Dr. Nathan L. Essex

As we reflect on the past ten years, we do so with a great deal of pride regarding the College’s accomplishments.

First and foremost, a new identity has been established around a set of institutional values. Student success and academic excellence have increasingly become the focus of our efforts during the past decade. The College has experienced notable enrollment growth based on a highly talented and nurturing faculty, a customer service oriented staff, and our focus on anticipating and responding to the educational needs of students, employers, and our communities in Shelby and Fayette Counties. Articulation agreements have been established with all local four-year institutions including a Partnership Enrollment Program with the University of Memphis where students are simultaneously admitted to both institutions upon entering Southwest. Articulation agreements have also been established with MTSU, UT Knoxville as well as other four-year institutions across the state.

Southwest has become the College of choice and a national model with a number of programs receiving national recognition. For example:

Our Nursing Program continues to excel with an average pass rate of 95.5 percent on the National Council Licensure Exam. In 2009, 51 of our Nursing students earned a 100 percent pass rate.

The College’s Developmental Studies Program earned national accreditation and is only one of two nationally accredited programs among TBR institutions.

Our Honors Program has received national acclaim and has served as host to the National Honors Society’s Conference held in Memphis.

The College’s Culinary Arts and Marketing Programs have also received national recognition as well as Science Technology Programs.

Service learning and civic engagement have become an integral component of the College’s curriculum.

Southwest has been named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Selection to the Honor Roll represents recognition from the highest levels of the Federal Government for the College’s commitment to service and civic engagement.

The Community College Week recognized Southwest nationally as 30th in the nation in awarding associate degrees to African Americans; 40th in the nation in awarding associate degrees in Technology and 40th in the nation for the top 50 fastest growing public two-year colleges of enrollment of 10,000 or higher. This recognition is significant considering that there are 1,287 community colleges across the nation.

With respect to the workforce, Southwest was the first community college in the state to establish a division of Workforce Development through which multiple partnerships have been established with organizations such as Federal Express, Memphis Light Gas and Water (MLG&W), Smith & Nephew, Cisco Systems, Cook Industries, Accredo, and Federal Bureau of Prisons among others. The focus of our efforts revolves around improving the quality of life and enhancing economic growth and development within the community and region.

Over 90 percent of Southwest’s graduates of career degree and certificate programs have been employed in their field of study throughout the Memphis area workforce. Southwest’s major contribution to the Mid-South area has been highlighted in two recent economic impact studies. One study found that Southwest degree graduates gained more than $550,000 in lifetime earnings over the earnings of students who completed high school only. Additionally, families of those college graduates also gained better health, longer life expectancy, a longer earnings capacity, and improved quality of life. A second study in 2009 revealed that Southwest contributed $794 million directly and indirectly to the local economy and affected over 20,000 jobs throughout the community.

Significant progress has occurred with respect to physical facilities and aesthetics. Campus beautification and renovations have occurred on both main campuses in our continuing efforts to create a warm, safe, and appealing academic environment for students, faculty, and staff. The American School Search Safety Report assigned an “A” to Southwest indicating that the College experienced no significant crime problems. The report is based on the U.S. Department of Education public data for January 2009 for various categories of violent and non-violent crimes for the past three years. According to the analysis of the government’s data, Southwest is a safe place to study.

A state-of-the-art Library/Media Center and Academic Building have been recently constructed at the Macon Cove Campus. A new center has been established with a state-of-the-art facility in the southeastern corridor of the city, which provides increased access for students in Germantown/Collierville and surrounding areas. The College has generated over 10 million dollars toward phase one construction of a state-of-the-art Nursing/Biotech Building at the Union Avenue Campus which will allow increasingly more students to enter the Nursing/Biotech Programs while allowing Southwest to meet a critical workforce shortage in Shelby County. Ten million dollars represents the highest amount ever raised by the institution. The College has also generated more than one million dollars in student scholarships, which provides financial support for many deserving students.

Considerable strides have been made regarding technology with state-of-the-art classrooms, student labs, wireless technology applications, and administrative applications all of which are consistent with the College’s Technology plan. Our Athletic teams continue to excel with men and women’s basketball regional championships as well as a regional baseball championship. Our cheerleaders placed first in the Cheerleader of American Lone Star National competition. These are but a few of the many accomplishments achieved during the past ten years.

The future for Southwest is indeed very bright as we continue to focus our energy and resources on serving our communities. We sincerely appreciate the support of our incredible Foundation Board and the many corporations, agencies, and institutions that provide advice and financial support to the College. Our commitment is to become the College that belongs to the community—the community’s College. With your continued support, this commitment will be fully realized.

(Dr. Nathan L. Essex is President of Southwest Tennessee Community College. Visit www.southwest.tn.edu.)