Ogeechee Technical College instructor Casey Corbett was recognized Tuesday as the top technical college instructor in the state of Georgia.
After being selected as one of three finalists from the southern region two weeks ago, Corbett was among eight finalists from around the state and was named the 2021 Rick Perkins Award winner, which is given as the top prize in the statewide competition.
“I (work with) the best instructors in the world here in (the Technical College System of Georgia),” Corbett said. “I want to thank Ogeechee Tech for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream and help my students live out theirs. I want to dedicate this award to late Senator Jack Hill, he had a front row seat watching me grow up and knew the passion I had for wildlife – I would not be here if not for him.”
Corbett, who has taught at OTC since 2017, has previously worked as the Tech Prep and School to Work Coordinator at Southeastern Technical College, science teacher at Tattnall County High School, small business owner, and the Education Coordinator at the Georgia Southern University Center for Wildlife Education.
“I could not be more proud of Casey for being selected as this year’s Rick Perkins Award winner out of an incredibly competitive group of well qualified instructors,” said OTC President Lori Durden. “Her passion for Fish & Wildlife Management is evident in everything she does. Not only is she a great instructor, but her love for her field extends well beyond the classroom. Casey embodies everything the award stands for and she will make a wonderful advocate for technical education across the state.”
Also, Corbett is a certified Hunter Education Instructor for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and holds Georgia Master Naturalist certification from the UGA Cooperative Extension Service and the UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources.
Corbett expressed that what she does goes well beyond teaching and has a global impact.
“My students are the future stewards of wildlife and our natural resources,” she said. “They are the future conservationists that our state, nation, and world really need. I am teaching them, not just to prepare them for a successful career, but more importantly so they can teach others how to be better stewards of our planet,” she said.
The announcement ceremony was streamed on the Technical College System’s Facebook page. System Commissioner Rick Dozier then surprised Corbett and the Ogeechee Tech staff by walking in the room at OTC where they were watching the stream and presenting her with the Perkins Award.
As the 2021 Rick Perkins Award winner, Corbett received a crystal award and a check for $2,500. She will serve the next year as an ambassador for technical education in the state of Georgia.