History of OFTC

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A Brief History of Oconee Fall Line Technical College

2025
May – OFTC pins first graduating class of Associate Degree Nursing students.
2023
November – OFTC celebrates record high enrollment with 2,035 students.
2022
OFTC Adult Education student Rochelle White won the 2022 Dinah Culbreath Wayne Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education (EAGLE) Award for outstanding achievement in the state’s adult education program by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).
2021
OFTC celebrates its 10th anniversary (2011-2021).

OFTC discontinued credit program offerings at the Hancock County Center but continues to offer Adult Education and Business & Industry training, as needed.
2020
OFTC Instructor Kelley Braxton was the state runner up for the Technical College System of Georgia’s Rick Perkins Award (RPA).
2019
Erica Godbee Harden

OFTC Instructor Lecresicia Marion was a state top 9 finalist for the Technical College System of Georgia’s Rick Perkins Award (RPA).

February 1 – Ms. Erica Godbee Harden becomes President of OFTC, appointed by Commissioner Matt Arthur.
2018
August – The first Cohort for Associate Degree in Nursing Bridge (ADN) began.
2017
February – OFTC received SACSCOC approval of new Associate Degree in Nursing
2016
January 1- OFTC was awarded accreditation with the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges.
2013
June 27 – Ribbon cutting is held for North Campus Health Sciences and Business Development Center. The center was dedicated as the “Ben J. Tarbutton, Jr. Business Development Center.”
2012
OFTC Instructor Joyce Davis was a state top 9 finalist for the Technical College System of Georgia’s Rick Perkins Award (RPA).
2011
July 1 – Oconee Fall Line Technical College opens its doors.
2010
Georgia’s legislature announced merger of Sandersville Technical College with Heart of Georgia Technical College.

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1993
Georgia’s legislature authorized construction of Sandersville Regional Technical Institute (SRTI).
1994
April – Official groundbreaking was held to begin construction of SRTI.
1995

April – SRTI’s official instruction to students began with Commercial Truck Driving (CTD). This program was moved to Sandersville from Swainsboro Technical College.
1996
July – SRTI’s Adult Literacy service area was formed to include the counties SRTI would serve.

December 5 – SRTI held its ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Sandersville facility.
1998
June – SRTI holds its first formal graduation.
2000
October With the passage of House Bill 1187 by the State of Georgia Legislature, SRTI was officially renamed Sandersville Technical College (STC).

December – STC begins awarding Associate of Applied Technology Degrees. STC also opens the Warrenton Learning Center.
2001
Governor Roy Barnes approves an STC center in Sparta, Georgia.

The Sandersville CTD Range was dedicated as “The Jack R. English CTD Range”.
2002
Groundbreaking is held for the STC Jefferson County Center in Louisville. The Center opened in 2003.
2003
The auditorium at the STC Sandersville campus was dedicated as “The Robert W. and Inez Franks–Thiele Auditorium.”
2004
The STC Hancock County Center opens in Sparta, Georgia.
2005
Commissioner Michael Vollmer names Dr. Lloyd Horadan President of STC.
2010
Georgia’s legislature announced merger of Sandersville Technical College with Heart of Georgia Technical College.

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1980
Georgia’s legislature authorized construction of Heart of Georgia Area Vocational Technical School.
1982
November – Official groundbreaking was held to begin construction of Heart of Georgia Area Vocational Technical School.
1983
W. R. Stewart was chosen to serve as Heart of Georgia Area Vocational Technical School’s first director.
1984
March – Classes begin at Heart of Georgia Area Vocational Technical School.
1985
Heart of Georgia Area Vocational Technical School graduated its first students at the end of winter quarter.
1987
Heart of Georgia Area Vocational Technical Institute opened an off–campus division for aircraft sheet metal technology in Eastman, Georgia.
1988
The Board of Postsecondary Vocational Education became the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE). This new department was created by a legislative act and the State Board of Technical and Adult Education was created to govern the area vocational technical schools. At the time of the change in governance, Heart of Georgia Area Vocational Technical School changed names to Heart of Georgia Technical Institute (HGTI).
1990
December – A new facility for Adult Education was added to the HGTI campus.
1995
October – HGTI opened a new facility for allied health programs.
2000
January – HGTI’s DuBose Porter Business and Industry Training Center opened.
2000
October With the passage of House Bill 1187 by the State of Georgia Legislature, HGTI was officially renamed Heart of Georgia Technical College (HGTC).
2001
July – HGTC’s Eastman facility became the Georgia Aviation Technical College, the 34th college in the Department of Technical and Adult Education. With the re–alignment of the service delivery areas, Telfair County was added to the service area of HGTC.
2003
July – HGTC purchased an additional 50 acres of land for future expansion on the main campus in Dublin, Georgia.
2005
HGTC’s Telfair County Instructional Center’s name was changed to the Little Ocmulgee Instructional Center.
2008
September – HGTC opened Louie Livingston Hall on the Dublin campus.
2009
HGTC celebrates its 25th anniversary of the college.
2010
Georgia’s legislature announced merger of Sandersville Technical College with Heart of Georgia Technical College.