Dr. Lipscomb taught biology and physiology for 18 years at the College.  "On behalf of those who were fortunate enough to know Bill as a colleague and a friend," says Professor Patricia Rugaber, coordinator of the awards program, "we would like others to know that Dr. Lipscomb was a teacher and mentor to a generation of students who went on to excel in nursing and other health care professions.  He was greatly loved by his students and is greatly missed by his colleagues here at CGCC."

At the time of his death in February of 2005, Lipscomb had retired from teaching but was serving as Secretary for the Glynn Environmental Coalition (GEC), a local nonprofit working for a clean environment and healthy economy for coastal Georgia.  In honor of Lipscomb, the GEC has established the Dr. William T. Lipscomb Science Fair Award, to be given each year "to the student whose science fair project best epitomizes concern and hope for a clean environment and healthy economy for coastal Georgia."

This year's judges who will determine the winner of the Lipscomb Award will be Dr. Eugene Keferl, also a retired  CGCC science teacher, and Joel Myers and Stephen Ryner of the GEC Board of Directors.  Mr. Ryner currently serves as GEC Secretary, filling the position vacated by Lipscomb's death last year. 

The 22nd Coastal Georgia Regional Science and Engineering Fair, sponsored by Coastal Georgia Community College, is being held Feb. 22-25 in the College gymnasium.  Setup begins after school on Wednesday, February 22, followed by judging on Thursday, February 23.  Exhibits will be on display in CGCC's Howard Coffin Gymnasium from 9:00 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24 and again on Saturday morning, February 25.  Two awards programs are set for Saturday, February 25:  The Elementary Awards program will take place at 10:00 a.m., and the Jr./Sr. Awards Program (for middle- and high-school students) will be at 11:00 a.m. in the auditorium of the Southeast Georgia Conference Center of CGCC. 

It is at this later award ceremony that the Lipscomb award will be presented by Ms. Gibbs on behalf of the Glynn Environmental Coalition.  The winner of the Lipscomb Award will receive her or his name on the award trophy and a $100 check from the GEC.

Lois Gibbs is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Health, Environment & Justice -- a national organization based in Falls Church, VA.  Immediately following the awards ceremony Ms. Gibbs and her staff will be the featured presenters in an Environmental Leadership Conference at the Continuing Education Center, sponsored by GEC and the College.  She is also speaking that evening at 6:00 PM about her experiences at Love Canal and how what she learned in that struggle could be applied to coastal Georgia.

For more information about the Lipscomb Award or the Leadership Conference, call the GEC at 466-0934 or visit their web site at www.glynnenvironmental.org

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