James_March-April_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 71
PRESIDENT DR. IRVIN T. CLARK
SOUTHERN CRESCENT TECHNICAL COLLEGE (SCTC) is
one of the largest schools in the system and top five
in the state with around 7,500 students. Like many of
Georgia’s technical colleges, it is a close partner with
many of the major employers in their region— from
advanced manufacturing companies to local hospitals.
Southern Crescent has a critical role in workforce development, featuring an advanced mechatronics program,
welding, healthcare, even film production and finance
programs. They also do a lot of work in transportation
with a commercial driver’s license program, one of their
larger programs.
Dr. Irvin T. Clark was named the president in 2022,
following his service as the Georgia Piedmont Technical
College’s vice president for economic development. Clark
has worked in higher education for over 20 years. During
his time at GPTC, the economic development division
served more than 500 companies through customized
contract training. Additionally, he brought in more than
$550,000 in to support programs in manufacturing and
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
Since his appointment at SCTC, Clark has continued
that kind of service. Next fall will mark the opening of a
$7 million Robotics Advanced Manufacturing Center at
the Griffin campus, serving as a premier training hub for
advanced manufacturing in a changing technological
environment. Last year, he received the South Metro
Development Outlook Excellence in Education and
Workforce Development Award and is one of a handful of
point persons for the southern metro region.
“We have a really strong impact, but I’m also proud
of the work we’re doing with our dual enrollment program,” said Clark. “We have well over 2,000 students in
dual enrollment, eight counties, and all those counties
have school districts that we serve a number of those
high schools. And a lot of those students are taking our
technical education programs.”
SCTC also has a large program dedicated to students trying to obtain their GEDs, something that opens
up a range of jobs that otherwise might be out of reach.
“Overall, our impact in these communities is very well
received and helping to move the workforce development pipeline in the region, as well as incumbent workers and students who are coming to the college to try to
seek a career,” said Clark.
Boosting Economic Development
In many ways, the technical colleges are the hub
of economic development in a region. Oftentimes, the
president of the technical college knows more about
economic development in the area than just about
anyone. That leader has to stay on top of the workforce
development piece so that the colleges can both be
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