It’s a long way from the Flying J Travel Center in Resaca to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va., but that’s the route Morgan Fowler has mapped for her future. On Tuesday, she was named the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership winner for Georgia Northwestern Technical College .

She was honored during the GOAL luncheon hosted by The Seven Hills Rotary Club in Rome.

When she first started at GNTC, she was employed at the truck stop in Resaca, but had to quit to focus on her classes. Supporting her children — a 6-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter — eventually forced Fowler to take on two jobs while attending classes.

Fowler is a criminal justice major on the Gordon County campus of GNTC in Calhoun.

“I chose this major because I wanted to help people in a different kind of way than a doctor or nurse helps a patient,” Fowler said. “I also liked the fact that I would be an authoritative figure.”

Fowler said she liked the flexibility of scheduling at GNTC, allowing her to attend classes on a full-time basis and keep a full-time job to support her family.

Her career goals are to initially be a juvenile probation officer, then further her education with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and eventually work for the FBI’s behavioral analysis unit.

“I chose juvenile probation as opposed to adult probation because in my personal opinion, an adult offender is almost at the point of no return,” Fowler said. “A juvenile offender usually needs just that one special person in their life, just helping them, pushing in the right direction. If I can be that one person who makes the difference in that child’s life, then I k now I am doing the job correctly.”

The GOAL program was initiated 40 years ago to spotlight excellence in technical education. GNTC President Craig McDaniel said that across GNTC’s network of campuses, 31 students were nominated for the GOAL award this year.

“It is the only statewide program in the nation to honor excellence among technical students at the post-secondary level,” he said.

Fowler will serve as an ambassador for the technical college and represent GNTC in statewide competition.

Other finalists for the GOAL award at GNTC this year were Janoah Hill, vascular technology, Floyd campus, nominated by Leif Penrose; Misty Ledford, early childhood care and education, Gordon campus, nominated by Bea Stitzer; and Laura Rankin, radiologic technology, Floyd campus, nominated by Diane Mance.

Stitzer, an instructor in the early childhood education program at the Gordon County campus, received the Rick Perkins Faculty of the Year Award.

“I just want to thank you, I really feel it’s a real privilege and honor to be nominated, and I hope to represent our district well,” Stitzer said. Like Fowler, she will represent GNTC in statewide competition.

Other nominees were Susan Stephens, cosmetology, Polk campus; Paulette Leon, business administrative technologies/management supervisory, Walker campus; Susan Kendrick, early childhood education, Walker campus; Doug Cooper, accounting, Walker campus; and Troy Peco, automotive technology, Walker campus.