Gale Watkins retires from North Georgia Technical College

CLARKESVILLE-Gale Watkins, Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator at North Georgia Technical College, retires on January 1, 2012, with more than 32 years of service.

"I attended NGTC on the 'Senior Plan' through Habersham Central High School," she said. "It is a great place to learn and a great place to work."

Through the years, faculty and staff have depended on Ms. Watkins for clerical and administrative support. From the simple tasks of typing curriculum and test documents to the more complex tasks of collecting and compiling data for professional certifications and accreditations, Gale has been quietly efficient and a delight to work with.

"Without Gale, I don't know if we would have made it," said retired NGTC Vice President Dr. Jim Watkins as he reminisced about the work done for the prized accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). "She kept us all straight, and all of our documentation was ready to go on time."

In 2008, the college did receive the accreditation with SACSCOC, placing the school on par with the public and private four-year colleges not only in Georgia but across the country. Ms. Watkins had also worked on the documentation for a variety of other institutional credentials such as the college's previous accreditation with the Council on Occupational on Education (COE) and the Performance Accountability System and Review (PAS/PAR) with the Technical College System of Georgia.

For several years, Ms. Watkins has been involved in the NGTC Alumni Association helping to organize many events, including the Classic Car Show at the annual Homecoming weekend events.

"Gale has been one of those steady contributors who will be greatly missed," said President Steve Dougherty. "We hope that she will continue to come back to visit us and remain a part of our family for many years to come."

Gale and her husband, Phillip, live in Clarkesville and have two children and two grandchildren. Phillip is also a graduate of the college in electronics technology.