Jason Stargell, a Calhoun police officer, will be crossing the stage during the Georgia Northwestern Technical College graduation ceremony tonight at The Forum. (Daniel Bell / Rome News-Tribune)
Stargell will officially receive his degree during a graduation ceremony today at 7 p.m. at The Forum in downtown Rome. Approximately 55 students will participate in the ceremony, representing several classes: Coosa Valley Technical College’s spring 2009, as well as GNTC’s summer 2009, fall 2009, winter 2010 and spring 2010 groups.
Graduation for the CVTC 2009 class was delayed because of the merger of Coosa Valley Tech and Northwestern Tech, so today’s event was planned. Graduates who might have not attended the previous ceremonies were also invited.
Stargell finished his degree last spring while also working full time for the Calhoun Police Department, where he has been employed for eight years. He previously worked for the Floyd County Police Department.
“It was hard, getting a degree while also working 12-hour shifts,” said Stargell, adding that his teachers at Georgia Northwestern were accommodating.
“I had to miss a couple of classes, or maybe be late because of working over, and they never had a problem with it. They made it a lot easier to go back to school,” he said.
Criminal Justice Coordinator Tyler Gayan said Stargell’s real-world experience was an asset to the program.
“He was able to relate to the other students with real-life examples of the topics that were being discussed in class,” said Gayan. “Jason neither expected nor asked for any special treatment because he was a police officer. Jason is proof positive that, with hard work and determination, obtaining higher education is possible while working full time.”
Stargell became involved in law enforcement as a lark. He was working as a mechanic when a friend who was applying to the Floyd County police convinced him apply too. He got the job and fell in love with it, he said.
Now he is aiming to move up in the department. His next goal is to begin work on a bachelor’s degree, and perhaps even a master’s eventually. Stargell and a fellow officer are looking into Reinhardt College, but Stargell said though he knows it’s unlikely, he’d love for GNTC to add a bachelor’s degree.
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