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Members of the Bainbridge-Decatur Chamber of Commerce met for the last Chamber Connect luncheon of the year. The guest speaker of the day was ABAC president Dr. Tracy Brundage. Having taken the position in 2022, Dr. Brundage had previously served as the president of Pennsylvania’s Keystone College.

Dr. Brundage began by giving a general overview of ABAC, discussing the size and programs offered both in Tifton and in Bainbridge; according to her, there are currently 425 students enrolled in Bainbridge, with four degrees currently offered.

“We’re working to be able to do four years in some of the biology science programs, and history and government,” she added. “We just completed a market study looking at where the jobs are and the opportunities here, and the ways that ABAC can begin to align that curriculum with those opportunities.”

She gave an overview of each of the different schools offered at ABAC, including the Stafford School of Business, the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, as well as the school’s nursing program. According to Brundage, ABAC has the largest agricultural program east of the Mississippi. The school now also offers night classes and weekend labs to help accommodate students. She also discussed the value of an ABAC degree, and the affordable tuition, specifically mentioning the Neighbor Waver program, which offers in-state tuition prices for students from states neighboring Georgia.

ABAC’s long-term plans for future growth were also brought up. “My goal, as the person that took the baton as the next steward,” Brundage said, “and that’s how I kind of see myself, as the next steward of ABAC… is to ensure our long-term viability and sustainability.” Part of these plans included adding higher-level courses and more faculty, as well as helping paraprofessionals acquire their teaching credentials.

Following Dr. Brundage’s presentation, the luncheon concluded with a drawing for door prizes.