South Georgia State College will usher in a new academic year Monday, August 9, 2021, with Faculty and Staff Convocation. The opening ceremony welcomes new and returning employees to the college community and marks the official launch of the fall semester.
Convocation activities will take place all week for faculty and staff. Events will include a time to recognize faculty tenure and promotion and to celebrate employees’ years of service to SGSC, including retiree recognitions. Several sessions will be held during the week to provide professional learning opportunities.
This year’s keynote address will be presented by Mr. Alfred Barker, Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Security Officer & Cybersecurity with the Board of Regents at the University System of Georgia.
Mr. Barker has nearly 20 years of experience designing, planning, directing and coordinating activities in cybersecurity for higher education. He provides cybersecurity leadership to the University System of Georgia, which is composed of 26 higher education institutions made up of 49,000 faculty/staff and over 330,000 students, Shared Services Center, Georgia Film Academy, Georgia Archives, and the Georgia Public Library Services.
A former U.S. Marine, Mr. Barker has a Master of Science in information security with academic honors from Lewis University – a NSA & DHS Center of Academic Excellence – and is a graduate of the EDUCAUSE Leadership Program. He also is a GIAC Information Security Professional, certified forensic examiner, and holds over 20 professional and technical certifications. His presentation will include relevant information on the cyber landscape, especially related to higher education.
“The start of a new academic year is always an exciting time and this year is no exception. Convocation is an important step in setting the stage for a successful fall semester. We look forward to having our faculty and staff back on campus and can’t wait to see our students filling the classrooms again,” says Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers, SGSC President. “We have been working throughout the summer to prepare a complete college experience with strong academic programs and a welcoming and safe environment.”
Classes begin Monday, August 16, 2021, at the Douglas and Waycross Campuses and at the Entry Program in Valdosta. Students who are interested in attending SGSC this fall but have not applied should contact the Office of Admissions at (912) 260-4206 or by email at admissions@sgsc.edu. For more information about South Georgia State College, please visit www.sgsc.edu.