Award to recognize student character and innovation
The NGTC Foundation has recently received a donation to start the Savage Innovator Award. NGTC Alumni Dustin Keeling and Benjamin Keith have given the funds to promote and recognize high character students who have an innovative spirit and think outside the box.
Beginning Fall Semester 2017, the $250 annual scholarship will be available to a student who fits the following criteria: first year student with GPA of 2.5 or higher in good academic standing, provides a 350-500 word essay answering the question “How do you innovate?” in the classroom, workplace or home and is recommended by an instructor or employer.
Benjamin Keith and Dustin Keeling of Savage Innovations are both 2005 graduates of North Georgia Technical College. Dustin holds a degree in Industrial Systems Technology and Benjamin in Marine Engine Technology.
“When people think of innovation they think you have to be a rocket scientist or something like that, but we definitely aren’t like that. We came from two guys about to lose their jobs to coming up with an idea and just running with it, and we’ve been blessed along the way,” says Keith.
The “idea” Keith is referring to is a sports accessory they designed and 3D printed called The Coffin. It holds a GPS unit that football players wear on their shoulder pads. According to Savage Innovations’ website, the design “helped keep the sensor more secure and improved the data that the Sports Scientist used for evaluating players.”
It’s that stroke of innovative genius combined with a desire to give back that drove the pair to launch the Savage Innovator Award.
“We’re not a huge business, and we didn’t want to wait until we were making millions to give back, says Keith. “We wanted to do it right away.”
For more information about scholarship opportunities at North Georgia Technical College, call 706-754-7714 or email [email protected].
