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Education
Following Its 40th Anniversary, Columbia State Has Big Plans for 2007
Columbia State Community College President Dr. Rebecca Hawkins
Dr. Rebecca Hawkins is in a great mood these days‚ and understandably so.
The president of Columbia State Community College has much to be pleased about following the school’s successful 40th anniversary celebration throughout 2006.
And there’s even more good news in 2007.
First of all‚ the college has signed a contract with General Motors Corp. to create professional development and personal enrichment courses for United Auto Workers members at the GM assembly plant in Spring Hill.
“This will be tailor-made for UAW associates to advance themselves in their present job situations‚ or it will be ideal for employees who are anticipating their retirements and are perhaps looking to enter another career field‚” Hawkins says.
Secondly‚ Columbia State is introducing a commercial entertainment program called Stagecraft Technology that will be exclusive to its Franklin campus.
“A current entertainment program there trains students in stage performances such as singing‚ acting and dancing‚ but this new program will be exclusively aimed at developing technicians‚” Hawkins says. “They will become the crews for film and video development as well as musical performances. The entertainment industry folks in Nashville are helping us develop this program‚ and we will launch it in the near future.”
Thirdly‚ Columbia State is installing a wireless network for laptops at all five of its campuses. The network will be accessible in common areas where students gather inside and outside campus buildings.
And while the community college’s future looks bright‚ Hawkins is also quick to mention accomplishments from the school’s first four decades.
“One aspect we especially brag about is that we partnered with Middle Tennessee State University to offer full bachelor’s degrees in elementary education‚” Hawkins says. “Students can attend every class at Columbia State for the four-year degree‚ and so far we’ve had 610 MTSU elementary education graduates.”
Hawkins says she is also proud of Columbia State’s workforce training and development courses‚ with 3‚000 participants from 51 companies in 2006 alone.
“We also opened our Cherry Theater six years ago on the Columbia campus‚ and more than 11‚000 people have already attended performances there‚” she says. “It has allowed Columbia State to become the cultural center for south-central Tennessee.”
The college also continues to offer nursing and allied health programs that attract students from all over Middle Tennessee. More than 2‚500 nurses have graduated from Columbia State since those programs began in 1969.
“We also have a Columbia State Foundation that awards hundreds of student scholarships every year‚” Hawkins says. “We’re still a highly affordable college that provides a friendly environment. Columbia State is ideal for students who want to experience college life.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Greg Emens
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