Jan. 28—Jacob Ferguson of Dalton has earned a bachelor of science in business administration with high honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Ferguson was among approximately 4,900 undergraduate and graduate students to be presented Georgia Tech degrees during the Institute's 261st commencement exercises Dec. 17-18, 2021, at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

The Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) Foundation awarded scholarships to 34 qualifying students for the 2022 spring semester. The GNTC Foundation awarded between $250 and $1,000 to each student to assist in paying for the spring semester at GNTC.

"We applaud these outstanding GNTC students for their excellence and hard work," said Heidi Popham, president of GNTC. "They will be great assets to the workforce upon their graduation and we appreciate the Georgia Northwestern Technical College Foundation for making these scholarships possible."

Whitfield Murray Campus recipients are:

—Diesel Technology Scholarship: Braiden Miles

—First Generation Scholarship: Areli Cruz

—Gene Haas Scholarship: Wilmer Zelon

—GNTC Foundation Scholarship: Mario Garcia, Rafael Patino and Analy Vigil Rico

—Manufacturers Education Foundation Scholarship: Daniel Sanchez and George Stoker

Christopher Hayes of Chatsworth graduated from Jacksonville State University on Dec. 10, 2021, with a integrated studies degree. More than 600 students received undergraduate and graduate degrees as part of the university's fall commencement ceremonies.

Jacksonville State University's famed marching band, The Marching Southerners, has won the top prize in college bands — the prestigious Sudler Trophy from the John Phillip Sousa Foundation — and also been invited to represent the U.S. in Normandy, France, at the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June 2024. Local members of the band include:

—Sarah Crawford of Rocky Face, flute section

—Abigail Jones of Dalton, front ensemble section

—Natalie Jurado of Dalton, trumpet section

Kaley Long of Rocky Face was named to the Lincoln Memorial University dean's list for the fall semester 2021. To be placed on dean's list, the tudent must be a full-time undergraduate student and have a 3.5 or higher grade-point average for the semester. A total of 538 undergraduate students were recognized for their academic achievements.

Samford University recognized 1,826 students named to the 2021 fall semester dean's list.

To qualify, a student must have earned a minimum 3.5 grade point average out of a possible 4.0 while attempting at least 12 credit hours of coursework. Dean's list is the highest academic recognition given by the school at the end of each semester. Local students were:

—Caroline Coleman of Dalton

—Ellis Herndon of Dalton

—Ann McIntosh of Rocky Face

—Anne Proctor of Dalton

Shorter University has announced students named to the dean's list during the fall semester of 2021. To achieve this honor, students must have been enrolled full time and have earned at least a 3.5 grade point average for the term. Local students were:

—Emily Brunson of Dalton, elementary education

—Branson Carnes of Chatsworth, psychology

—Abigail Crawford of Tunnel Hill, Christian studies

—Kali Crowder of Dalton, general business

—Joshua Dyer of Dalton, general business

—William Farmer of Rocky Face, general business

—Karla Gamez of Chatsworth, psychology

—Porter Johnson of Dalton, Christian studies

—Teresa Lopez of Dalton, general business

—Leighann Summers of Dalton, ecology and field biology

—Kailee Tipton of Chatsworth, elementary education

—Payton Tuder of Rocky Face, mathematics education

—Jaleea Whitener of Dalton, biology

—Yahir Zapata of Dalton, management

Valdosta State University is proud to announce the members of its graduating class of fall 2021. Local students were:

—Austin Fowler of Dalton, education specialist in teacher leadership

—Ronald Natola of Dalton, education specialist in teacher leadership