
Georgia Gwinnett College celebrates two commencements, 20 years
The number two has special significance at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). During two commencement ceremonies today, GGC celebrated over 850 graduates. It was also the second commencement held on campus in GGC’s new Convocation Center.
Today is also the 20th anniversary of GGC. The audience heard a special, congratulatory video message from University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue, who signed the college into existence on May 10, 2005, when he was governor. Today’s graduates

Georgia Gwinnett College Celebrates 20 Years of Growth, Innovation and Impact
Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) proudly marks its 20th anniversary, celebrating two decades of academic innovation, student success and economic impact.
On May 10, 2005, a bold vision for higher education in Gwinnett County came to life when then-Governor Sonny Perdue signed legislation introduced by then-Senator Don Balfour, establishing the nation’s first four-year, public college created in the 21st century, and the first in Georgia in over 100 years.
In 2006, GGC welcomed its first cohort of
A time-honored tradition: Georgia Gwinnett College hosts nursing pinning ceremony
Hundreds of friends and family gathered at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) on May 6 to witness a time-honored passage for nursing students: their pinning ceremony. The long-standing tradition welcomes graduates into the nursing profession, and GGC’s 39 graduates became the newest members by accepting their pins. On May 10, the students graduate from GGC with their bachelor’s degree in nursing. The last step to earning their registered nurse designation is to pass the National Council Licensure

Georgia Gwinnett College biochemistry graduate learned how to roll with the changes
Nolberto Sanchez said life hasn’t supplied him with a crystal ball, but it’s thrown plenty of curve balls.
When he walks across the Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) stage to receive his diploma in biochemistry this month, he’ll know it was adjusting to those unexpected pitches that were the key to his success.
“If I could offer one nugget of thought, something that’s resonated in my own experiences, it would be this: Stay open to the unexpected and remain adaptable,” he said.
Sanchez grew up in the

Georgia Gwinnett College commencement celebrates graduates, anniversary
There will be a lot to celebrate on Saturday, May 10 at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). Leading the way will be over 850 students excited to turn their tassels during two commencement ceremonies on the GGC campus at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
GGC itself is celebrating these graduates, and its 20th anniversary. GGC was signed into existence by then Governor Sonny Perdue on May 10, 2005.
Along with the emotions of joy and a few tears, highlights include:
- Morning commencement student speaker Sumayyah Yoonas o

Her best shot: GGC education graduate found her calling by taking care of teachers during COVID
Sumayyah Yoonas planned to finish medical school long before her children started kindergarten, but, as she said, “Life has a way of taking our carefully drawn maps and scribbling new routes in permanent marker.”
Yoonas grew up in Dubai and immigrated to the U.S. in 2005 with her husband, Adnan, who works in health care administration. Yoonas put her dreams of being a doctor on hold to raise the couple’s three children.
In 2010 she passed the GED exam, which allowed her to start working as a

First-generation American, son of Liberian immigrant, defies the odds to graduate from Georgia Gwinnett College
Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) political science graduate Andre Cross will break through more than a few barriers when he walks across the stage to receive his diploma in May.
His parents were born in Liberia in West Africa as members of the Kru tribe, an indigenous people known for fierce resistance to enslavement and capture during the Atlantic slave trade. His mother fled to the U.S. with other family members before the First Liberian Civil War in 1989. The couple settled in Loganville

GGC Information Technology graduate persevered with father’s guidance
Niecia Say’s journey to Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) took her across the ocean and back with more than her fair share of challenges and heartbreak to overcome along the way.
Say was born in Decatur, Georgia, to Dr. Martial Venance Say, a professor of chemistry, and Olivera Atse, a caregiver. When she was 10, the family moved to Ivory Coast in West Africa, where her father was offered a job at the University of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan. Say moved to France with her sister in 2018, where
The name of the game
Controllers in hand. Fingers moving quickly. Buttons clicking. Eyes focused on the screen. It’s a common scene for “gamers” as they compete with themselves and others at home, during lunch, on campus, after work, and yes, sometimes late into the night.
Myles Bivins, middle, explains his gameFor Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) students taking the Honors 3000 Video Games and Society course, it was more about broadening their understanding of video games and the impact they have.
Marcus Haynes, lecturer of English, challenged his students
Navigating health care
When you think of the top terms for health care providers, physicians and nurses immediately come to mind. However, in the ever-evolving world of health care, there’s a role that’s growing both in need and importance: patient navigator.
Yahriel Duran and Lexi Homer participated in a patient navigation scenario, assisting a fictional patient facing financial hardship, weight, nutrition problems and other medical issues in the sim lab of the Allied Health and Sciences Building at Georgia Gwinnett College. Photo by Daniel Melograna/Georgia Gwinnett College“It’s a relatively new profession, one that got its start through the American Cancer Society (ACS),” said Dr. Nina Cleveland, assistant professor of health science and Health Sciences department chair for Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC).
GGC’s patient navigation