It was Brittany Kelchner’s first semester at Georgia Highlands College when she found out she was pregnant. She’ll tell you that having a child while attending college was one of the hardest things she’s ever had to overcome. But she did it. Kelchner currently holds a perfect 4.0 GPA at GHC, she is an active volunteer of Green Highlands, and she aspires to one day open her own nature center to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife while teaching children about animals.
One student is chosen from each college in the University System of Georgia each year to be a Board of Regents Academic Day Representative. Kelchner was chosen for GHC, due to her outstanding scholastic achievement, as well as holding the mandatory 4.0 GPA. “My father started lecturing to me at a very young age about education and its importance,” she said. “He taught me to always be learning and growing as a person. He instilled in me a passion for learning.” Kelchner is looking to continue her studies at the University of Georgia after she finishes her Associate of Science in Biology at GHC. She stated that the affordability, small class sizes and phenomenal professors are what she will miss most about GHC when she continues on.
After she finishes her studies, she explained there is still so much she wants to do. “Children are our future,” she said. “I would like to open a nature center to teach kids about the environment, as well as teach them about the math and science of the natural world.”
Kelchner and the other representatives will be honored in March during the Board of Regents meeting and luncheon at the University System Office. She will be recognized again during GHC’s Honor Night in the spring.

Georgia Highlands College is a multi-campus, state college member of the University System of Georgia. Founded in 1970 as Floyd Junior College, it now serves more than 5,500 students in Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama across its five campus locations in Rome, Cartersville, Marietta, Dallas, and Douglasville. Georgia Highlands currently offers over 40 areas of study with associate degree and bachelor’s degree options. GHC offers a Bachelor of Science in both nursing and dental hygiene.