The gift comes from Barry and Lucy Stephenson and will help support the newly-opened health sciences building.
Roane State Community College has received a $250,000 gift from Barry and Lucy Stephenson in support of its newly opened Knox Regional Health Science Education Center. The gift from the Stephensons will go toward the $7.5 million the school is actively raising to further equip the new building, sustain its operations, and provide student financial aid and scholarships.
According to an article on Roane State Community College’s website, Barry Stephenson is quoted as saying of his and Lucy’s gift, “Roane State has successfully made career degrees and post-secondary training accessible to thousands of students throughout its ten-county service area. We are proud to support the college and its mission of transforming lives, strengthening community, and inspiring excellence, especially as healthcare workforce needs continue to grow.”
The Stephensons have provided Roane State Community College with financial support for more than two decades. In addition to their philanthropy toward the institution, Lucy also spent several years as a faculty member within the college’s nursing department. Barry is the president and CEO of Materials and Chemistry Laboratory, Inc., a company which he and Lucy founded together. He is a board member of the Roane State Foundation and is a current member of the Tennessee Board of Regents.
The new Knox Regional Health Science Education Center is a 130,000-square-foot facility that houses the health sciences programs for Roane State Community College and Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville. Currently, the facility is home to Roane State Community College’s nursing, EMS, and medical laboratory technology programs. Its polysomnography and respiratory therapy courses will begin there soon, with new diagnostic medical sonography, echocardiography, and neurodiagnostic technology programs in the works.
Scott Niermann, who serves as the executive director of Roane State Foundation, said of the Stephensons’ gift, “This pledge means we can provide opportunities to even more health science students, responding to the critical needs of our communities and business partners. As we transition to fundraising for student scholarships, we welcome the support of those who wish to invest in the future of healthcare education.”
For more information about Roane State Community College, visit the school’s website.