Students returning to Pellissippi State Community College this fall are seeing significant changes across the college’s Hardin Valley campus as new and renovated spaces open and major improvements continue.
The campus transformation comes as Pellissippi State begins the academic year with fall enrollment up 3%, topping 10,000 students, and launches Your Career Made Here, a college-wide, career-focused initiative that connects students’ experiences at Pellissippi State with the careers and futures they are working toward.
Among the most visible changes is the reopening of the Lamar Alexander Arts and Sciences Building, which welcomes students back this fall with newly created spaces for studying, gathering, and connecting between classes.
The Educational Resources Center has received improvements and additional renovations are continuing there; one of the most significant projects is now underway at the Ned R. McWherter Technology Building. The building is fully offline as major renovations continue throughout the academic year.
The transformation extends beyond the college’s buildings. Renovations in support of Panther Athletics are also underway near the intersection of Hardin Valley and Solway roads, where a soccer field has been completed, a practice field is being prepared, and preliminary work on a softball diamond has begun. Together, the projects represent an ongoing investment in spaces designed to support how students learn, connect, and prepare for what comes next.
“Growth isn’t simply about serving more students. It’s about making sure we are creating an environment where students can connect, learn and see where their education can take them,” Pellissippi President L. Anthony Wise Jr. said. “These investments reflect the kind of college we want to be for our students and for the communities we serve.”
That focus is also at the heart of Your Career Made Here.
The initiative emphasizes that career preparation at Pellissippi extends beyond a student’s program of study. From classrooms and laboratories to relationships with faculty, engagement with employers and experiences outside the classroom, the college is working to make career preparation an intentional part of the student experience from the beginning.
The changes to the Hardin Valley Campus support that effort by creating environments where students can learn and build the relationships and connections that contribute to their success.
The investment comes at a time of continued enrollment momentum for Pellissippi. Total fall enrollment has increased by over 3% from last year, bringing more students to the college as it works to meet the education and workforce needs of East Tennessee.
As renovations continue at the Hardin Valley campus, enrollment increased at Pellissippi’s three other campuses across the region, most notably by nearly 29% at the Blount County campus. This semester, the college also welcomes a record-breaking 2,616 dual enrollment students earning key credits toward their higher education journey while still in high school.
This semester’s freshman class is the largest since prior to 2019. The growth underscores the importance of ensuring the college’s facilities evolve alongside its students, programs and community.
“Your Career Made Here is ultimately a promise to our students,” Wise said. “Wherever they are starting and wherever they hope to go, we want their time at Pellissippi State to move them closer to that future.”
Across Pellissippi, that commitment is increasingly visible. Together with growing enrollment and a renewed emphasis on connecting education with careers, the projects tell a larger story: Pellissippi State is investing in both the students it serves today and those who will arrive tomorrow.
For additional details about Pellissippi State’s enrollment growth, campus improvements, and Your Career Made Here initiative, Read this story on Pellissippi’s website.
Pellissippi State Community College is a public community college based in Knox and Blount counties in Tennessee and operated by the Tennessee Board of Regents. The college operates four campuses: Hardin Valley, Blount County, Strawberry Plains, and Magnolia Avenue.
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