A pair of collegiate construction projects continue to grow toward 2021 openings in Cleveland and Athens. Cleveland State Community College’s Health and Science Center, located on its main campus in Cleveland, and the McMinn Higher Education Center in Athens are both on schedule to offer classes beginning next year. The MHEC is the future home for CSCC’s Athens Center, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Athens, and the University of Tennessee Extension offices.

The Health and Science Center (53,000-square feet) and the MHEC (52,000-square feet) are being constructed by BarberMcMurry Architects and Rouse Construction Company, respectively. The Health and Science Center is located at the corner of Adkisson Drive and Norman Chapel Road in Cleveland. The MHEC is located at the corner of George R. Price Boulevard and Denso Drive in Athens.

The Health and Science Center will be home to the college’s nursing, medical assisting, paramedic and other health-related degree and certificate programs. Features will include a medical assisting skills lab, paramedic and EMT skills labs with ambulance simulators and a nursing lab designed to look like a hospital emergency room. Other features include a microbiology lab, two biology labs, five general-purpose classrooms, a large multi-function classroom with retractable auditorium seating, a computer lab, a student lounge, faculty offices and more. 

“This will be a much more state-of-the-art environment,” said Dr. Bill Seymour, Cleveland State Community College president. “The more you can simulate the real thing, the more prepared students will be.”

Biology, chemistry, business, and agriculture offerings will be among the available opportunities for students at the CSCC Athens Center to be located in the MHEC this coming year. “This is not only a facility that’s going to lead our state, it’s going to be a facility that’s a leader in the country,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee at the facility’s groundbreaking this past year. “It embodies everything that’s good about the future of education. It’s a true partnership. This is going to change this community.”

For more information about Cleveland State Community College, visit the college at ClevelandStateCC.edu or call 423-472-7141.