GPTC Names Student and Instructor of the Year for 2025
Student and Lead Instructor Honored with GOAL and Rick Perkins Awards

CLARKSTON, Ga. – On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) proudly announced the winners of its prestigious annual awards. Tamirah Dix, 39, a Health Information Management Technology student, received the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL), while Antwania Massey, 43, lead instructor of the cosmetology program, was honored with the Rick Perkins Award.
The awards were presented during a special ceremony and luncheon at the DeKalb Conference Center, attended by GPTC staff, faculty, nominees, and their families. These accolades recognize excellence among GPTC’s approximately 4,000 students and 424 faculty and staff members.
President Tavarez Holston, EdD, praised the honorees for their achievements and leadership. “I am incredibly proud of Ms. Dix and Ms. Massey,” Holston said. “Each is a leader in her own right. Ms. Dix serves as president of the College’s Student Government Association (SGA), while Ms. Massey was recently named Division Chair of the Division of Industrial Technologies and Professional Services.”
Dix also serves as president of GPTC’s SkillsUSA chapter, a premier organization dedicated to workforce development for students. Winning the GOAL award is another milestone in her journey. “This award is an incredible honor that validates my hard work, resilience, and growth,” Dix said. “It represents how technical education has transformed me from overcoming personal and financial hardships to becoming a confident leader.”
For Massey, receiving the Rick Perkins Award was a moment of fulfillment. “Winning the Rick Perkins Award is an incredible honor, and for me, it feels like a full-circle moment,” Massey said. “From being a student at Georgia Piedmont Technical College to now representing GPTC as the Rick Perkins Award winner, this journey has been truly rewarding.
“To be acknowledged by my peers and leadership for doing what I love is both humbling and inspiring,” she added. “I am deeply honored to represent GPTC at regionals and state, and I hope to bring home the win for my college!”
Both honorees will advance to the regional competition on March 18 at Lanier Technical College. Regional winners will be announced in April at the state conference in Atlanta, where they will compete for the state title.