THOMASVILLE — Four years after the groundbreaking, Southwest Georgia Technical College of Grady County has “finally” opened its doors to students.

“We are pleased with the results and hope the citizens of Grady County will feel as we do, that sometimes the best results are worth waiting for,” Dr. Glenn Deibert, SWGTC president, said. “While the process took much longer than we would have liked, we are thrilled to finally have a larger presence in Cairo.”

The satellite campus opened Sept. 30 for Fall Quarter.

Ground-breaking ceremony was held in May 2004 but construction was stalled for three years due to the state delaying the sale of bonds that would have generated funding for the project, officials said.

The college began looking at alternative funding options and was awarded additional state funds for the main building and a grant from the Timken Foundation to construct a high bay area for the campus as well.

The total cost of the project is $1.4 million.

The contract was awarded in April 2007 to Construction CGM and site work began in July 2007. Construction on the main building wrapped in September.

An open house and official ribbon-cutting was held Oct. 7, featuring local entertainment, food provided by community sponsors and the attendance of SWGTC board members, foundation trustees and local legislators.

The main structure is 7,771 sq. ft. classroom building and the industrial training lab (high bay area) is 2,976 sq. ft.

The high bay service area and classroom building is still being completed, Deibert said. An Industrial Maintenance Technician Technical Certificate of Credit program will begin once it is finished.

“We anticipate that this building will be completed in January 2009, and we anticipate beginning the program in April of 2009,” he said.

The satellite campus means it is an extension of the school’s main campus in Thomas County, Sheryl Sealy, director of institutional advancement, said. There is another one in Mitchell County.

“We offer programs and classes at these satellite campuses that best fit the needs for that specific county,” Sealy said. “For Grady County, we did extensive research within the community and found that the programs selected — criminal justice technology, early childhood care and education, business administrative technology and practical nursing — would best meet its needs.”

SWGTC will also offer various general education preparation courses at the Grady County campus, Sealy said, including English, math, speech, introduction to microcomputers, anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology. The classroom building will house a small library and numerous general education courses to support programs.

A full-time instructor will be added to the Cairo campus to teach business administrative technology courses in January 2009.

“We don’t anticipate changing program offerings repeatedly or often but…we will continue to monitor community needs and enrollment,” Sealy said. “Should a new need arise or a demand for a different program surface, Southwest Georgia Technical College will take steps to respond accordingly.”

Deibert said “enrollment is growing” for the college in all areas, including Grady County. He anticipated the addition of new programs and courses would also mean future growth.

On average, Deibert said, 250 Grady County students enroll in SWGTC courses each quarter. Of those, 50 plus students are taking degree, diploma and technical certificate courses at the Grady County campus this quarter.

“Additionally, a number of students have enrolled in various continuing education and contract training courses to be offered at SWGTC of Grady County later in the quarter,” he said. “We hope (and anticipate) that many more students will begin taking classes at their local campus.”

Deibert said he looks forward to strengthening partnerships with the citizens and business and industrial communities of Grady County.

Jennifer Majors, executive vice-president of Cairo-Grady County Chamber of Commerce, believes the campus “could be the beginning of a new era” for her community.

“This new college brings enhanced educational opportunities for all, from our high school students beginning their quest to earn degrees to our work force population looking for continuing education,” she said. “We are very fortunate to have such a great facility in our community.”