Warner Robins, Ga. – Brooklynn McDowell, a Dental Hygiene student from Bleckley County at Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC), has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL) for the College.
The announcement was made during CGTC’s annual GOAL Awards Ceremony in December 2024, where McDowell was honored for his outstanding academic achievements and leadership qualities. In recognition of this distinction, she will receive a monetary award from the CGTC Foundation and a reserved parking space on campus for the remainder of her studies.
McDowell was chosen from a competitive pool of four finalists after a rigorous selection process. A panel of community leaders reviewed the candidates and selected him as the winner. The other finalists included Alyssa Ramage, a Dental Hygiene student from Peach County; Debra Boyland, a General Studies student from Houston County, and Skylar Reed, a Cardiovascular Technology student from Houston County.
As the CGTC GOAL winner, McDowell will move on to regional judging in February 2025. All local GOAL winners from around the state will travel to Atlanta for an all-expenses-paid trip in April 2025, where nine regional finalists will be named. During this event, a panel of distinguished business, industry, and government leaders will conduct interviews to select one state finalist to become Georgia’s 2025 State GOAL Winner. The winner will also be recognized as the TCSG Student of the Year and will receive the coveted GOAL medallion.
Reflecting on her journey, Mc Dowell shared, “Patient care is my passion, the Dental Hygiene program allows me to experience touching stories with patients who I may have impacted; but who have, in turn, impacted my life even more. I love Technical Education because it offers something for everyone, whether you are in the military, a college student, a high school student in dual enrollment, or a single mom wanting to start your career. There is a space for everyone. I also really appreciate the constant support I receive from Central Georgia Technical College.”
The GOAL program, managed by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), celebrates exceptional students who exhibit both academic excellence and leadership. Each of Georgia’s 22 technical colleges selects a GOAL winner, who then competes at the regional and state levels for the chance to be named State GOAL Winner.
The statewide competition offers an exciting grand prize: a brand-new car, generously provided by Kia Motors, the official corporate sponsor of the GOAL program. The winner will also serve as a year-long ambassador for technical education across Georgia.
McDowell was nominated for the prestigious award by her instructor, Dr. Ekaterina Mirzukalova, a Chemistry instructor at CGTC, who was also named the Rick Perkins Award Winner for Excellence in Technical Instruction at the College for 2025.
About Central Georgia Technical College
As one of the largest two-year colleges in the state, CGTC operates three campuses and five centers throughout central Georgia, serving more than 30,000 individuals annually. CGTC is focused on connecting graduates to careers by offering quality education services, assuring a well -qualified workforce to support a healthy local economy. CGTC is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia and is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. For more information about CGTC, visit www.centralgatech.edu. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/centralgatech), Twitter (@CGTC), and Instagram (@centralgatech).