Spartanburg,
S.C. – Downtown
Spartanburg may soon be home to another higher education institution. Spartanburg Community College recently
announced plans for a downtown campus that will begin with a multi-million
dollar renovation of the Evans Building on South Dean Street resulting in
104,000 square feet of classrooms, labs and special purpose rooms. The College
will seek both public and private sources to fund the project.
“Approximately
35 percent of SCC’s students reside in the city of Spartanburg,” said SCC
President Dr. Dan L. Terhune during a joint press conference with Spartanburg
Mayor Bill Barnet and others on the steps of the Evans Building on Monday, June
29. “We expect this new facility to dramatically increase the number of city
students that choose to attend SCC and also increase participation in the
College’s “Best Start” dual-enrollment program with Spartanburg High School,
similar to the growth this program experienced on the Tyger River Campus with
Byrnes High School students.”
“A Spartanburg
Community College campus in downtown Spartanburg will mean greater access for
high school seniors and adult students wishing to further their education and
earn a post secondary degree. This will result in a growing population that can
attract and retain higher paying jobs and will give our county a higher per
capita income,” said George Dean Johnson, Jr., chairman of Johnson Development
Associates, Inc. “Education equals
opportunity and a better life, and the community college is an affordable
opportunity for everyone.”
“For many
years, the University of South Carolina Upstate and SCC have been close
partners in the interest of students’ educational achievements. This move downtown will increase the
opportunities for many more of Spartanburg’s young people to gain their
associate degrees and then transfer to USC Upstate for completion of the
baccalaureate. I congratulate Dr.
Terhune and his colleagues on this visionary move,” said Dr. John C. Stockwell,
chancellor of USC Upstate.
The vision
for the campus features environmentally friendly LEED-certified renovations.
The campus will offer primarily transitional and general education courses as
well as credit classes for students in the College’s technology and University
Transfer programs and distance learning classes. SCC’s Corporate &
Community Education Division will offer short-term and customized training
through continuing education programs to support local businesses. The College
will develop an advisory committee to assist in creating the educational and
training programs offered at the downtown campus.
“We
anticipate the downtown campus will attract new students, perhaps residents
within walking or biking distance,” said Terhune. “But it will likely include
students from the central campus as well, freeing up much needed space at that
location. We also hope this campus
will encourage citizens with little or no knowledge of college to explore the
possibility of a post-secondary education.”
“I am
absolutely convinced that the communities that will prosper on the other side
of this recession will be those that invest in the knowledge, training and
support of their citizens,” said Spartanburg County Council Chairman Jeff
Horton. “Great things are possible when the public sector and the private
sector work together.”
District One County Councilman Michael Brown stressed the transforming power of
education, “that can uplift individuals and move a community forward. It is
truly a force that can lead to something great.”
“Spartanburg
Community College’s presence in downtown Spartanburg bespeaks the commitment of
the College to make post-secondary education more available to the people,”
said Dr. Benjamin Snoddy. “I have longed to see an SCC presence downtown, and
today that dream becomes a reality. Dr. Terhune is to be commended for his
visionary leadership.”
According
to college data, approximately 1,700 students from the city of Spartanburg
commute to the SCC central campus.
These students will be able to take general education courses such as
English, mathematics and social sciences at the downtown campus. The exact program mix will be
determined by an advisory committee. Possible majors will include business and
retail services. The College will
also work with the Adult Learning Center and other groups to supply GED and
remedial education to the community.
“This
(collaboration) is a reaffirmation of our commitment to lifelong learning for
our community,” said Mayor Barnet. “Spartanburg is a college town.”
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