G eorgia College & State University’s free pilot program—blending business entrepreneurship with solar panel physics—ended this summer when participants installed 38 solar panels at Baldwin County’s Water Treatment Facility.

Last week, the free certificate course officially wrapped up with officials from the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation visiting campus to celebrate its PIN 2024 Community Research Grant Program. The Georgia College course was one of four projects funded last year.

Now, the successful solar business program moves forward with a recent $400,000 EPIIC grant from the National Science Foundation. EPIIC stands for Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity.
 

The grant is Georgia College’s third largest award from NSF. 

“I am very pleased with this achievement,” said Dr. Eric Tenbus, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “This NSF award will no doubt contribute to GCSU's growing reputation in the natural sciences and STEM arena and stands us well with our fellow selective public institutions within the state.”

The concept of merging business with solar physics was the underlying factor for the NSF award, proving innovation is at the core of Georgia College’s liberal arts mission. 

The certificate course also served as a workforce development program for the city of Milledgeville.

The department of Continuing & Professional Education was instrumental in obtaining the original $100,000 PIN grant and recruiting area residents for the 40-hour course that launched in January. Director Angie Woodham and her CPE team worked closely with Georgia College business and physics professors to coordinate classroom space, promote the program and track progress.

Dr. Nicholas Creel, professor of business law and ethics co-directs Georgia College’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He worked with Dr. Hasitha Mahabaduge, associate professor of physics, to develop and teach the free course.

The closest comparable classes in green technology and solar are three hours away and can cost up to $2,000, Creel said. Coupled with business knowhow, the course helped make participants more competitive for jobs in the solar industry.

The recent installation was managed by alumnus Ryan Agnew of South East Solar. His company donated solar panels for the project. The remaining supplies were funded by the grant. 

 

About 40 residents took the course. In July, 10 put what they learned into practice.

Jonathan Lenz, an electrician from Jones County was one of them.

Lenz plans on taking the exam for certification by NABCEP, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. This would allow him to expand his business with solar panel consulting and installation.

Lenz learned about the program on TV, after 13WMAZ featured the university’s program.

“After that, the program was pretty booked. I was excited to get in,” Lenz said. “I got a sense this is needed in this area and to do any kind of work in Georgia as an electrician, you basically have to be licensed.”

“We all need a little help, especially in this day and age,” he said. “I hope Georgia College can come up with other innovative classes like this. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to learn.” 

Melanie Byas, a retired marketing director living in Gray, Georgia, intended to install solar panels on her house years ago. Taking the Georgia College course allowed her to learn more about the process.

 

“The professors have been awesome,” Byas said. “The course was enlightening. I hadn't realized how much planning goes into it and how many regulations there are. I’m probably like most consumers, thinking it’s simple, but it’s much more involved.”

Travaris Veal  of Baldwin County works with municipalities around the United States. Pre-planning and safety were his biggest lessons.

 

He hopes to become certified soon.

“I'm always trying to gain knowledge, trying to better myself,” Veal said. “Trying to help my family, push my abilities and do additional things to stay on top of the technology side of things. Things in the world are progressing. So, I'm trying to progress too and lead by example.”

The new NSF grant allows programs like these to continue and expand.

Plans are underway to establish an “Institute for Academic Innovation,” utilizing the university’s four colleges and other campus units to implement grant activities.

 

Some classes will still accommodate area residents. 

But now, Georgia College students will also be able to participate.

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