Community members, students, faculty, staff and administration gathered at Columbia State Community College’s Williamson Campus for a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house to celebrate the completion of the new arts and technology building.

The arts and technology building is the first academic expansion since the original three buildings opened in 2016, creating opportunities for enrollment growth, new community partnerships and additional course offerings.

Dr. Dearl Lampley, Columbia State vice president of the Williamson Campus and external services, described how the new building will help the Williamson Campus.

“I’ve often been asked, ‘what’s the justification for another building?’” Lampley said. “And the answer is pretty simple. We ran out of space! All of you are familiar with the growth of Williamson County. Well, that’s correlated with the growth of this campus. It’s no secret that Columbia State is one of the primary choices for higher education for Williamson County graduates.”

The approximately 39,000 square foot building houses classrooms, labs and student engagement space for existing and new workforce-oriented programs that include information technology, networking, cyber defense, data analytics, art and graphic design. Building features also include a student hub and a flexible instructional space with theater-style seating and a small stage.

In addition, Columbia State has established a collaboration with Tennessee College of Applied Technology Dickson for digital graphic design and practical nursing to be taught at the Williamson Campus starting in May. It also houses the Jackson IT Center and the Pamela Stephens and Tim Kalthoff Innovation Lab, which includes an innovation makers space, arts lab and an electronic gaming room.

“It’s such a wonderful opportunity to be able to partner with Columbia State,” said Laura Travis, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Dickson president. “We’re excited for the future. We’re excited for our students and for the partnerships that they’ll have to continue their education if they choose to with Columbia State.”

Columbia State Foundation members and donors were also in attendance to tour and experience the new building. Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president of advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation, thanked them for their support of the project.

“If you are here, you are part of the success,” Lay said. “All of us here today—we are what puts community in our colleges.”

“Columbia State is a phenomenal institution and it does rival any university, not just in Tennessee, but in this country,” said Dr. Flora W. Tydings, Tennessee Board of Regents chancellor. “The quality of education that happens is number one, it cannot be replicated.”

For more information on Columbia State’s Williamson Campus, visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/Williamson.

To view more photos from the event, click here!