Community

Over 150 community volunteers worked to unpack 33,000 pounds of food and assemble food bags for those in need during One Generation Away’s mobile food pantry drive-thru event.

Columbia State Hosts

One Generation Away Mobile Food Pantry

Columbia State hosted One Generation Away’s mobile food pantry in May 2020, which distributed an estimated 33,000 pounds of food to more than 400 families.

Chris Whitney, founder and director of One Generation Away, reached out to Columbia State to see if there was an opportunity to host the mobile drive-thru event at the Columbia Campus.

“There is so much need in our communities right now. We were excited for the opportunity to host One Generation Away for this event,” said Dr. Christa Martin, Columbia State assistant to the president for access and diversity. “We look forward to more opportunities to work with them again in the future.”

More than 150 community volunteers showed up to help distribute the food. Among the volunteers were members of the Columbia State family, including Martin; Olivia Holt, Columbia State women’s soccer team member; Buffy Holt, Columbia State alumna and Olivia Holt’s mother; Amy Spears-Boyd, Columbia State director of communications; Kiara Simerly, daughter of Spears-Boyd; and Louis Conner, Columbia State retiree.

“One Generation Away is a wonderful organization, and we were thankful to be able to donate our time back to our community to help those in need,” Spears-Boyd said. “This is also a good reminder that Columbia State is here to support the community through educational opportunities, workforce development and as a community partner.”

Columbia State Students Head To The Polls

Fourteen Columbia State students volunteered at different polling locations across Williamson County to help set up voting machines in March 2020.

“We are excited about our partnership with the students from Columbia State that assisted our poll officials in our new voting technology,” said Chad Gray, Williamson County Election Commission election administrator. “This allowed them to be a part of an important part of the democratic process.”

Nicholas Matzirakis, Columbia State dual enrollment student, said this was a great way to apply some of the things he learned in class to a real-world setting.

Pictured (left to right): Nicholas Matzirakis (Franklin), Columbia State dual enrollment student, and Donald King, poll machine operator, set up polling machines early Tuesday morning at Clovercroft Elementary School. “When Chad Gray asked if some of our students would be interested in helping set up for the primary election I thought that it would be a unique service-learning opportunity,” said Deepa Janakiraman, Columbia State program director and associate professor for computer information technology. “Our students were really excited to volunteer. It’s a great way for our college to give back to a community that has served us so well.”

Keith Marlin, Columbia State student, is working on an Associate of Applied Science degree in computer information technology with an emphasis in cyber defense. He said setting up for the election was good job experience that is preparing him for his future.

Columbia State Invites Veterans To Share

Their Story

The Columbia State Student Veterans Organization, in collaboration with the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress, invited U.S. military veterans to share their stories of service in November 2019.

“No matter when, where or how you served, this is an excellent opportunity to tell your story and share your military experiences,” said Griffon Thomas, U.S. veteran and Columbia State SVO president. “The Library of Congress will keep the stories archived forever. Generations to come will be able to know of you and of your service. No story, no part of history, nor is anyone’s service insignificant.”

The Veterans History Project is an archive at the Library of Congress that preserves

Pictured (left to right): David Donnelly, U.S. veteran and 2018–2019 Student Veterans Organization president; Andrew Huber, Veterans History Project liaison specialist; Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president; and Corey Cummings, U.S. veteran and 2018–2019 Student Veterans Organization secretary.

narratives of veterans’ service through oral history interviews and documents such as photographs, letters, journals, and diaries created while in the military so researchers and future generations can access these firsthand accounts and better understand the realities of war.

“This project allowed Columbia State students from a variety of departments and organizations, including members of the Columbia State history department, Phi Theta Kappa honor society and Film Crew Technology, to come together to collect the stories in our community,” said Dr. Ginny Massey-Holt, Columbia State SVO adviser, U.S. veteran and associate professor of nursing.

Columbia State Hosts Miss Tennessee for Black History Month Program

Columbia State’s Office of Access and Diversity hosted its annual Black History Month Recognition and Awards Program Feb. 2020. The program recognized 54 African American crowned queens in Columbia State’s nine-county service area, and featured guest speaker Brianna Mason, Miss Tennessee 2019.

“Representation in all fields is important, but especially in pageantry,” said Brianna Mason, Miss Tennessee 2019. “There has been such a long history of black women not being able to be included in mainstream pageantry and now we’re seeing Miss USA be a black woman, Miss America be a black woman and I’m just so proud to follow behind their footsteps and become the first black Miss Tennessee.”

During the program, Elizabeth “Tina” Ray, Miss Columbia State Community College 1972, and Senino Norwood, Miss Columbia State Community College 1984, were recognized.

Columbia State has always had a commitment to access and diversity and fosters an environment that is inclusive and respectful for all persons of different age, culture, gender identity, color, ethnicity, religion, disability and socioeconomic status. “When I was going to Columbia State we all played as a team,” Norwood said. “We loved on each other. It didn’t matter, rich, poor or what county you came from, we were all here to get an education.”

Pictured (left to right): Senino Norwood, Miss Columbia State Community College 1984; Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president; Brianna Mason, Miss Tennessee 2019; and Elizabeth “Tina” Ray, Miss Columbia State Community College 1972.

Dr. Christa Martin, Columbia State assistant to the president for access and diversity, speaks at the 2020 Black History Month Recognition and Awards Program.

Area Schools Compete at

Annual High School Competition

More than 275 high school students participated in Columbia State’s annual High School Competition in March 2020, when students from 11 southern Middle Tennessee high schools competed in 18 different academic areas, including creative writing, vocal performance, algebra and sociology.

“We had a great turn out for this year’s High School Competition,” said Dr. Jessica Evans, Columbia State assistant professor of English. “Students competed in 18 areas of academic interest. From geography to sociology, the High School Competition offered students a chance to showcase their skills and talents.”

U.S. Constitution (left to right): First place winner, Jackson Carter of Spring Hill High School; second place winner, Clark Hill of Mt. Pleasant High School; and third place winner, Nolan Robertson of Richland High School.