The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) State Board has approved naming the VECTR (Veterans Education Career Transition Resource) Center at Chattahoochee Technical College the Superior Plumbing VECTR Center in honor of a $500,000 donation presented recently by TCSG State Board Member Jay Cunningham to the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation.
“We have a building on the Marietta Campus of Chattahoochee Technical College that we are renovating courtesy of the Governor and the General Assembly’s $2.25 million appropriation for a VECTR Center,” said Chattahoochee Tech President Dr. Ron Newcomb. “I am delighted that Superior Plumbing and Mr. Cunningham have offered a very nice sum of half a million dollars for the VECTR Center, and I thank him for his generosity and support.”
The Superior Plumbing VECTR Center will provide active and retired veterans in the community with a place to assist them as they transition into the workforce, according to Dr. Newcomb, who noted that transitioning from the military into the civilian sector can be challenging. Through the Superior Plumbing VECTR Center, Chattahoochee Tech will help veterans translate military skills and experience into training programs for high-demand and meaningful civilian careers.“
Superior Plumbing and Mr. Cunningham have been instrumental in the growth of Chattahoochee Tech over the years,” said Dr. Newcomb. As one example of their support, they donated $75,000 in 2019 for the renovation of the college’s Jim Cunningham Veteran Services Center. Located at the Marietta Campus, this Center is named for Jay Cunningham’s father, a U.S. Army Veteran who served in Vietnam. This Center, which will be relocated to the building for the Superior Plumbing VECTR Center, provides a supportive environment for the college’s vast student population of veterans and military-affiliated students.
“This opportunity to support the VECTR Center and the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation comes full circle,” said Jay Cunningham. He noted that he was a student at a technical college in the 1980s and later went on to teach within the technical college system. “It is a privilege to be able to do this, and to work with great people who do a great job so we are able to do this,” said Cunningham. “Giving back in this fashion to honor my parents is also an honor.”
Shown here, l-r, are TCSG State Board Chair Doug Carter, Chattahoochee Tech Vice President of Advancement Jennifer Nelson, Chattahoochee Tech Foundation Board Chair Mark Goddard, TCSG State Board Member Jay Cunningham, Chattahoochee Tech President Dr. Ron Newcomb, and TCSG Commissioner Greg Dozier.