City and Whitehaven Community Leaders Hailed the New Multi-Million Dollar Southwest Tennessee Community College Whitehaven Center Key to the Areas Revitalization Efforts During Its Grand Opening Ceremony

For more information, contact:
Brenda Rayner
901-333-4247
bjrayner@southwest.tn.edu

The Whitehaven community rolled out the welcome mat during the Southwest Tennessee Community College Whitehaven Center Grand Opening celebration on February 25. Politicians, business leaders, and everyday citizens welcomed the new education center emphasizing the vital role it plays in the revitalization of the area and its importance to the region. CEO of Methodist South Hospital Jay Robinson remarked, “Whitehaven is experiencing a new period of revitalization, and I want to call it a renaissance. We are more excited that we have a premier two-year college in Memphis that decided to open a center right next to our facility. In general, two-year colleges are a vital part of our post-educational system because they serve almost half of the undergraduate students in the United States. …We look forward to the partnership between Methodist South and Southwest which will provide a lasting synergy for our community.”

Southwest President Dr. Tracy D. Hall indicated the Whitehaven community is vital to the economic vitality of the entire Mid-South region. “This new center, she said, will prove to be another game changer for this area, and I am so eager to begin extending our partnership to area businesses and the community.”

After citing the strides Tennessee has made in education on the national front over the past few years, Tennessee State Senator Dolores Gresham, chairman of the Senate Education Committee said of the center, “What you do here is really important statewide; not just for Whitehaven, not just for Memphis, not just for this region here. It is important to all of us that you succeed.”

Memphis Councilwoman (District 3) Patrice Robinson discussed the historical economic and educational prominence of the Whitehaven community adding, “On today, I am so excited to share in this celebration because Southwest Tennessee Community College opened a new center right here in the center of our community, representing a $ 4.4 million investment.”

The new Whitehaven Center, located at 1234 Finley Road, offers conventional academic programs to the community along with providing opportunities for high school students to use it as a vocational and technical learning center. The 44,000 square-foot facility can accommodate up to 1,500 students and will also offer general transfer and workforce development programs.