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Human Services Technology grads honored

2019-01-09
Students pose in front of a Christmas tree
Southwestern Community College students honored during a Dec. 17 pinning ceremony on the Jackson Campus included, from left: Tatiana Vereen of Cullowhee, Whitley Barrett of Franklin, Jordan Rogers of Franklin, Dustin Roche of Maggie Valley, Taylor Wilson of Franklin, Crystal Yanez of Sylva and Gifty Mansah of Cullowhee. Not pictured is Jamie Pendergrass of Franklin.

In an era when the opioid crisis is ripping apart families and communities, Southwestern Community College is training professionals who are ready to help in the fight against addiction.

Southwestern’s Human Services Technology (HST) program equips students with the skills needed to empower clients to make better decisions.

Eight students who recently completed the program were honored in a pinning ceremony on Monday, Dec. 17, at SCC’s Jackson Campus in Sylva. Four of the graduates earned associate degrees in both HST and Substance Abuse Treatment: Whitley Barrett of Franklin, Gifty Mansah of Cullowhee, Jamie Pendergrass of Franklin and Dustin Roche of Maggie Valley.

The other four received HST degrees: Jordan Rogers of Franklin, Tatiana Vereen of Cullowhee, Taylor Wilson of Franklin and Crystal Yanez of Sylva.

“We challenged these students to ‘Believe there is good in the world’ and to ‘Be the good,’” said Lori Clancy, who coordinates the Human Services Technology at Southwestern. “Every one of these graduates has already shown us they have a passion for making a difference in the world, and I cannot wait to see how each one of them does that in the years and decades ahead.”

All eight also have the option of furthering their education by pursuing bachelor’s degrees at four-year institutions.

For more information about Human Services Technology and the Substance Abuse Treatment concentration, contact Clancy at 828.339.4397 or l_lancy@southwesterncc.edu.

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