Penn, a resident of Peachtree

City, grew up in Cincinnati and graduated from high school in 1978. Her

father worked for General Electric as a mechanical engineer, designing,

developing and testing aircraft engines "the very engines in the

DC-10's World Airways flies today," she said.

As an intern at World Airways,

her responsibilities focused mainly around the Help Desk. "This is

where employees would call when they were having any type of computer

problems. I would talk them through issues when possible and log details

in a tracking system if they required additional assistance," she

said.

Working with 10 other IT specialists

at World Airways, Penn said she's learned a lot.

"Our department works

at a very fast pace; you have to be able to work on your own. I now work

with wireless communications, vendors, company processes and the list

keeps growing. The most rewarding aspect is working with departments that

rely on information technology," she added. "If important information

is not available on demand, it could ground an airplane."

World Airways has employed

numerous students through Clayton State's Center for Experiential Learning

over the past several years. President and CEO Hollis Harris (who was

honored last October at Clayton State's President's Gala with a visionary

award for his contributions to the community and Clayton State), has been

very supportive of the program and the Clayton College & State University

Foundation.

Clayton State and World Airways

have another thing in common. The company is located in Peachtree City,

home of Clayton State's newest educational endeavor, the Fayette County

Higher Education Center, where residents of the community take courses

provided by the University's Division of Continuing Education. Currently,

the center offers only non-credit courses, although there are plans to

offer academic courses in the near future.

Partners in this educational

endeavor include Clayton College & State University, the Fayette County

Development Authority, the Development Authority of Peachtree City, the

Peachtree City Tennis Center, Newnan Utilities, Peachtree City, Fayette

County Commission and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.

The Center for Experiential

Learning at Clayton State enables students to receive a three-hour course

credit while working with companies that endorse training in the student's

various fields of study. They are able to get hands-on, real-world experience

through the program, which also enables employers (and students alike)

to test the waters of a potential, mutual, working alliance, either prior

to (as in Penn's case), or after graduation.

"This is an important

aspect of the students' total educational experience," said Angelyn

Cheyne-Hayes, director of the program.

More and more employers are

looking at this exceptional way to "try out" potential employees

and at the same time create a sense of community service for the company.

"It is really a win-win-win

situation for everyone involved," said Joseph Bowler, assistant professor

and IT/Coop faculty coordinator for the IT department at Clayton State.

"I love working for World

Airways," said Penn. "We are a close family here. Mr. Harris,

the CEO, knows the employees by name and you are comfortable talking with

him. There are many opportunities here, and I enjoy learning more about

the industry every day."

Her pot-of-gold? Penn has been

selected to be a part of a team that will be going to Lagos, Nigeria,

the end of this month.

Opportunities? "Very positive,"

said Penn. "We [World Airways] are in a unique situation. We fly

both passenger and cargo planes for military, commercial and private customers.

I believe air transportation is necessary today and in the future ...

the airline industry is here to stay."

For more information about

the Center for Experiential Learning or the Fayette County Higher Education

Center, visit www.clayton.edu.