Cleveland State Celebrates Grand Opening of New Health and Science Center

Holly Vincent
Sunday, March 21, 2021 12:00 AM
All

Just a little over a year and a half ago, Cleveland State Community College hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking at the corner of Adkisson Drive and Normal Chapel Road for its new Health and Science Center, and on Friday, March 5, 2021 for the first time in nearly half a century, the college cut the ribbon on this brand-new academic facility on its main campus. Due to COVID restrictions, instead of the typical large celebration, the college chose to hold a smaller gathering to commemorate the occasion that included Governor Bill Lee and other local dignitaries and friends of the college.

Dr. Bill Seymour, Cleveland State President, opened the ceremony by saying, “This Center we are in this morning is much more than just a new building. It is the most significant symbol yet that we have about refounding Cleveland State. We have been about transformation over the last 6-7 years. We have been renewed in our commitment to student success. We have been renewed in our commitment to engaging individuals and communities throughout our service area. We have been renewed in our focus on workforce development, and yes, we are becoming renewed physically and aesthetically. Most of all, we are renewed in spirit; with an attitude of excellence in all that we do.”

Students using this new facility will include Nursing, Medical Assistant, EMS / Paramedic, Biology and Microbiology. The 53,000-square foot, two-story structure was constructed by BarberMcMurry Architects and will feature:

• a state-of-the-art simulation lab and simulated hospital unit for nursing students
  
  • simulated physician’s office suite with reception area, exam rooms, laboratory and
     records areas for medical assisting students
•    ambulance simulators for EMS / Paramedic students
  
  • spacious new biology labs, classrooms, conference rooms, study space, faculty offices,
     computer labs and 2,400 additional square feet of multi-function space for classes and 
     events

“We are thrilled with the experiential teaching opportunities we'll have in the new building,” said Dr. Barsha Pickell, Cleveland State Community College Vice President for Academic Affairs. “Students and faculty alike are excited about the real hands-on learning experiences they'll have and are eager to move in.” 

Funded through a $25M capital grant from the State of Tennessee, the college had to provide a 10 percent match of $2.5M to qualify for the full amount of $25M.

According to Seymour, a great amount of planning precipitated the decision for the new building. The college completed a master plan which included an in-depth analysis of the campus and yielded a set of physical priorities that led to the capital outlay request. In addition, the college’s strategic plan, the 2020 Community First Plan, not only called for a new classroom building, but a facilities renovation and renewal program to “provide state-of-the-art learning environments that promote student success.”

Alisha Fox, Vice President of Finance and Operations, said, “This is such an exciting day for Cleveland State and our community. Faculty and staff have worked collaboratively with BarberMcMurry Architects and HOAR Construction over the past 24 months to develop the concepts for this building. We appreciate the support we have received locally, regionally, and at the state level for this project, which will bring state-of-the art sim labs and life science labs to provide real world educational experiences for our students.” 

During the grand opening ceremony, Seymour made a special announcement introducing the plan for a pedestrian walkway that will connect from the courtyard in front of the D.F. Adkisson Administration Building to the new Health and Science Center, crossing directly over Adkisson Drive.

The new center will officially open for classes and to the public on Monday, March 15, 2021.

Also set to open later this year is Cleveland State’s new Athens Center. It will be based in the new McMinn Higher Education Center currently under construction in McMinn County. The 52,000-square foot facility is located at the corner of George R. Price Boulevard and Denso Drive in Athens, Tennessee. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT-Athens) and the University of Tennessee Extension Offices will also be housed at the new location. The building is being constructed by Rouse Construction Company.

For additional college information, call 423.472.7141 or visit the college’s main website at clevelandstatecc.edu. Students are currently enrolled online and on-campus through the CSCC main campus in Cleveland, Tennessee, as well as CSCC’s Athens Center in Athens, Tennessee and Monroe County Center in Vonore, Tennessee.

CSCC earned the Tennessee Board of Regent’s 2019 College of The Year. CSCC directly serves Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, and Polk Counties in Tennessee. The College System of Tennessee is the state’s largest public higher education system, with 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving more than 140,000 students.