Ah…..spring break, the time when students enjoy a week off from studying, head to the beach, sleep late and relax. But for a group of Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) students, the break offered something different: the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and learn firsthand about volunteering and the impact it can make on a community.
J.P. Peters, assistant director of student outreach and service at GGC, says: “Alternative Spring Break is more than service. It’s an opportunity for students to step outside their comfort zones, connect with communities and return with a deeper understanding of the world around them.”
This year, more than 70 GGC students participated in Alternative Spring Break.
For Yamil Castillo, a sophomore majoring in accounting, the week meant volunteering with fellow students in and around Lawrenceville. One of their stops was Just People Inc. in Norcross, which offers programs for adults with developmental disabilities, mental illness and head injuries. “This is my second year volunteering and I really enjoyed it,” Castillo says. “They have villages where residents have the chance to live together and build independence. It’s kind of like a college experience.”
Dr. Tonya Millsap, joined the organization five years ago after retiring from teaching. “I’m a developmental disability professional, so I wear many hats here and I’m in charge of the continuing education program,” she says. “I like seeing college students get more comfortable and warm up to the special needs community.”
Kayanna Johnson, a Bahamas native and GGC sophomore majoring in environmental science, said she learned about the opportunity in an anthropology class taught by Dr. MaryBeth Chrostowsky. “We were doing kinship charts and Dr. Chrostowsky mentioned Alternative Spring Break,” Johnson says. “I followed up with her in January and signed up. I wanted to find different places where I could volunteer and give back to my community, because it’s something I’m passionate about.”
During the week, students also volunteered at the Rowen Foundation, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, downtown Lawrenceville and explored Treetop Quest Gwinnett.
In addition to the Lawrenceville projects, other groups of GGC students and faculty volunteered with organizations in Asheville, N.C.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Clarkston, Ga.; Mobile, Ala.; Richmond, Va.; and Walland, Tenn.
GGC basketeers end season in NAIA opening round
The Georgia Gwinnett College men’s basketball team capped its historic inaugural 2025-26 campaign with a 66-53 loss to Hope International University on Friday night in a First Round game of the NAIA tournament. The No. 3-seeded Royals (24-6) used a 14-4 offensive run over a four-minute span at the midway point of the first half to build a commanding 24-11 lead.
A three-point field goal from junior Devontre Chaney brought the No. 14-seeded Grizzlies (25-7) within 10 points, at 33-23, with 13 seconds left of the first half. However, Hope International’s Jorren Edmonds buried a 3-pointer in the closing seconds to stretch the halftime lead to 36-23.
GGC’s 53 points were a season low in a game. The team made just four of its 29 shots from behind the 3-point arc (13.8 percent) for the game, and had 13 of its 17 turnovers during the opening 20 minutes of action. Freshman Patrick Johnson scored a game-high 17 points while having 11 rebounds. Chaney also had a double-double performance with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Amari Morgan tallied nine points.
Coach Chase Teichmann summed it up: “This is a tough pill to swallow. Our offense which has been tremendous all year, let us down in the biggest game of the year. Hope International did a great job making things difficult for us, but we just didn’t execute. I am proud of our defensive effort. We fell short of our goals, but I’m still proud of the kind of teammates and men these guys are.”
PCOM Georgia hosts regional science fair
This year marks a decade that PCOM Georgia has served as the presenting sponsor of the Gwinnett Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair. This is a major community event that showcases the STEM talents of elementary, middle, and high school students across public schools in Gwinnett County.
Hundreds of student-led projects were displayed at Gas South on Friday, February 27. More than 80 faculty, staff, and students from PCOM Georgia participated in the fair as judges, volunteers, and representatives helping to judge projects, and through hosting hands-on activities designed to provide a glimpse into healthcare careers.
One such activity included breakout sessions called “Build the Body, Build the Future” led by Christy Dinkins, EdD, director of Campus and Community Partnerships at PCOM Georgia, which challenged students to test their anatomical knowledge. Over 600 middle and high school students participated in an interactive exercise, rearranging cutouts of body parts such as the brain, kidneys, heart, liver, large intestines, gallbladder, and sinus canals while also identifying the medical specialists responsible for each.
“The best part about this fair is seeing how excited the kids get,” said Dinkins. “Their faces light up when I ask them about their science fair projects. My office has the opportunity to work directly with many of these students throughout the school year, and seeing how proud they are of the finished product makes me excited for them. The future is bright for these amazing scholars!”
