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COVINGTON, Ga.— Abby Whittle caught her first fish when she was 7 years old, and she's been hooked ever since.
Now 20, she’s poised to graduate from Perimeter College at Georgia State University — a move that puts her closer to her dream job of becoming a fish and game warden.
“I grew up hunting and fishing with my dad,” Whittle said. “So, yeah, it’s kind of a passion for me.”
Abby Whittle shows off the first fish she caught.
Whittle is among 675 candidates set to graduate from Perimeter College Dec. 14. She grew up in Jasper County, Ga., and said the proximity of Georgia State’s Newton County campus prompted her to enroll as a criminal justice student two years ago.
“It was really great for me to go to Newton, because it’s right down the road.”
At Georgia State’s Newton Campus, Whittle enjoyed the tight-knit community college feel and became a founding member of the Newton Campus chapter of Circle K International, a collegiate service organization. She said volunteering through Circle K gave her lots of memorable experiences, like hosting bingo with fellow students for grateful residents at a nearby retirement home.
Whittle, the youngest of three siblings, is excited about earning her associate degree, which is a requirement for working as a fish and game warden in the state of Georgia. She plans to sit for the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) exam, another prerequisite, sometime next year. Meanwhile, Whittle is basking in the joy of knowing she’ll soon be a college graduate.
“I’m shocked that it flew by so fast,” she said. “With the blink of an eye, I feel like I’m done.”
Perimeter College offers more than 30 academic pathways leading to an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree. Psychology, business administration, computer science, nursing and health science professions are among the top picks for students.
Visit the Perimeter College webpage to learn more about the college’s online and in-person paths to an associate degree.
Story by Kysa Anderson Daniels
Main photo by Bill Roa
Inset photo courtesy Abby Whittle