Warner Robins, Ga. – Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) recently announced its four student finalists for the 2026 Georgia Occupational Award for Leadership (GOAL) program. These outstanding students have been recognized for their academic excellence, leadership qualities, and dedication to their fields of study.
The 2026 CGTC GOAL Finalists are:
Meredith Salmon, Orthopedic Technology
Kimberly Giddens, Welding and Joining Technology
Larry Howard, General Studies, Healthcare Professional Pathway
Anna Walters, Physical Therapy Assistant
Sharelle Pangilinan, Radiologic Technology
Each of these exceptional students was nominated by their instructors during the fall semester as part of CGTC’s comprehensive selection process. They will now advance to the next phase of the competition later in November.
The winner will be named CGTC’s 2026 Student of the Year in an awards banquet in December.
The GOAL program, a statewide initiative of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), honors students who exemplify academic success, strong work ethic, and leadership potential. GOAL finalists and winners represent the best of Georgia’s technical education system, highlighting the critical role it plays in shaping the state’s skilled workforce.
“Each of the students who participated in this year’s competition had a distinct quality that made them representative of the entire student body,” said JoBen Rivera-Thompson, CGTC’s GOAL coordinator and director of Marketing, Public Relations, and International Outreach. “They are a reflection of our enrollment growth and our community, in that they bring unique and diverse stories to their journey through technical education, ultimately finding purpose at the College. Congratulations to each of them for their success.”
A committee of CGTC administrators first reviewed nominations and conducted interviews with the students. The finalists will now appear before a selection committee of local business and industry leaders who will evaluate them based on academic performance, leadership ability, personal character, and passion for technical education.
The student selected as CGTC’s GOAL winner will move on to the regional competition, where three students from each region will advance to the state finals. The top nine students statewide will be honored at the TCSG GOAL Conference in April 2026 in Atlanta, where the overall TCSG Student of the Year will be announced.
Additional CGTC students nominated for the 2026 GOAL competition include:
James Hargrove, Cybersecurity
Savannah Maupin, Radiologic Technology
Kevin Lawrence, Physical Therapy Assistant
Devin Powell, Design and Media Production
Kaleb Brown, Cybersecurity
James Reeves, Welding
Tanisha Saddler, Early Childhood Care and Education
William Weaver, Aircraft Structural Technology
Nadia Jackson, Practical Nursing
Avery Richardson, Orthopedic Technology
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), X (@CGTC), and Instagram (@centralgatech).