Partnerships

100th Anniversary of Women’s Right to Vote

Columbia State hosted a community event celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote alongside Callie Morton Temple #817, the General Federated Women’s Club and Girls Reaching Achieving Courage Everyday.

Women from across Middle Tennessee traveled to Columbia to pay tribute to those who paved the way for female equality. The program included songs of encouragement, messages of hope and inspirational tributes recognizing 10 of the most notable women in the Women’s Suffrage Movement that worked hard to give women the right to vote.

“The Women’s Suffrage Movement took over 72 years and today, 100 years after the 19th amendment passed with Tennessee’s 36th vote, we still need to do the work to encourage women to vote,” said Dr. Christa Martin, Columbia State assistant to the president for access and diversity. “Women play important parts in all aspects of our communities. This wouldn’t have been possible without the strong foundation that was established by many women suffragettes.”

During the event, Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president, delivered a brief history on Tennessee’s involvement in the suffrage movement and spoke on the importance of voting.

“Voting is a very special privilege that we all have,” Smith said. “It is a privilege that we need to take very seriously. It is a right and a duty to vote. There are too many individuals – men, women, black, brown, yellow – that have worked extremely hard to give each of us the opportunity to make our voice count in our communities and in our government.”

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, Columbia State encourages all women and men to exercise their right vote.

$300K USDA Grant Between

Columbia State, MTSU and Motlow

The U.S. Department of Agriculture funded a grant project that will be used to increase awareness of agriculture and introduce fermentation concepts into select math and science classes at Columbia State and Motlow State community colleges. The objective is to lead students to agriculture and Middle Tennessee State University’s Fermentation Science program.

The three-year, $300,000 grant was proposed by MTSU’s Tony Johnston, who is partnering with Columbia State’s Karen Kendall-Fite and Motlow’s Nathan Fisher, along with faculty from all three schools.

“Students in general aren’t aware of what fermentation science is, much less that it’s actually agricultural,” said Johnston, professor and director of the MTSU Fermentation Science program. “The grant seeks to get more students interested in agriculture as a career.”

“Ultimately, the objective is to increase undergraduate enrollment in MTSU’s Fermentation Science degree program,” Johnston added.

Columbia State President Dr. Janet F. Smith said the grant “gives our students exciting opportunities in fermentation science that would not otherwise be available to them without this funding. The grant allows us to continue to build upon our excellent partnership with MTSU.”

Dr. Kendall-Fite, Columbia State associate professor of biology, said “career growth for our students and economic growth in our community are at the heart of our mission as a community college and this grant provides opportunity to achieve both.” “Motlow is excited to partner with MTSU on this USDA grant project focused on fermentation science,” said Tammy O’Dell, director of grants. “This work involves the implementation of fermentation-specific information into the curriculum of organic chemistry, microbiology and mathematics courses to train students to understand the science and practice of fermentation better.”

Fisher is an instructor in chemistry at Motlow. He is a former MTSU student, tutor, undergraduate research assistant and chemistry adjunct faculty member.

The value of the grant extends beyond the expansion of enrollment in the MTSU’s program, Johnston said.

“Agriculture is an applied STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) field, but it is not traditionally viewed this way,” he said. “The grant provides an opportunity to connect the dots between STEM courses and agriculture and raise awareness of and increase the potential for a student to become interested in the applied STEM career that is fermentation science.”

Columbia State and Motlow STEM faculty will be trained in problembased learning methods to work with their students, and the impact of their students’ awareness of fermentation science as a STEM concentration and career will be tracked.

Johnston said the grant recognizes the overwhelming support the USDA offers to the 106 agriculture programs at land-grant colleges and universities and provides grant opportunities solely for the 56 USDA-certified agriculture programs at nonland-grant schools in the U.S.

“It is estimated that 45 percent of all agricultural undergraduate degrees are awarded by nonland-grant institutions that offer agriculture degrees, which underlines the importance of these institutions to our country,” he said.

Johnston said part of the grant will go toward classroom equipment — smartphones and scientific equipment — for Motlow and Columbia State students to learn about chemistry, biology and math through applications of fermentation in their freshmen- and sophomore-level courses. Additional funding will be used to train Motlow and Columbia State faculty as well as MTSU math professor Ginger Holmes-Rowell as an independent evaluator.

Dr. Tony Johnston, professor and director of MTSU’s Fermentation Science program.

Adult Learner Expo

Columbia State hosted an Adult Learner Expo at the Southern Tennessee Higher Education Center in June 2021.

During the expo, students toured the new STHEC facility and saw the new classrooms and student engagement spaces. Students learned about opportunities for adult learners including the Columbia State Degree in Three program and Tennessee Reconnect.

“The Southern Tennessee Higher Education Center facility is designed to encourage community and celebrate academic collaboration,” said the Southern Tennessee Higher Education Center Committee. “Lawrence County began dreaming of expanding the opportunities for students to earn a degree or certification beyond an associate degree. The facility offers state-ofthe-art classrooms, including science and computer labs, a beautiful library with group study rooms and inviting student activity and engagement spaces.” Degree in Three allows students to earn an associate degree in social work, criminal justice or business in three years by attending Columbia State part-time one night per week and online. Students can utilize affordable tuition rates, and explore tuition-free opportunities through Tennessee Reconnect.

“Columbia State strives to provide adult students the ability to balance their work and life responsibilities by offering classes to fit their busy schedules,” said Joni Allison, coordinator of Adult Student Services. “We offer day, evening and online options. With the Tennessee Reconnect scholarship, eligible adult learners in Lawrence County and surrounding areas have a wonderful opportunity to retool their skills and attend Columbia State tuition-free.”

Tennessee Reconnect is a last-dollar scholarship that provides free tuition for adults to attend a community college. The initiative is designed to help adults enter college to gain new skills, advance in the workplace and fulfill lifelong dreams of completing a degree or credential.

Columbia State representatives were excited to participate in the 17th Annual Juneteenth Celebration and Health Fair at Pinkerton Park in Franklin. The event was held in June 2021 and was hosted by the African American Heritage Society. Pictured (left to right): Denise Holman, financial aid coordinator; Stasa Bakliza, enrollment recruiter for the Williamson Campus; Dr. Christa Martin, assistant to the president for access and diversity; and Chris Henson, development officer for the Advancement office.