Gwinnett Technical College announces that Dr. Cayanna Good as the Spring 2025 Commencement Speaker. Dr. Good is the assistant commissioner for adult education with the Technical College System of Georgia. In her role, Dr. Good oversees federal Adult Education grants, provides educational opportunities to approximately 50,000 adult learners across Georgia, and supports local adult literacy initiatives.
Good
The commencement ceremony will occur on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Gas South Arena. Approximately 700 students are anticipated to graduate.
Before joining TCSG, Dr. Good served as the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, helping advancing educational excellence and accountability across Georgia. She has also served as vice chair of the Georgia Charter Schools Commission and as a member of the Alton Crews Middle School Local School Council.
Dr. Good holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from Fisk University, a master’s degree in education from Georgia State University, and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Mercer University. She resides in Gwinnett County with her two children, Julianna and A.J.
Dacula student is Georgia C.A.R. State President
Noah Tindall, Osborne Middle School Eighth Grader and Troop 597 Eagle Scout, was installed as the 2025-2026 Georgia State Society of the Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R) President at Mount Vernon, Va, as part of the C.A.R. National Convention. Tindall states as he outlines a State Project known as “HUZZAH! to our Patriots,” dedicated to acquiring interpretive signs for Georgia’s historical sites.
To kick-off this State Project, Noah was joined by State First Vice President Kholson Bull, Seventh Grade at Riverwatch Middle School Forsyth County; Second Vice President Taylor Newton, Ninth Grader East Coweta High School in Coweta County; and Chaplain Eden Pethel, Seventh Grade, Homeschool Student in Jackson County; in placing a wreath in Arlington, Cemetery at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
From left are Eden Pethel, Pendergrass; Kholson Bull, Cumming; Noah Tindall, Dacula; and Taylor Newton, Senoia.
Solicitor general creates special victims unit
The Gwinnett Solicitor General’s Office has launched a Special Victims Unit to better serve victims of sensitive misdemeanor offenses including sex crimes, vehicular homicides, stalking, pandering and prostitution.
The new unit is designed to address the unique challenges these cases present, particularly those involving teens. In Georgia, recent developments in the law have placed greater emphasis on acts committed between individuals ages 13 to 18, requiring additional resources, sensitivity and legal attention.
Solicitor-General Lisamarie N. Bristo says: “Establishing the Special Victims Unit is a significant step toward ensuring every victim in Gwinnett County receives the attention and care they deserve. We’re not only enhancing our legal response but also reaffirming our commitment to compassionate and effective justice.”
In addition to handling sex-related crimes, the new team will also serve as the primary point of contact for all animal cruelty and neglect cases prosecuted in Gwinnett County State Court.
Feels her late father watching over with pride
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
Say was born in Decatur 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 had a job at the University of Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan. Say moved to France with her sister in 2018, where she finished high school, and returned to the U.S. in 2020.
At that time, her uncle suggested she attend GGC. “My uncle suggested I major in data science,” she says. “I was hesitant at first, but surprisingly, I ended up loving it.” However, it was always her father who instilled in her the drive for higher education.
“My father received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Georgia State University and was a senior lecturer in Ivory Coast,” she says. “He always emphasized the importance of education. So, I decided to fight for mine.”
In May 2022, not halfway to Say finishing her required courses, her father unexpectedly passed away. The shock of the loss threw her life into chaos, emotionally and financially.
“I lost my best friend, my biggest supporter and the person who made me love school,” says Say. “Grieving was hard, and life no longer made sense. But after some time, I shifted my mindset. I told myself, ‘I have to make my dad proud. I have to make my family proud.’”
Without her father’s financial help, Say explored every possible resource offered on campus. That led to her applying to be a resident assistant (RA). To her surprise, she got it.
“Becoming an RA changed me. I discovered leadership skills I never knew I had. I found joy in mentoring residents, helping them navigate college life and sharing the resources I had found helpful.”
Say said she felt overwhelmed at times, and there were moments she was envious of students who were graduating while she was still struggling. She even considered dropping out. She said her father’s voice always told her to stick it out in those times. Looking back, she says she knows she stayed on the right path, thanks to him. “Deep down, I knew my time would come. Through it all, I held onto one truth: I do my best, and God does the rest.”
After graduation, Say plans to keep following her father’s direction and pursue a master’s degree in data science. “I always envisioned this moment with my dad by my side, celebrating my achievement,” she says. “Though he is not here physically, I know he is watching over me with pride.”
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