Northwestern Tech's McDaniel to head Georgia system's International Center

photo Northwestern Technical College is in Rock Spring, Ga.

Georgia Northwestern Technical College's president has been tapped to head the Technical College System of Georgia's International Center.

Craig McDaniel will take the helm of the center on April 1. Pete McDonald, vice president of economic development at the college, will be acting president until a new president is chosen.

"I asked Dr. McDaniel to consider this position because he's highly respected throughout our system for his knowledge of technical education and is well-known in the business community for his understanding of workforce development," technical college system Commissioner Ron Jackson said in a news release. "He will help us build more global partnerships for our colleges and open doors worldwide that can benefit our system, students and state."

The center works to connect Georgia technical schools with colleges and universities across the world, with a focus on technical education and workforce building. Along with an $8.2 million contract to build a Saudi Arabian community college with King Faisal University, the center is seeking partnerships in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and India.

In a Thursday email to college employees, McDaniel said he was "honored to have the opportunity to lead the effort" to expand Georgia's technical colleges globally.

"I cannot express to you how much I appreciate your support and dedication during the time I have been president," he wrote.

McDaniel has led Georgia Northwestern Tech since 1998, when it was Coosa Valley Technical College. Since then the school has merged with other schools, gained campuses and now serves nearly 10,000 students statewide.

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