On the evening of February 21, 2026, the Southern Regional Technical College Foundation recognized three Distinguished Alumni Award winners during the Foundation’s “Comedy for a Cause” event at the Biscuit Company in Thomasville, Georgia. Those recognized were April Bentley of Moultrie, Katie Brey of Tifton, and Drew Maxwell of Boston. The Distinguished Alumni each received an award handcrafted by students at SRTC. Each of these Distinguished Alumni embody excellence in technical education and beyond.
April Bentley serves as Director of Human Resources at SRTC — a role that brought her full circle after beginning as a student. Following the loss of a seven-year job and as a single mother determined to build a better future, April enrolled at SRTC and earned multiple diplomas and certificates in Computer Information Systems between 2004 and 2011. She went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude from Liberty University and earned her SHRM Certified Professional designation. She credits instructors Steve Taunton and Andy Clark for instilling the confidence that changed the course of her life. Outside of work, April co-founded S.A.C.K.S. Ministry, directed Hope for the Hungry, and continues serving at Heritage Storehouse Thrift Store. Her advice to students: "Don't underestimate yourself. Technical education can be a doorway when life feels uncertain. Sometimes all it takes is one step forward and someone willing to say, 'You can do this.'"
Katie Brey serves as Clinical Nurse Educator in the Emergency Department at Tift Regional Medical Center. Katie made the most of every opportunity at SRTC, earning her CNA in 2021, LPN in 2022, and completing the ASN-RN bridge program in 2024. In 2022, she was named SRTC's GOAL delegate, competing at the regional and state levels and proudly advocating for technical education statewide. She credits instructor Shae Spivey, whose ER background and subject expertise helped her develop the critical thinking skills that now define her practice. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree alongside her Certified Emergency Nurse and Trauma Nursing Core Course credentials, Katie also serves as a Youth Leader with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and volunteers with Peanut Butter & Jesus. Her advice to students: "Technical education bridges classroom learning with real-world skills in ways traditional universities cannot — come back to it with focus and determination, and the results will speak for themselves."
Drew Maxwell is the owner and CEO of Maxco Land Management, turning a childhood passion into a thriving business. Raised within the land, forest, and wildlife industries, Drew graduated from SRTC in 2020 with an Associate Degree in Land, Forest, and Wildlife Management, gaining the scientific foundation behind practices he had known instinctively since childhood. He credits Dr. Jeremy Green and Lane Green for combining deep expertise with a gift for making learning engaging — and looks back fondly on the hands-on field trips that brought classroom theory to life. Since graduating, Drew has built Maxco from the ground up, applying the principles learned at SRTC while maintaining the friendships formed there. His advice to students: "Just go for it. At the technical college, you get more one-on-one education, and everyone is willing to lend a helping hand to see you succeed."
For more information on SRTC’s Alumni Association, joining the association free of charge, or nominating a distinguished alumnus, please visit our website at http://southernregional.edu/alumni-association, or contact the Institutional Advancement Office at 229-225-4060.
Southern Regional Technical College offers over 150 degree, diploma, and certificate programs that are designed to get students quickly into their desired careers, and 38 general education courses that transfer to the University System of Georgia institutions and 19 private colleges and universities in Georgia. SRTC has instructional sites located in eleven counties across Southwest Georgia for the convenience of its students. The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. For the most up-to-date information on registration, class dates, and program offerings, interested individuals can log on to www.southernregional.edu or call (888) 205-3449.
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