UT Martin announces partnership with Southwest Tennessee Community College

For more information, contact:
Erin Chesnut, staff writer, Office of University Relations, University of Tennessee at Martin
(731) 881-7612

The University of Tennessee at Martin Somerville Center will soon be home to a Southwest Tennessee Community College location, which will offer a selection of community colleges courses for area residents. Students wishing to complete coursework through both institutions will be able to transfer courses and share financial aid as needed.

We are excited to help offer these opportunities to students in the Fayette County region who may be looking for an alternative route to higher education, said UT Martin Chancellor Keith Carver. We look forward to being able to serve the region in bigger and better ways, and collaborating with Southwest Tennessee Community College will help us better serve area residents where they are.

The Somerville site will be Southwest’s seventh location in the region and will allow students in the Fayette County area to complete community college coursework without commuting into Shelby County. Faculty from Southwest will move into the UT Martin Somerville Center over the winter break, and classes will begin with the spring 2019 semester.

Southwest is proud to partner with the University of Tennessee at Martin to extend our reach and better serve the residents of Fayette County, said Dr. Tracy Hall, president of Southwest Tennessee Community College. Our goal is to provide access to education that leads to careers and continued education, and having a presence at the UT Martin Somerville Center is an excellent way to do just that. Southwest students in Fayette County will benefit from convenient access to a tuition-free education while they travel a seamless pathway to a bachelor’s degree and beyond at UT Martin. It’s a win-win-win for Southwest, UT Martin and Fayette County residents.

Initially, Southwest will offer an Associate of Applied Science degree in business management with co-requisite courses in English, reading and mathematics, as well as additional courses to complement existing UT Martin offerings at the center.

Additional degree programs will become available over the next year to allow full degree availability within the next 12-18 months. Courses completed through Southwest will be transferrable to UT Martin through the Tennessee Transfer Pathway for those wishing to complete four-year degrees.

For more information, contact the UT Martin Office of University Relations at 731-881-7615.