09/01/23
Gadsden State to celebrate HBCU Week with community events
Gadsden, Ala. — Gadsden State Community College will join with other colleges across the country to recognize National HBCU Week. The national conference held Sept. 24-28 is a convening of college and university executive leadership, faculty, students and supporters for participation in workshops, engagements, keynote addresses and interactive exhibits. The theme for this year is “Raising the Bar: Forging Excellence through Innovation and Leadership.”
Gadsden State’s Valley Street Campus will host two events during September as part of its Campus and Community Engagement Initiative. The Campus received the unique Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) designation from the U.S. Department of Education in 1997 because of the historic contribution made to higher education.
An open house for the Dental Assisting Program will be from 11 am to 12:30 pm Sept. 11 in the Dental Assisting Building.
“Dental Assisting is new to Gadsden State and the first of many programs we hope to offer to students in our area through the Dental Science Training Program,” said Karen Tyree, director of Dental Science at Gadsden State. “We are excited to showcase the program and campus facility to the community.”
A Financial Literacy Workshop entitled “Debt and Long-Term Financial Planning” will be from 11 a.m. to noon Sept. 13 featuring Dr. Ryan Davis, professor of finance at UAB. The event will be held in the Learning Resource Center located at 600 Valley St.
Both events are free and open to the community, supporters, students, faculty and staff. Light refreshments will be served.
“Our campus has a historic legacy of achievement in educating citizens in Etowah County,” said Ricky Tills, the director of the Valley Street Campus. “One of our Valley Street Campus students, Jessica Parker, was recently recognized as a scholar by the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity through HBCUs. She is a student in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program.”
The Valley Street Campus has a variety of programs and courses offerings, including HVAC, Construction Technology, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Dental Assisting, Certified Nursing Assistant, Practical Nursing and Medication Assistant.
“Our mission is to continue to enrich, educate and inspire students from every walk of life within all the communities we serve and on all of our campuses as our administrators, faculty and staff work together to prepare students for direct-entry into the workplace or for transfer to a four-year university,” said Dr. Kathy Murphy, president of Gadsden State.
For more information about the Valley Street Campus, visit www.GadsdenState.edu/HBCU.