Surrency, English retire from STC

From left, Susan Surrency and Lynda English were honored upon their retirement from Swainsboro Technical College. (Photo contributed)

On Wednesday, June 20, instructors and staff of Swainsboro Technical College (STC) came together to wish two of their own the best of luck and success as Susan Surrency and Lynda English celebrated their upcoming retirement.

The festivities were held in the campus library with present and past employees of STC in attendance. After a delicious lunch prepared by instructors and staff, the honorees opened and shared many gifts.

Mrs. Surrency is one of the Business Office Technology instructors at Swainsboro Technical College and has been the Business Department chairperson since 1997. Along with secretarial work in the Swainsboro area as part of her work experience, she taught high school business courses in Houston, Evans, and Emanuel counties before coming to STC as an instructor in 1973. Mrs. Surrency's educational background includes degrees in secretarial science and education. She received secretarial science degrees from Middle Georgia College and Georgia Southwestern University, as well as the Bachelor of Science in Education from Georgia Southwestern. She received Master of Science for Teachers and Education Specialist degrees in business education from Georgia Southern University.

"Technical education especially with STC has been a ma- jor part of my life," commented Mrs. Surrency. I have seen many changes and much growth throughout my tenure at Swainsboro Technical College. I have enjoyed the students and classroom experiences that were the main focus of my career. Former and current colleagues provided me with guidance, wisdom, and humor to help enrich my classroom and professional performance. I developed many lifelong friendships and will miss the fellowship and action of a day's work at STC but plan to stay in touch. I'm leaving a terrific group of individuals. As I leave the rewarding career that Swainsboro Technical College presented me, I wish continued success and growth for the College."

Mrs. Surrency is a Swainsboro native. She is the daughter of Carolyn and the late Harold Parker. She and her husband Robert have a son and daughter in-law Jason and Jaime who live in New York City. Susan joins Robert in retirement; and they plan to remain in Swainsboro with numerous visits to New York and random trips through other parts of the country.

Mrs. English began working full time as an instructor at STC in 1976. She was born in Metter, graduated from Metter High School, and attended ABAC. She graduated from Georgia Southern College with a B.S. in Business Education; earned her M.Ed. in Vocational and Adult Education from Georgia Southern University, her Ed.S. in Occupational Studies from the University of Georgia, and completed some online business education graduate coursework at Emporia State University.

"When Mr. Maurice Boatwright hired me as a secretary in 1967, I knew that STC was where I eventually wanted to teach. With his encouragement, I continued my education and work experience so that I would be prepared when the opportunity arose. My career at STC has been very rewarding," commented Mrs. English. "It is very satisfying hearing from my students and knowing that I played a small part in their successes."

When asked what she plans to do with her spare time during retirement, she responded, "I will have plenty to keep me busy, but I will miss the daily contact with the students and my friends at Swainsboro Technical College who are like an extended family to me. I will continue to promote STC and technical education. I look forward to continuing the many relationships that have been built over the years."

Mrs. English was married to the late Jack R. English. She has two daughters and sons-in-law, Tiffany and Brian Daniel, Jaclyn and Jim Winskie, and one granddaughter, Elizabeth Raley Daniel.