SGSC, Satilla Riverkeeper announce partnership

South Georgia State College (SGSC) and the Satilla Riverkeeper (SRK) are the newest educational partners in South Georgia.  The two organizations established the Satilla Riverkeeper and South Georgia State College Education and Training Alliance during a recent signing ceremony on SGSC’s Waycross Campus.

“An important part of our mission as a college is to provide our students with access to ecological sites in this part of the state,” said SGSC President Dr. Virginia Carson.  “The Satilla River is a feather in this region’s cap, and I am proud of the fact that this partnership will be a vital educational resource for our students.”

One of the biggest benefits to the partnership, Carson said, will be the ability of SGSC science faculty to utilize the river as an outdoor classroom. “The Satilla River is a perfect complement to our science curriculum, especially the newly launched bachelor’s degree in biological sciences,” she said.

Carson said she also looks forward to the contributions SGSC faculty and students will make in maintaining the river’s viability for years to come – an important aspect not lost on SRK Executive Director Ashby Nix.

“A vital effort of the Satilla Riverkeeper is to educate the public, especially younger generations, about how important the Satilla is to this area and what the public can do to ensure the river can be enjoyed well into the future,” said Nix.  “By establishing this partnership with SGSC, the Satilla Riverkeeper is able to further enhance these awareness efforts.”

The Satilla Riverkeeper and South Georgia State College Educational and Training Alliance is the second partnership SGSC has established with a local educational organization.  The College announced an alliance with the Okefenokee Swamp Park earlier this year.