Adult and Career Education Receives Best Practice Award

VALDOSTA - Valdosta State University’s Adult and Career Education program (ACED) received the “Best Practice in Postsecondary Partnership Award” from the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and the National Council of Local Administrators (NCLA) at the first annual national Best Practices in Career and Technical Education Conference in Oklahoma City on September 27-28.

“The ‘Best Practice’ signifies strong recognition from their peers that the collaboration between Valdosta State University and our region's technical colleges is a model for the nation,” said Dr. Louis Levy, vice president for Academic Affairs.

The conference recognized premiere cutting-edge practices that are improving the career and technical education profession. The program, for which VSU was honored, brings together specified Applied Associates of Science (AAS) degrees at Valdosta Technical College, Moultrie Technical College and East Central Technical College with the Bachelors of Applied Science (BAS) offered through the Dewar College of Education’s ACED. It allows students who earn AAS technical degrees to matriculate into the BAS degree with a major in Technical Studies. Since 2000, 99 students have graduated with BAS degrees and entered the workforce in higher than entry-level positions.

"This award reflects the high quality of programs we have here at VSU, the College of Education and in Adult and Career Education," said Dr. Reynaldo Martinez, department head. “We will continue the practices that have placed us among the nation's leaders in our field.”

Dr. Yayha Mat Som is the BAS Program Coordinator and Ms. Iris Ellis advises students in the program. For more information, call the department office at (229) 333-5928.