hands-on professional development experience. The college reports awarding more than $60 million in financial aid, with all undergraduate students receiving some form of financial assistance.
Berry’s undergraduate teaching recognition comes as the college maintains a 12-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio, which the school says allows for greater individual attention and mentoring.
Berry also received national recognition, ranking eighth in the country for service learning and remaining among the nation’s top 40 schools for first-year experience.
The rankings represent an improvement from previous years. In the 2024 U.S. News rankings, Berry was No. 2 for both Best Value and Undergraduate Teaching and fourth overall among regional universities in the South.
U.S. News says its rankings consider factors including graduation and retention rates, social mobility, graduate debt, earnings, faculty information and admissions data. Peer assessments from academics account for 20 percent of the methodology.
Seventeen Chattooga County students have earned academic honors at Georgia Northwestern Technical College for the summer 2026 semester.
GNTC announced its President’s and Dean’s Lists Monday. To qualify for the President’s List, students must maintain a GPA of 3.8 or higher while carrying at least 12 credit hours. The Dean’s List recognizes students maintaining a GPA between 3.5 and 3.79 with at least 12 credit hours.
Twelve Chattooga County students were named to the President’s List: Jonathan Bean, Jared Campbell, Melisa Cargle, Raven Dallas, Molly Jeon, Derek Mitchell, Jerry Morris, Amanda Parker, Courtney Trammell, Alyssa White, Mayahuel Yaoapoqa and Sueann Yaoapoqa.
Five Chattooga County students were named to the Dean’s List: Tammy Chandler, Darby Hall, Isis Hines, Stephanie Smith and Adam Tallman.
Students from across GNTC’s Northwest Georgia service area were recognized for their academic achievement.
The complete President’s and Dean’s Lists, including students from Chattooga, Catoosa, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Murray, Polk, Walker and Whitfield counties, can be viewed on the GNTC website: View The Complete GNTC President’s And Dean’s Lists
Georgia Highlands College is celebrating a major milestone, announcing it has served more than 250,000 community members since the institution was founded more than 50 years ago. The achievement reflects the college’s longstanding commitment to providing higher education opportunities across Northwest Georgia while continuing to expand its academic programs, enrollment and community partnerships.
Berry College has received national recognition for its commitment to preparing students for successful careers, earning an honorable mention from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) for career readiness excellence.
College officials said the award recognizes Berry’s distinctive LifeWorks program, which provides students with meaningful paid work experiences and professional development opportunities throughout their college careers. More than 90 percent of Berry students participate in the program, which offers over 1,000 paid student jobs across more than 180 campus departments.
According to Berry College, 85 percent of graduating seniors credit their student work experiences and supervisors with helping them achieve their career goals. The college also reports that 99 percent of graduates have achieved a positive career outcome within six months of graduation for the past six consecutive years.
Dean of Personal and Professional Development Marc Hunsaker said the recognition reflects the college’s efforts to embed career readiness throughout the student experience, while President Sandeep Mazumder noted that the program helps students connect learning with leadership and future career success.
Berry College has once again received national recognition for its financial strength, earning an A+ rating in Forbes’ 2026 College Financial Grades.
Shorter University has announced a new partnership with Kennesaw State University that will give students the opportunity to earn two bachelor’s degrees at the same time.
Through the program, students can graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Shorter University and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from KSU’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology.
Students will complete 45 credit hours at Shorter before transferring to Kennesaw State. The coursework has been aligned so credits transfer smoothly and students remain on track toward graduation.
Shorter Provost Dr. John Reams said the partnership gives students a strong pathway toward careers in engineering and mathematics while expanding academic opportunities.
Students who complete the requirements for the Shorter mathematics degree will receive that degree through reverse transfer while finishing their engineering degree at KSU.
For more information, visit shorter.edu/admissions or call 706-233-7319.
The Berry College community came together in a big way for its first-ever Day of Giving on April 8, rallying around the theme “We All Row!”
Georgia Highlands College recently hosted its annual President’s Scholars Day, an event designed to inspire high-achieving high school seniors and strengthen community engagement.
Georgia Northwestern Technical College says its systems will be unavailable Monday, March 30, across all campus locations due to scheduled maintenance.
During the outage, internet services, phone systems, Blackboard, and MyGNTC will be temporarily unavailable for the day. College officials are encouraging anyone who may need help with admissions, financial aid, student resources, or other GNTC-related business to plan ahead and reach out before or after the scheduled maintenance.