Greenville Technical College Holds Commencement Exercises

GREENVILLE, SC – More than 1,900 degrees, diplomas, and certificates were awarded at Greenville Technical College this spring, and nearly 540 graduates participated in Commencement Exercises held on Tuesday, May 12 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

Mary Rock was recognized as Professor of the Year. Rock has motivated and inspired hairdressers for most of her career. facilitating seminars for such well-known companies as Redken, Matrix, Helene Curtis, Artec, and Joewell. Her work has been featuring in magazines such as American Salon and Modern Salon. She became the Cosmetology Department Head at GTC in 2006, sharing her commitment to education and community involvement with students and faculty. She has developed a unique curriculum for the program that includes business, marketing, and personal finance, giving students the practical tools to succeed in the cosmetology industry.

Janiece Robinson was honored as Adjunct Professor of the Year. Robinson serves as a speech consultant and public speaking professor, motivating clients and students to become confident presenters who communicate effectively. She has worked with a variety of clients including executives and managers of Fortune 500 companies, national sales directors, presidents and vice presidents of regional advertising firms, CEOs of non-profit organizations, small business owners, religious leaders and more. Teaching is always at the heart of her work, and Robinson began her career as a professor, since then serving on the speech faculties of two universities.

James E. (Ed) Rollings received the Outstanding Alumnus Award. Rollings earned an engineering technology degree in Florence, working as a draftsman and engineer’s assistant, a craftsman, and race car builder for many years. At the age of 42, he enrolled at Greenville Technical College, earning an associate degree along with a 4.0 GPA, Phi Theta Kappa membership, and honors graduate designation. Later, Rollings earned an engineering degree with honors from Clemson University and now works as an engineer, supporting manufacturing operations and quality for a major, multi-national corporation. Rollings has been a member of the Greenville Technical College Alumni Association since 2005 and has served in many leadership roles with the organization including chair of the Public Relations Committee and since 2013 as president of the association’s council.

Mike Baur received an Honorary Alumnus Award. Baur has served as chief executive officer of Scan Source, Inc., a company with worldwide headquarters in Greenville, since January 2000. The company, established by Baur and a team of five other employees in 1992, now has 42 locations across North America, South America, and Europe, and employs approximately 2,000 people. Experience at Scan Source, and in various leadership and senior management roles in the technology and distribution industries prior to establishing the company, give Baur more than 30 years of experience in the IT industry.

Everith E. Radcliffe received a President’s Award. A student in the Early Care and Education program, she has been an exemplary role model for other students. Active in the GTC Honors Program since March 2013, she recruited others from her department into the Honors Program and together, they formed a powerhouse team for academic success and leadership.

Michelle Christine Garcia-McCain also received a President’s Award. She has demonstrated excellence in her Imaging Sciences studies and has dedicated her efforts to seeing that other students also succeed. She is past president of Lambda Nu, the National Honor Society of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences. She was on the President’s List for four semesters and the Dean’s List for four semesters. She has repeatedly given back to the college by serving as a tutor for the Anatomy and Physiology course required of many students. This effort to share her expertise with others has helped countless students move forward with their educational goals.