In an attempt to create a more permanent presence in Dickson, the Dickson City Council has voted to extend Nashville State Community College’s lease at an old senior center. There are plans by the school to create a permanent campus in Dickson in the coming years.
A lease that will allow Nashville State Community College to keep offering classes in Dickson, Tennessee was unanimously approved by the Dickson City Council recently. A permanent campus is also being planned.
Mayor Don L. Weiss Jr. has received approval from the council and will execute the lease that will allow the school to continue offering classes at the Dickson Senior Center for three more years, with the option to extend the lease for another two years after that. Rydell Wesson, Dickson’s City Administrator, stated that the lease was changed to make it start on the first of November this year. The senior center where Nashville State is holding classes is preparing to move to a new location at the former Dickson Athletic Club.
According to Mayor Weiss, as reported in the Dickson Post, the senior center plans to open at its new location on Halloween.
Nashville State Community College left the Freed-Hardeman University campus at The Renaissance Center this past July after it was sold to David Rivers Ministries. The school then made a temporary plan to offer both in-person and online classes for the Fall 2022 semester, with the in-person classes being held at Tennessee College of Applied Technology’s campus in Dickson. With the newly approved lease, Nashville State will remodel the former senior center and start offering classes there starting in the Spring 2023 semester.
The building is being leased to the school for $60,000 a year by the Tennessee Board of Regents, through December 2025, with an option to extend the lease through May 2027, if the Board wants to do so.
During his presentation of the lease to the council back in July, Mayor Weiss made clear his desire for the state to support Nashville State’s efforts to hold courses in Dickson: “We don’t want to lose Nashville State. We feel like Nashville State is very important to our community. We feel like if we lose Nashville State, the odds of getting them back here are very slim.”
Dr. Shanna Jackson, President of Nashville State Community College, spoke on the college’s plan to have a more permanent facility in Dickson. She said, “I would like to reiterate that I truly do believe this change will prove to be a positive step in the future of Nashville State and Dickson County, Once we secure a permanent new home, we will be able to grow and expand our programs and services to meet the growing needs of Dickson and the surrounding communities.”
Nashville State will start remodeling the building in the next few months, once the senior center is completely moved out. The Spring 2023 semester is scheduled to start on the 17th of January.
Nashville State Community College offers associate degrees, certificate programs, transfer degrees, and apprenticeships in a variety of industries such as business, healthcare, the humanities, and more. Students interested in attending NSCC can find more information on its website.