Bricks, Mortar and Backpacks
Dyersburg State expands to offer students and community more services

Dyersburg State Community College serves seven counties with campuses in Dyer, Gibson and Tipton counties.

Incoming freshman at Dyersburg State Community College aren’t the only ones growing up fast. The campus is expanding just as quickly.

A brand new library and a new student center are currently under construction on DSCC’s main campus, while a classroom building is being built at its Tipton County center. This marks the first major construction project for the college since it was founded in 1969.

“Our new Learning Resource Center will be an information gateway for students and faculty members,” says Dr. Karen A. Bowyer, DSCC president.

The resource center will be 25,000 square feet and is scheduled to open in November 2006. The existing library will then be turned into classrooms, offices and labs.

The new student center will be 16,000 square feet and is slated to open in the summer of 2007. The existing center will eventually become student government offices as well as a meeting place for student organizations.

“Meanwhile, the new classroom building in Tipton County will be called the Jimmy Naifeh Center, named for the current Tennessee Speaker of the House, who was instrumental in raising funds for the project,” Bowyer says. “That particular building will be 31,000 square feet and includes an auditorium.”

Bowyer says the Naifeh Center is scheduled to open in November 2006.

But the news from DSCC these days is much more than construction projects. The college is working closely with the chamber of commerce and other businesses to be part of a team that recruits and retains businesses here in Dyer County.

“Dyersburg State has been a key player when it comes to responding to area companies’ training needs, thereby helping those businesses to stay productive,” says Allen Hester, president and CEO of the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce. “Businesses look for that kind of service when locating to a community. We are lucky to have such a college here in Dyer County.”

Bowyer says DSCC provides training for companies at any time – literally.

“We once did a training seminar at 2 a.m. at a manufacturing plant, because that’s when it was most convenient for the midnight shift workers to attend,” she says. “We customize our training to help the specific needs of the companies that seek our assistance.”

DSCC has also added online training courses so that company employees can train in an individualized manner, at their own convenience. In addition, the college has a Small Business Development Center on its Dyersburg campus to help people trying to start a company.

“Small businesses can range from a few employees to 50 or 100 workers, and we can help owners in areas such as loan applications, bookkeeping, personnel issues, legal issues and so forth,” Bowyer says. “If it has to do with business development in Dyer County, DSCC is here to help.”

Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Greg Emens