GMC News

Teaching students through character-based education is a core value at Georgia Military College (GMC). At each of GMC’s 15 campuses throughout the state of Georgia, extra-curricular activities, clubs, and organizations are offered outside of the classroom, one of those is Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), a premier honor society recognizing the academic achievements of community college students and helping them grow as scholars and leaders. At this year’s Phi Theta Kappa luncheon, five Georgia Military College students were selected as All Georgia scholars: Raluchukwu Anachebe and Faith Okolo from GMC’S Fairburn campus, Adam Prskavec at GMC-Milledgeville, Carlton Gibbs at GMC-Valdosta, and Masona Fofana at GMC’s Warner Robins campus.

“We are so very proud of Georgia Military College’s All Georgia Phi Theta Kappa scholars,” Col. Pat Beer, Dean of Students at Georgia Military College, said. “Their academic achievement also represents our great faculty in preparing our students to ‘Start here… Go anywhere!’”

Dr. Naaman Josiah Pamoja, Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Social Sciences and Phi Theta Kappa Advisor at GMC-Fairburn, says both Anachebe and Okolo have worked very hard this year.

“It was incredibly exciting to see all of the time and commitment they invested in their studies being recognized,” Pamoja said. “They worked tremendously hard throughout the course of their matriculation here at the college and they both spent numerous hours on campus studying. The library was their home away from home.”

In addition to be named an All Georgia scholar, Okolo was also selected as a Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar, receiving a $1,000 scholarship.

“I feel blessed and inspired after receiving this award,” Okolo said. “This honor has not only motivated me, but has made me more zealous to accomplish my goals. I will also be prepared for obstacles while finding more ways to succeed because success does not sleep.”

Seeing their hard work paid off is what Anachebe says is rewarding.

“My main purpose in life is more than surviving with resilience, love and empathy for others, I want to thrive in everything I do,” Anachebe said. “This honor is here to remind me to stay focused while facing challenges and to finally accomplish my goal with God by my side.”

Laura Booth, Academic Dean of GMC Milledgeville, GMC Madison, and GMC Sandersville, is also the Phi Theta Kappa Advisor at Georgia Military College’s Milledgeville campus. She says although her student, Prskavec wasn’t able to attend the luncheon, she says just knowing he was selected as an All Georgia scholar is exciting.

“I am so proud of his accomplishment,” Booth said. “He has made GMC and our Phi Theta Kappa Chapter proud. PTK has so many wonderful opportunities for our students and I hope more students will take advantage.”

Fofana’s PTK Advisor at GMC’s Warner Robins campus, Dean of Students and Assistant Director of GMC-Warner Robins, GMC-Dublin, and GMC-Eastman, Paul McCord, says as a dual enrollment student working towards her high school diploma, Fofana has nearly completed her Associate’s degree from Georgia Military College in Pre-Nursing. McCord says she’s always been a hardworking student so this accolade is no surprise to him.

“Masona Fofana has been an exemplary student throughout her enrollment at GMC,” McCord said. “She has excelled academically and has demonstrated great qualities of character. She greets our staff happily and proudly when she walks through our halls, and she will certainly go on to accomplish great things in the future.”

As for Gibbs, his Phi Theta Kappa Advisor at GMC-Valdosta, Bill Washburn says Gibbs attended GMC-Valdosta as a home-school student, and was dual-enrolled for two years. He achieved a 4.0 GPA while taking all upper level math and science courses. Washburn says Gibbs is now currently attending Mercer University where he is in the inaugural class for the Civil Engineering Major created this year. He says Georgia Military College has stayed true in the institution’s effort for students to “Start here… Go anywhere!”

“I love hearing about how successful our students are when they graduate and move on to other universities,” Washburn said. “Our focus is student success and for our campus in Valdosta, that means we at GMC want to ensure that students are successful when they start here so that they can go anywhere.”

Congratulations to all of Georgia Military College’s Phi Kappa Theta All Georgia Scholars!