Jennifer Fennell, Jackson EMC’s Gwinnett District Manager, has been appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp to Georgia’s State Board of Education. Fennell will represent the 13th Congressional District, which includes Gwinnett County. Her appointment expires in 2030.
Fennell
At Jackson EMC, Fennell is responsible for internal and external affairs, including leadership, engagement and government relations for the cooperative’s office in Gwinnett County. Prior to being named district manager, she was a senior business development manager for Jackson EMC. She has worked at the electric cooperative since 2014.
Fennell is active in multiple civic organizations and community groups. She serves on several boards, including the Gwinnett Chamber, Leadership Gwinnett, Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation, and the Water Tower at Gwinnett. She is past president of the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf and has been a member since 2016.
Fennell is a member of the Leadership Georgia Class of 2022 and the Leadership Gwinnett Class of 2018. In 2022, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce presented her with the Moxie Award. She recently was appointed by the Georgia Supreme Court to the Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee for Judicial Administrative District 9.
Fennell graduated from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and an MBA. She and her husband, Benjie, live in Lilburn with their three children.
Snellville is hosting cornhole league beginning this fall
The City of Snellville is announcing a new partnership with Peach State Cornhole (PSC) to bring the popular recreational game to The Grove at Towne Center.
PSC co-owner Nick Boyers says: “We are pleased about the new partnership with the City of Snellville to host social cornhole leagues. This space is poised to become the heart of the city and we look forward to drawing in the community to friendly competition on Thursday nights. We welcome all levels of players for a chance to toss bags, meet new people, and enjoy local restaurants and vendors.”
Peach State Cornhole hosts cornhole leagues throughout the state of Georgia offering multiple skill levels in the favorite tailgate game. At the end of each eight-week season, top teams gather for a state tournament.
Registration is now open for the upcoming Fall League in Snellville at peachstatecornhole.com/snellville through August 19. Players can register as a team or free agent in their skill level of choice. To receive a $20 discount at signup use code: NLSNVL.The first night league night is August 29. The season ends October 17.
Halle Foundation provides GGC study abroad grant
A group of nine Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) students, a professor and a staff member from GGC’s School of Business (SBA) recently flew to Germany to spend 12 days immersed in German cultural, business and leadership activities.
The study abroad experience was made possible thanks to a $25,000 grant to the Georgia Gwinnett College Foundation from The Halle Foundation, Atlanta. This is the second grant GGC has received for study abroad in Germany. The first grant was to visit Germany and design the program.
Dr. Vlad Bursuc, associate professor of legal studies, says: “This study abroad was designed to give our students a complete understanding of sustainability, from German business innovations to the convenient public transportation system. The itinerary for the trip was packed with visits to three cities, countless cultural sites and seven professional meetings.
Among the experiences was a guided tour of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Bursuc says: “This was a deeply impactful cultural experience. The site, artifacts, and stories combine to provide an indescribable message even as we approach one century since the events occurred. With the backdrop of a contemporary war in Europe and political turmoil at home during an election year, the experience conveys lessons that a classroom cannot mimic.”
Candice Stephens, SBA administrative assistant and coordinator for the study abroad initiative, says: “Our students also learned about the history of the country, including the Holocaust. They were overwhelmed by the experience. It’s one thing to read about that time in history and something very different seeing it in person.”
At the end of each day, the students wrote about their experiences, culminating with a final writing assignment about what they learned.
Ciara Cruz, a junior majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing , came from the trip saying: “This experience has influenced my academic choices and career goals by deepening my desire to pursue my academic career and professional career in Germany. I am now considering an apprenticeship or doing a master’s program that focuses on marketing so that one day I can create a life for myself in Germany.”
Bursuc adds that by the time they were back on a plane to fly home, the group had walked 34 miles. “I would advise anyone on a trip like this to be wearing a good pair of comfortable shoes,” he laughs.
Gwinnett Tech collaborated with GiveWorx program
Gwinnett Technical College is collaborating with the GiveWorx Construction Program, a transformative initiative aimed at empowering resilient students. The program spans 14-16 weeks, where students receive academic, hands-on skills training in construction, mentoring, job shadowing, and job readiness workshops in partnership with community and business partners, Home Builders Initiative/HBI, Home Depot, and local chapters of 100 Black Men Atlanta, Inc.
Dr. Cannon, the president of Gwinnett Technical College, is delighted with the college’s collaboration with 100 Black Men of North Metro Atlanta Inc. and the GiveWorx program. “This partnership allows Gwinnett Tech to offer robust support to families as they navigate diverse educational pathways.”
Karen Foote, program director of the GiveWorx Construction Program at GIVE Center East, says the main priority for the program is to address educational and employment gaps where students can see success in school, work, and community. Graduating its first class of 26 students on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at the Alvin J. Wilbanks Instructional Support Center is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and perseverance of our students.
Upon completion of the GIVEWORX construction program, students attain a PACT CORE certificate (a construction industry-recognized pre-apprenticeship credential) and the opportunity to enter the workforce or continue their journey along a selected career pathway through further education at a technical college, four-year university, or apprenticeship.
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