Dr. Margaret Venable, formerly a professor and administrator at Georgia Perimeter College, has been named interim president of Dalton State College. She will assume her presidential duties on Jan. 1.

Venable’s most recent assignments were vice-president positions at Gordon State College and North Georgia College’s Oconee Campus. Before that, she held a range of roles at Georgia Perimeter, including assistant vice president of Early Colleges and Academic Initiatives, interim dean of Sciences and Physical Education, interim dean of Academic Services and department chair of Science and Physical Education.

“Margaret’s skills and experience developed during her extensive service with the University System are a tremendous asset, and we are fortunate to be able to rely on her leadership,” said University System of Georgia Chancellor Hank Huckaby.

Ten GPC English faculty members presented programs during the 86th South Atlantic Modern Language Association conference held Nov. 6-9 in Atlanta. This year’s theme was “Sustainability and the Humanities.” GPC presenters were Dr. Reginald Abbott, Amber Brooks, Dr. Kathryn Crowther, Dr. Lauren Curtright, Dr. Laura Edmunds, Hank Eidson, Nancy Gilbert, Lauri Goodling, Lee Jones and Mary Helen O’Connor. Dr. Stuart Noel serves on the SAMLA executive committee.

Alice Murray, student media advisor, presented two programs during the national College Media Association convention in Philadelphia Oct. 30-Nov. 1. Murray was a presenter for the roundtable “Community College Editors and Advisors” with Geoff Carr of North Idaho College.  She also presented the 2013-14 Advertising Pinnacle Awards during the convention. More than 3,000 students and their advisers from all over the United States attended the convention.

Bettina Benoit Durant, Communication and Journalism, Online, has been appointed to the national leadership team of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., as a member of the sorority's International Leadership Training Committee. In addition, she recently co-authored “Reflection of ‘Pearl-fection’: The Timeless Service of Upsilon Alpha Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated,” the history of Gwinnett County’s first chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. 

Georgia Perimeter College has been awarded a $4,000 Tobacco Cessation Mini-Grant from the Health and Wellness Fund of the University System of Georgia. Rodney Pegues and the Tobacco and Smoke-Free Task Force Smoke Cessation and Services Subcommittee were instrumental in securing the award. The GPC STOPS! grant will allow the college to align current institutional plans to make all campuses smoke free with an effective employee cessation program. The resources will assist the GPC Student Health Center and clinical staff in providing educational and medicinal resources to college employees.