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Georgia DTAE Commissioner Dr. Kenneth Breeden address
es the crowd at the 50th anniversary celebration in Macon.
MGT looks to the future of technical education
Since the 1943 founding of North Geor
gia Technical Institute in Clarkesville, tech
nical education has evolved immensely.
Once utilized as a tool which provided em
ployers with willing workers who would
keep America’s factories alive, technical
education is now recognized as a leader in
teaching state-of-the-art industrial and in
formation skills to the those who are willing
and able to keep up in today’s fast-paced
technological environment.
50 Years and Beyond
1993 was a banner year for technical edu
cation in Georgia. Dec. 1 of ‘93 saw the grand
finale of a year-long series of celebrations
marking the 50th anniversary of technical and
adult education in Georgia. Nearly 1,000 peo
ple gathered at the Macon City Auditorium to
commemorate a half-century of progress.
While the spotlight was on this golden
anniversary, most of the night’s focus was
on the future rather than the past. Georgia
Department of Technical and Adult Educa
tion Commissioner Dr. Kenneth H. Breeden
was ecstatic about future possibilities.
“This is not simply a celebration of Geor
gia’s first technical institute,” noted Bree
TECH TALK
1 Quarterly Publication Of Middle Georgia Technical Institute • Winter-Spring 1994 • .Vo. !4
den, “We’re also here to celebrate what we
are today and what we will be in the future.”
Said Assistant Commissioner Douglas L.
Bolen, “Students enrolled in the State’s tech
nical institutes are interested in pursuing ca
reers in some of the world’s most advanced
and complex industries and technologies.”
Technical education has definitely come
a long way in 50 years.
A New Beginning
On December 22, just three weeks after
the 50th celebration, officials from Middle
Georgia Technical Institute held a meeting
to unveil the model of MGT’s new campus.
Legislators from around the midstate
showed up to perform the unveiling and
take a look at the new facility.
President Billy Edenfield, who spearhead
ed the new campus campaign, thanked the
legislators for their support of the project and
reiterated the need for a new campus in re
spect to all of Middle Georgia. “It has been
a very busy year for all of us,” he said. “With
enrollment continuing to increase, classes are
being conducted in every available space.
We have moved people out of offices to
make room for classroom space. We’ve
This is a view of the proposed campus of Middle Georgia Tech which will
be built near the center of Houston County off Houston Lake Road and
Georgia 96. Work on the campus should begin later this year. Funding for
the campus is provided through the Georgia General Assembly.
moved offices into closets and constructed
temporary offices in two lobbies.” With
some 750 people on a waiting list to enroll at
MGT, it’s no wonder Edenfield has worked
so diligently to secure the new campus.
Into the Future
MGT’s current facility measures 77,000
square feet and sits on a 12-acre tract of
land. There is not enough room to house the
booming student population or to expand.
For these reasons, it is necessary for MGT
to relocate the campus.
The new facility will be located on 73
acres of land in South Houston County. It
will be southwest of the intersection of
Highway 96 and Houston Lake Road in the
vicinity of Flint Electric and Houston Coun
ty High School. The facility will be com
posed of three buildings totaling 145,000
square feet, and a four lane road is being de
signed to provide easy access to the school.
Many factors were taken into considera
tion in designing the new facility. The
buildings will be modem in appearance
while taking advantage of the natural beau
ty of the location. They will be easily main
tained, safe, and secure. The most modem
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Georgia state legislators
from Middle Georgia Techni
cal Institute’s district, along
with DTAE Commissioner
Dr. Kenneth Breeden, view
the model of MGTs new
campus. In the picture are
(from left) Sen. Sonny Per
due, Dr. Kenneth Breeden,
Rep. Sonny Watson, Rep.
Larry Walker, Rep. Robert
Ray, Rep. Lynmore James,
Sen. George Hooks and
Rep Johnny Floyd.
technologies will be utilized so that the
buildings are as energy efficient as possible.
In order that the facility can be used to its
fullest potential, the campus has been de
signed with maximum flexibility in mind.
If necessary, multiple programs will be
taught in the same space. Room for expan
sion has been designed into the facility in
case overcrowding occurs again.
The new facility will also provide many
opportunities which are not currently of
fered at MGT. The larger facility will allow
space for several new programs of instruc
tion. The campus will contain a state-of
the-art media center which will allow stu
dents to network with other schools. An au
ditorium seating 300-350 people will be
available for community use.
One hundred percent of the design of the
new facility was completed during the last
week of January and the design will be re
viewed through February. In March, the
state will seek construction bids and a con
tract will be awarded in April. Construction
is to start in May and should last approxi
mately two years.
That’s one small step for MGT and one
giant leap for technical education.