Robert Keown, executive director of Georgia Virtual Technical Connection and ETC executive committee member, presented a Challenge Coin to Nikki Stubbs in the category of exemplary technology-enhanced program or course. Stubbs is the educational technology coordinator of Georgia Virtual Technical Connection, part of the Technical College System of Georgia.

Stubbs worked with subject matter experts at various colleges in develop master online courses fully developed with open educational resources (OER). These master courses were then offered to each college for review and adoption. 

The OER program has proven successful. Thirteen of the 22 colleges adopted the first OER course, resulting in savings of over $640,000 in textbook costs to students. Although this initiative is still in its infancy, plans to expand to other courses are underway, and the initiative has reinvigorated faculty interest in using OER materials and in helping students with direct cost savings on textbooks.