Southern Polytechnic State University will host an award ceremony April 20 at 10 a.m. in the Student Center Ballroom to honor students who have successfully completed Yamacraw-related academic classes.

Rich LeBlanc, director of education of Yamacraw, will attend, as will the university's president, Dr. Lisa A. Rossbacher, and members of SPSU's Computer Science department and advisory board.

The Board of Regents currently awards certificates to those students in the University System of Georgia who complete two Yamacraw academic classes. More than 30 such SPSU students who are completing Yamacraw classes will receive certificates at the ceremony. A reception will immediately follow.

"I am very proud of our students' participation in Yamacraw classes," said Dr. Becky Rutherfoord, interim department head for Computer Science. "I'm also very pleased that SPSU is able to support the state-wide Yamacraw mission by providing both degree-level programs and continuing education."

The Yamacraw project, launched in 1999 by Governor Roy Barnes, is a strategic initiative to make Georgia the global leader in designing high-bandwidth communications systems and components. It is expected to dramatically increase the number of high-tech companies and employees in Georgia within the next five years.

Southern Polytechnic is currently involved with all three elements of Yamacraw - research, academic education and continuing education - and currently offers numerous Yamacraw-related academic classes and continuing education classes.