Success Stories

A true storyteller, Anthony Lewis’ art reflects his own journey and tells the stories of others that have often gone untold.

In the Spring of 2023, Columbia's NBC affiliate WIS Television named a new anchor to its Soda City Live lifestyle program.

From a young age, Brandon Langston knew he wanted a career in the printing industry. Though he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university, he credits Midlands Technical College’s Commercial Graphics program with his success as a printing company sales executive.

Jonathan McCain is a United States Army Veteran and never knew a billboard would change his life.

Tori Edsel, Associate in Arts class of ’22, had her eyes on the stage to become a dancer. But in January 2019, the music stopped. Edsel suffered a brain bleed which led to a stroke and her kidneys failing.

Scott Knight proves that there are no dead ends through Midlands Technical College.

More than 1,000 students graduated in the spring of 2022, including a son and mother.

Kennedy Rose shows us that taking that leap of faith and attending college at MTC is worth the risk.

Martinique's story demonstrates that it’s never too late to finish what you started. After 25 years away, Martinique returned to MTC to finish what she started after being inspired by her daughter Aylssia’s journey.

The GreenWay Group, LLC, is a full-service lighting company based in Columbia offering clients of all sizes efficient and reliable lighting solutions led by President, CEO and retired Air Force Officer, Sammie B. Taylor.

Sam Angeles knows the importance of making big strides one step at a time. As a first-generation college graduate, the first big step in his journey was enrolling at Midlands Technical College.

For Garrett Davis, beginning the Industrial Maintenance Program at MTC represented a completely new challenge. He had no prior experience, but he saw the chance to go down a new career path. Now, he couldn’t be happier.

With grief, debt, and frustrations building, Nyasha decided to make a change and got into coding through MTC.

Heroes and role models can take all forms. Sometimes they stand out from afar, and other times they operate in plain sight, working among us.

With unforeseen circumstances amid a pandemic, Doug Burch could have given up on his goals. Instead, he persevered and graduated with his Computer Numerical Control (CNC) certificate.
Burch was able to leave his job in the restaurant industry and accept a new position providing CNC work for Palmetto State Armory. 

Catalina Fortner’s love for Midlands Technical College runs deep. An alumna of the MTC Nursing program, she graduated debt-free thanks to MTC Foundation scholarships. Now, Catalina has a career she loves as a home health nurse. But that’s not the only love she found at MTC.

Roger decided to go on and continue his education at Winthrop and study healthcare management. All his MTC classes transferred, and the MTC advisors helped him find the right path during the whole transfer process.

Ashton knew he needed a career change, and it would require returning to college. For him, Midlands Technical College was the perfect place.

After a year of college at a private university, Ariana decided to move to Columbia to live with her family and save money and decided to enroll in our pharmacy technician program.

Through donations from the community, MTC alumni, and MTC employees, Rochelle received emergency financial assistance to get her car repaired and finish her degree.

Nicole McCune knows how important scholarships are from her experience as an MTC student.

Enterprising Women Magazine has named MTC alumna Lasenta Lewis-Ellis the 2016 Enterprising Woman of the Year. The award is widely considered one of the most prestigious recognitions for female business owners. Lasenta said her MTC Architectural Engineering and Technology degree set her up for real success.

Ken Yamashiro spent a semester studying aerospace engineering out-of-state before he had a realization that, instead, he wanted to learn how to connect with people. After enrolling at MTC, read how he gained the tools and knowledge to launch three successful businesses at age 23 – all before he’s earned his degree.

Kadejah Pickering was a retail assistant manager for more than 15 years when she sustained a major injury and was no longer able to continue in that line of work. Suddenly, she was faced with the need to make a career change.

John's education at Midlands Technical College led to a stable, long-term job after years of being stuck in service jobs, working one, then adding another, to make ends meet.

Ashley Ramirez is a self-proclaimed nerd who pulled off an amazing academic feat. She earned two degrees from MTC before she graduated from high school. Her parents met while taking classes at Midlands Technical College and married shortly afterwards, so it makes sense that Ashley Ramirez felt a Real Connection to MTC.

DPX Technologies, LLC manufactures and sells consumable products for chemical analysis – products it has been able to produce at the Midlands Technical College Business Accelerator. In his own words, DPX’s president and CEO shares how the workspace and relationship with MTC is helping his business reach the next level.

Joe went to MTC earn his GED and ended up taking full advantage of the offerings at MTC and staying for two years. After he left MTC, Joe went on to the University of South Carolina and did really well. He felt prepared, got good grades and was able to get a computer programming job right out of school.

When Cyntia Seumo was awarded a scholarship from Midlands TechHire at Midlands Technical College (MTC), she says her life started clicking. Only 18 weeks after beginning her first class at MTC, Cyntia completed training in the Desktop and Server Administrator program and received a paid internship with Columbia-managed IT services and business products provider, Carolina Business Equipment.

During my first visit with my MTC advisor, he suggested I look into the Michelin Technical Scholars Program. The opportunity to gain training for a real job while I was in school was exactly what I was looking for.

Vicki Givens is a 2015 graduate of the QuickJobs Data Analyst program. She credits the MTC QuickJobs scholarship for helping her change careers and making a significantly higher salary.

After two years at Dreher High School, Jayda Manning needed some flexibility in her schedule and transferred to the Richland One Middle College, located on the Midlands Technical College Beltline Campus. Two years later at age 17, she is the youngest person ever to receive an associate degree from MTC when she completes her final course this summer.

Growing up in rural Lexington County, my family has always instilled in me the value of education. Therefore, after serving my country in the Armed Forces, I decided to attend Midlands Technical College. I knew I needed a degree to go to the next level in my career path.

Full-time soldier Army Sergeant Jake Tyler graduated from Midlands Technical College May 5, 2017, with high honors receiving both an Associate in Arts and an Associate in Science degree.

I chose Midlands Technical College after high school because it gave me the opportunity to take my time to figure out what I wanted to do in life.

Retired Master Sergeant Emma Anderson graduated with an Associate in Arts and continue on to pursue a bachelor’s degree at the University of South Carolina.

Heather's two-year associate degree and end of the year class project gave her the start she needed as a dental hygienist. She was able to work in an office, be a mom and also obtain my Bachelor’s degree from St. Petersburg College online.

Lou Kennedy CEO and Co-Owner of Nephron Pharmaceuticals Group Nephron Pharmaceuticals partners with MTC to fill the jobs gap. "We recently opened a new greenfield facility just outside of Columbia, SC. Midlands Technical College was a major factor in determining our location choice."

George P. (Garry) Powers has begun his two-year term as Chair of the Midlands Technical College (MTC) Commission. He has been a member of the Commission since 2009, bringing a depth of knowledge in the economic development arena.

Midlands Technical College has helped Southeastern Freight Lines conquer the two biggest challenges for any company: hiring the right person and getting that person in the right seat.

After eight years of working, I decided to get back to my college plan. I thought I might want to go to New York University. My next thought was, "how do I get there?"

On the Beltline Campus at Midlands Technical College, there’s a reminder that you're never too old to learn something new. Annie Dillard was a spry 89 years old when she started taking classes at MTC.

Sarah Donnelley entered MTC two years ago with little personal direction or goals. “The Midlands Technical College faculty and staff were more than willing to help me find my way. They showed me the many opportunities MTC provides students to increase their knowledge and make the most of their learning experiences.”

In 2004, Total Comfort Solutions initiated its first training program to strengthen leadership culture and skills at Total Comfort Solutions. They called MTC, and they were able to develop customized leadership training modules.

Dr. Cliff Marsh entered MTC as a first-generation college student, graduated with an Associate in Arts, and went on to receive his bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees. He credits MTC for providing the foundation for his success.

At Midlands Technical College, you get the skills you need to get a job because you receive hands-on training. Read Alphonzo's testimony about hard work, dedication, and the incredible programs offered at MTC.

In 1972, Bill helped create a two-year associate degree in science that taught radiography at MTC. The program combined clinical training and coursework with college credits.

Midlands Technical College (MTC) alumna Sara Oswald is achieving a dream that she never even foresaw being a possibility. As a student at Midlands Technical College, Oswald transferred her entire Associate in Arts degree to Harvard, and was the first student in MTC history to do so.

The Differential Equations math class Devin taught at MTC launched a high altitude weather balloon (HAB) with a GoPro camera. From planning, design, setup, launch, and retrieval, this first-of-its-kind project at MTC was made possible only because of the full funding provided by the MTC Foundation.

Denise Smith's experience at MTC gave her the guidance she needed to be a great manager for her company.

Midlands Technical College offers companies like TCube a blueprint for success by providing an exceptional talent pool of first-class students and customized training solutions. TCube’s Assistant Vice President Bob Adams shares how the insurance technology startup was fueled by innovation, perspiration, and a partnership with MTC Business Solutions.

Greg finished his commitment with the Marines and went to work for a good company, but 5 years in, needed a change of scenery. He started hearing more and more about the Radiology program at Midlands Technical College. He found that Midlands Technical College’s Radiologic Technology program was one of the top in the country.

David Peacock spent 23 years serving the United States Air Force, with multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East. After enduring several injuries on the battlefield during search and rescue missions, he was medically retired due to traumatic brain injury (TBI). After getting to a certain point in his recovery, Peacock found himself asking the difficult question of, "what's next?"

The Midlands Technical College Commission officially named Dr. Pete Sercer as Commissioner Emeritus upon his retirement from the MTC Board of Trustees. With 27 years of service, Dr. Sercer was the longest-serving commissioner in the college’s history.

Her husband was killed in action in Iraq. After that blow, she went to a dark place, but Lewis says the darkness lifted when she saw the light of opportunity at Midlands Technical College. Lewis decided to pick herself up and enroll at MTC.

MTC Commission Chair Robby Wilkins has announced a pledged gift of more than $100,000 in support of the college. The gift is a combined donation by the Wilkins family that is reflective of the family’s admiration and respect of the work MTC does for the students and community it serves.

Midlands Technical College is proud to announce Tammi Byrd as the 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

Joe graduated from MTC in December of 2004 with an Associate in Science. Then, he went on to receive his Bachelor of Science from the University of South Carolina (USC), and two Master of Science degrees – one from USC and the other from John Hopkins University.

Joseph "Hilik" Shenkar, Midlands Technical College’s 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, received his Associate in Arts degree from Midlands Technical College in 2005 before going on to become Assistant Solicitor and Special Assistant United States Attorney. He said MTC provided the pivotal foundation to help him become successful in his career.

After graduating in the top 15% of Boiling Springs High School in Spartanburg, Justin wanted to find a place that worked for him. After one visit to Midlands Technical College, where he saw how nice everyone was and how much he could save before transferring, he decided to make the move to Columbia.

MTC is the reason Ashlee Hayes has a job she loves as a software developer and a paycheck that is a substantially larger than what she used to make.