Debra Geiger, Esq. has been selected as the Savannah Technical College 2016 Instructor of the Year and is the College’s Rick Perkins Award winner. The Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction honors outstanding faculty members at each of the Technical College System of Georgia institutions. Geiger will represent Savannah Technical College in regional and statewide events.
 
“Debra is a creative and innovative educator, who is committed to providing the best educational experience possible for our students, as evidenced by the many professional and civic activities she offers each semester,” said STC President Dr. Kathy S. Love. “Under her leadership, the recruiting, retention, graduation and placement rates have progressively and consistently increased each year in Paralegal Studies. Her continued dedication and commitment to our students, along with support for our faculty, position her as an ambassador to promote technical education in Georgia.”
 
Geiger has been the Paralegal Studies department head at Savannah Technical College since 2012. She is admitted to practice law in the State of Georgia and has general practice experience.  Geiger earned her law degree from the Levin College of Law at the University of Florida and is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, Savannah Bar Association, and Port City Bar Association. Last year, Geiger was elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Directors for American Association for Paralegal Education as Director of Associate Programs.
 
By utilizing her partnerships and affiliations in the legal community, Geiger helps Paralegal students find internships and employment opportunities in the legal field. One of the most successful examples of her innovative projects is the Paralegal Experience Program. In 2014, Geiger formed an exclusive partnership with the Savannah Regional Office of Georgia Legal Services Program, a statewide non-profit law firm serving 154 counties in Georgia, to allow STC Paralegal students to gain legal work experience each semester.
 
By participating in PEP, STC students not only gain practical work experience, but they also give back, in a significant way, to the community through dedicated volunteer service. PEP gives STC students a competitive advantage when seeking employment, because they will have experienced at least a year of legal work experience and community service in addition to a Paralegal Studies degree, making them more marketable to employers. In fact, GLSP has hired three STC Paralegal graduates and more than half of the currently-enrolled Paralegal students who have participated in this program have already been hired by local law firms.
 
The award has been an ongoing statewide event since 1991 and is designed to recognize technical college instructors who make significant contributions to technical education through innovation and leadership in their fields.  Formerly known as the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence, the Rick Perkins Award was renamed in memory and honor of Thomas “Rick” Perkins, an instructor at West Central Technical College, now West Georgia Technical College, who received the Commissioner’s Award of Excellence prior to his untimely death. The Technical College System of Georgia provides oversight for the Rick Perkins Award program through the System Office’s programming staff, the presidents’ Academic Improvement committee and the state planning committee.