By Katelin Carroll
Staff Reporter 

TCAT Hohenwald officially opened the doors to their new addition

 

February 10, 2022

"We are officially part of TCAT Hohenwald history today; you (everyone here) helped make it happen," said Tennessee College of Applied Technology President, Kelli Kea-Carroll, in a speech before cutting the ribbon to TCAT Hohenwald's new addition.

The addition has been underway for a little over a year now and President Kea-Carroll could not have been happier to unveil it on Thursday, January 27, 2022.

"As an administrator, we are tasked with envisioning not what tomorrow holds or even what next year holds for our college. We are entrusted with directing the future of Tennessee College of Hohenwald five, ten, or even 15 years from now. Yet that future is rooted firmly in today," said President Kea-Carroll. "Today is significant for so many reasons. We have literally changed the landscape of this campus. We have built incredible facilities that honor those who have come before us, and that will inspire those who have yet to come."

TCAT Hohenwald had the ability to build the new addition after years of submitting a TBR Capital Project submission. President Kea-Carroll was quick to make it known that it took a village in order to make the expansion happen.

"Reaching a major milestone like this can only be achieved through incredible teamwork. I am honored to work alongside some of the best in the business, and want to publicly acknowledge the dedication and commitment of our faculty and staff, and in particular to our incredible team for their extraordinary efforts this past week to get these spaces ready for today," she said.

Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, Flora Tydings, congratulated the TCAT Hohenwald President by saying, "I would also like to recognize the tremendous service and contributions of the administration of TCAT Hohenwald. Dr. Kea-Carroll, who became President in 2014, has been instrumental in leading TCAT Hohenwald to growth of new levels of enrollment with a focus on academic technical excellence and diversity. TCAT Hohenwald has had excelling enrollment and now has over eight off-campus locations."

During the ceremony, TCAT Hohenwald honored Linden Mayor Wess Ward with the Philanthropic Award for his partnership with TCAT Hohenwald. Mayor Ward built the Linden Fire Hall with a Community Block Grant and chose to also house TCAT Hohenwald's Industrial Maintenance program in the building. He even expanded the building later on specifically to house a Welding program and has allowed the college to occupy the building rent-free.

TCAT President Kelli Kea-Carroll, Senator Joey Hensley, Chancellor Flora Tydings and Mayor Wess Ward

Chancellor Tydings presented him the award. "Mr. Mayor Wess Ward has been an avid supporter of TCAT Hohenwald, which located technical training program on-site in rural counties to better address and meet the needs of area employers," said Chancellor Tydings, "Mayor Ward is a true advocate of higher education, and TCAT Hohenwald with his contributions reflecting his commitment to educating our workforce locally and building Perry County and surrounding county communities. His support, as well as that of the Town of Linden has impacted the lives of many local area students, including full time adults and high school students and afforded TCAT Hohenwald the opportunity to elevate the region's educational attainment."

Allyson Hinson Dickey, Perry County's Chamber of Commerce Director said that the programs had been a huge asset to Perry County, not only from the perspective of the Chamber of Commerce but as a mom.

"We.. hope to inspire a lifelong passion for learning to help our students become the best version of themselves they can be, with integrity and worker ethic at the core," said President Kea-Carroll, "This [was] made possible, in part, by our unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality of instruction and learning environment for our faculty and students. These new facilities are a bold reflection of that commitment."

 

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