Located in gently rolling hills overlooking the Mississippi Delta, Dyersburg is the hub of commerce, industry and agriculture in Northwest Tennessee. Because of its strategic access to rail, river and highway transportation, Dyersburg has become a thriving commercial center that retains the warmth, character and tradition of its rural past. Nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood, the more than 100-acre campus of Dyersburg State Community College is only minutes from a bustling business district and just a pleasant drive from the serenity of beautiful Reelfoot Lake or the excitement and rich musical heritage of Memphis.
History
In 1957, the Pierce-Albright Report, a study ordered by the State Legislature, was made to the Tennessee Legislative Council. It recognized the increasing need for easy availability of education throughout an individual’s lifetime. The 1963 General Assembly appropriated funds to be used over a two-year period to initiate recommendations of the report. Plans were developed for a network of community colleges in the state that would place an institution of higher education within 50 miles of each person living in Tennessee. On June 13, 1967, the State Board of Education selected Dyersburg for the location of the second community college in West Tennessee. A portion of Okeena Park was chosen as the site, and groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted on May 29, 1968.
Dr. E. B. Eller, educator and former assistant commissioner of instruction in the State Department of Education, was selected as the founding president. He filled this position from December 18, 1968, until June 30, 1981, at which time he was awarded president emeritus status upon his retirement.
In February 1969, temporary offices were opened in a small frame building in the east portion of the campus. A classroom building was completed by the fall of 1969, and the other buildings were ready by the end of the year. The first class graduated in June 1971.
Dr. Carl Christian Andersen became the second president on July 1, 1981. Under the Andersen administration, DSCC became the fastest growing educational institution in Tennessee, and enrollment grew by 40%. Improvements were made in instructional technology, computer support and community involvement. Grants from the new federal Jobs Training Partnership Act (JTPA) were secured to purchase advanced-level individualized learning technology, enabling many students to fast track into employment with local industry. In 1982, College for Kids was inaugurated to enculturate young children of the community to a “life of learning” on a college campus and the College adopted the Tree of Knowledge at its official logo. In 1984, the Board of Regents approved the naming of the administration building in honor of Dr. Eller and the main classroom building in honor Dale Glover, former member of the State Board of Education, the Tennessee Board of Regents, and the Tennessee Legislature. The buildings were dedicated in the summer of 1985.
In November of 1984, Dr. Karen Bowyer became the third president of Dyersburg State and the first woman to lead a public institution of higher learning in Tennessee. Dr. Bowyer continued the work of her predecessors to improve the quality of instruction and the service to students and the community. She worked to build partnerships with the College’s constituents and began the Annual Fund Campaign in 1985 to raise local dollars to match state funds for DSCC’s first Center of Emphasis. Citizens in each of the seven counties in the College’s service area made contributions to support scholarships and programs. Advisory committees were established in Gibson and Tipton counties to involve community members in planning DSCC’s future direction.
The DSCC Foundation was chartered in 1988. The Board of Directors set a goal of raising $5 million by the turn of the century. Contributions and pledges totaled approximately $5.9 million in December 2000.
A new Gibson County facility next to Peabody High School in Trenton was opened on December 19, 1991. On January 28, 1994, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, upon the recommendation of the Tennessee Board of Regents, approved the establishment of an educational center in Gibson County and the extension of Associate of Science and Associate of Applied Science degree programs to that Center.
A leased facility was opened in Covington in August 1992. Day and evening classes were offered at this new location. Land use and facility plans were proposed in 1993 for the 64-acre site purchased by the Tipton County Education Task Force for DSCC’s use.
The General Assembly made an appropriation for the 1994-95 academic year of $2.1 million to build the first phase of an 18,800 square-foot facility. A groundbreaking ceremony for Phase I took place on November 17, 1994. The new Tipton County Center opened on February 26, 1996. Construction on Phase II began in February 1997, and it was opened in January 1998. Phase II contained 13,000 square feet. The total budget for Phases I and II was $5.1 million.
On June 19, 1998, the Tennessee Board of Regents approved the naming of the first building at the Tipton County Center in honor of Speaker Jimmy Naifeh. The building was dedicated in Mr. Naifeh’s honor on October 26, 1998, and the Center was named in honor of Speaker Naifeh on October 1, 2004.
On September 17, 1999, the Tennessee Board of Regents approved the naming of the gymnasium in memory of Ed Lannom, Jr., a longtime supporter of the College. The E. H. Lannom, Jr., Gymnasium was dedicated at the 30th anniversary celebration on October 16, 1999.
The expansion of the Tipton County Center was a major change for DSCC in the 2000s. On September 14, 2000, the State Building Commission approved a Master Plan for the Tipton County Center. The plan called for the construction of 157,000 square feet over the next 20 years. The Covington Industrial Board donated 38 acres of property adjacent to the existing 64-acre site for the Tipton County Center in the spring of 2001.
The Union Planters Bank Community Classroom at the Tipton County Center was dedicated on July 18, 2003, in appreciation of the foresight shown by the Bank when its board made an initial investment that enabled a higher education center to be built in Tipton County.
The City of Covington Lobby of the Tipton County Center was dedicated on July 22, 2003, in appreciation of the generous support shown by the city and the Industrial Development Board.
The BancorpSouth Computer Laboratory of the Tipton County Center was dedicated on August 21, 2003, for the role BancorpSouth played as a charter investor in a higher education center for Tipton County and for the Bank’s continuing support of the Annual Fund throughout the years.
Groundbreaking for the new LRC in Dyersburg occurred on December 21, 2005. The new facility contained 28,000 square feet. The Grand Opening was held on April 27, 2007. The old LRC was renovated during the summer and fall of 2007 to house mathematics faculty, classrooms, offices and a computer laboratory.
Chancellor Charles Manning and community leaders participated in the groundbreaking for the new 14,000 square-foot Student Center in Dyersburg on August 20, 2007.
Chancellor Charles Manning and Foundation Chair Katie Winchester joined President Bowyer in the dedication of the newly renovated Mathematics Building, the Chemistry Laboratory in the Glover Building and the LRC Fountain on December 5, 2007. The LRC Fountain was named in memory of E. H. Lannom, Jr.
On this day, DSCC celebrated the groundbreaking of the new 54,000 square-foot addition to the Jimmy Naifeh Center at Tipton County. This new addition includes a state-of-the-art Learning Resource Center, Student Center and Tipton County Public Library.
On November 20, 2013, a naming ceremony was held at the Jimmy Naifeh Center at Tipton County in Covington to rename the Academic Building to the Baptist Memorial Health Care Academic Building in honor of Baptist Memorial Health Care for their support of Dyersburg State Community College.
DSCC continued to grow during the 2010s, both at the Dyersburg Campus and at the Jimmy Naifeh Center at Tipton County. On March 15, 2013, a Construction Celebration was held at the Jimmy Naifeh Center to commemorate the beginning of construction on the 54,000 square-foot addition that includes a new state-of-the-art Learning Resource Center, Student Center and Tipton County Public Library. Attending the celebration were Chancellor John Morgan, Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh, Senator Mark Norris, Representative Debra Moody, Tipton County Mayor Jeff Huffman, Covington Mayor David Gordon, Covington Library Director Susan Cheairs and DSCC Foundation Board members.
The Grand Opening of the new DSCC Learning Resource Center, Student Center and Tipton County Public Library was celebrated on September 30, 2014. Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh, TBR Chancellor John Morgan, Tipton County Executive Jeff Huffman, and DSCC President Karen Bowyer participated in the celebration. The opening also featured 27 local artists who displayed their work throughout the building.
Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) held a Naming Ceremony for the main lobby inside the new Learning Resource Center, Student Center and Tipton County Public Library at the Jimmy Naifeh Center at Tipton County on Tuesday, March 24, 2015. During this event, DSCC President Karen Bowyer, along with Dr. Mark Bowers, Chair of the Donor Recognition Committee for the DSCC Foundation, officially unveiled the new Ripley Power and Light Company Lobby.
Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) held a Naming Ceremony for the main lobby inside its Learning Resource Center on the Dyersburg Campus on Thursday, April 2, 2015. DSCC President Karen Bowyer, along with Chancellor John Morgan, Tennessee Board of Regents, and Dr. Mark Bowers, Chair of the Donor Recognition Committee for the DSCC Foundation, officially unveiled the new Sells Family Lobby.
Dyersburg State Community College hosted its final GED/HiSET graduation ceremony at the end of June 2016 after sponsoring the Adult Education program since 1996. Over 1,400 individuals earned their high school equivalency diploma during the 20 years that Dyersburg State hosted the program. Due to a state reorganization of how Adult Education services would be delivered starting on July 1, 2016, Dyersburg State opted not to apply for the grant which would serve a 17-county region.
In Fall 2016, the new Paramedic to RN Program was started at the Jimmy Naifeh Center to provide a pathway for advancement into the nursing field for licensed paramedics.
In the fall of 2016, DSCC’s Division of Continuing Education began to offer the only critical care paramedic program in West Tennessee. The first cohort of students completed the program in January 2017, and 11 of the 12 students passed the national certifying exam on the first try with the twelfth student passing the exam on the second attempt.
The College in Prison Program was reinitiated in January 2017 at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville. DSCC had a successful prison program during the 1980s and early 1990s before Pell grants were ended for students in prison.
DSCC hosted a 50th Anniversary Reception in the Student Center on April 12, 2019. Alumni, current and retired faculty and staff and community supporters attended the festive event which featured tables of memorabilia and photographs from the past 50 years.
Head baseball coach Robert White achieved his 600th career win on April 13, 2019, against Conference rival Walters State Community College. White is in his 18th season as head coach at DSCC, and has been named the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) Coach of the Year for Region VII in 2013, 2016, and 2017. He was named the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Region Coach of the Year and the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association (TBCA) Coach of the Year in 2016 and 2017. Coach White led the Eagles to a first-ever No. 1 national ranking and trip to the Alpine Bank JUCO World Series during the 2017 season.
On May 4, DSCC honored its 65th and 66th nursing classes with a ceremony for 24 graduates in the Advanced standing LPN to RN Fast Track program and 29 graduates in the traditional nursing program.
DSCC held its 49th Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 4, 2019, in the Gymnasium of Dyer County High School. There were 439 candidates for degrees and certificates with 198 of the candidates graduating with honors.
DSCC celebrated another successful year of fundraising with $2,036,801.98 raised by the DSCC Annual Fund Committees and the DSCC faculty and staff. The funds came from 442 generous donors and from various entities who awarded grants to successful proposals from DSCC for new programs and equipment. During the celebration on June 11, 2019, TBR Regent Leigh Shockey presented the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy to Eddie Burks and his daughters, and the TBR Regents’ Award for Excellence in Philanthropy to Richard and Connie Donner.
DSCC honored its first Dyersburg Campus Paramedic to RN Class on August 9, 2019. There were 12 graduates in the first-ever Paramedic to RN Fast Track Program at the Dyersburg Campus. With these new graduates there has been a total of 1,806 graduates from the DSCC Nursing Program.
The 50th Anniversary Gala was held on September 27, 2019, in the DSCC Gymnasium which was transformed into a festive ballroom with a canopy of white draping and lights for the special celebration. Over 340 guests enjoyed dinner, dancing, reminiscing and a silent auction. One special guest was the widow of founding president, Dr. Edward B. Eller. Mrs. Eller at age 105 joined the celebration with a big smile and lots of memories. Entertainment was provided by DSCC Alumnus Steven Whitson and his band.
Fun Facts about DSCC in 1969
• Dr. Edward B. Eller was the first president.
• The mascot for the first DSCC basketball team was the Saints.
• 588 students enrolled at DSCC and began classes on September 30, 1969.
• DSCC had 6 buildings in 1969 built on 115 acres. Land was donated by the City of Dyersburg, initial funds were donated by the Dyer County Government.
• The College was designed by the architectural firm of Thomas, Ross and Stanfill. Forcum-Lannom Construction Company built the College.
• The Dyersburg Municipal Golf Course occupied the 115 acres before the College was built. The Golf Course was part of Okeena Park.
• There were 30 faculty and staff employed in 1969.
Dr. Karen Bowyer, president of DSCC, was honored with a surprise reception on November 5, 2019, to celebrate 35 years of dedicated service to DSCC. Regents Barbara Prescott and Bill Summons presented President Bowyer with a framed certificate from Governor Bill Lee proclaiming November 5 as a Day of Recognition for Dr. Bowyer. Dr. Foster Chason, Commissioner of the TCCAA, was on hand to formally induct Dr. Bowyer into the TCCAA Hall of Fame. She is the 7th college president to be inducted, and the first woman president to receive this honor.
DSCC celebrated the Grand Opening of the Softball Multipurpose Building on November 8, 2019, with a ribbon-cutting sponsored by the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce. The new building houses a concession area, restrooms for men and women, a press box and media room and changing facilities for umpires.
Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, DSCC held its 50th Commencement via virtual video on June 11, 2020. The College recognized 449 candidates for graduation inside the First Citizens National Bank Auditorium on the Dyersburg Campus. The virtual event was available for viewing on the College’s website and on its Facebook and YouTube pages.
On September 29, 2020, DSCC and Crown Winery co-hosted a signing ceremony for the first winery apprenticeship program in Tennessee. Through the DSCC Agriculture Program, the College is promoting the growing of food-quality grapes as a specialty crop. The production of grapes can have a value of $3,000 to $5,000 per acre.
On May 20, 2021, President Karen Bowyer announced her plan to retire. At the June meeting of the TN Board of Regents the criteria for the national search for the 4th president were approved. Interviews took place virtually to narrow down the field of applicants in September. Finalists were invited to the College for in-person interviews in October with various constituent groups of DSCC. On November 16, 2021, Dr. Flora Tydings announced that Dr. Scott Cook, Provost at Madisonville Community Technical College in Kentucky, would become the 4th president of DSCC on January 4, 2022.
Dr. Karen Bowyer retired at the end of 2021, following 37 years of dedicated service to DSCC and 50 years of service to the Tennessee Board of Regents.
On April 22, 2022, the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) presented Dyersburg State a check for $327,262 to start the Eagle Access Program, which offers students with intellectual and developmental disabilities traditional college experiences, employment training and skills development, and socialization skills. Dyersburg State was the first two-year college in the State of TN to begin such a program.
On July 1, 2022. Dyersburg State initiated its police department, and Michael Peeler was appointed inaugural Chief of Police.
At its September 2022 meeting, the Board approved a service area change for DSCC, effective July 1, 2023. DSCC assumed Crockett, Haywood, Henry, and Weakley Counties; transitioned the Gibson County Center to Jackson State Community College; and opened the Henry County Center in Paris.
On September 9, 2022, DSCC dedicated its Mathematics Building the Dr. Karen A. Bowyer Mathematics Building in honor of its 3rd President and President Emeritus, and on April 21, 2023, the College dedicated its Campus Activities Building the Dr. Carl Christian Andersen Hall in honor of its 2nd President.
In August 2023, Dyersburg State opened a new Surgical Technology program at the Jimmy Naifeh Center with newly renovated spaces for state-of-the-art laboratory experiences and commenced with 12 students.
Statement of Vision
As the area’s premier institution of higher learning, Dyersburg State Community College will transform the lives of our students and the communities we serve by providing innovative and creative opportunities to learn, grow, and achieve.
Statement of Mission
Dyersburg State Community College (DSCC) is an open-access higher education institution that seeks to provide high quality educational opportunities through its excellent technical and transfer degree programs, certificates, and workforce development initiatives. The College provides leadership in public service and collaborations with education, business, and industry partners to promote success and innovation to improve society at large through education. DSCC focuses on innovative approaches to student success and academic excellence. The College is strongly committed to the development of economic and community partnerships and civic and cultural opportunities.
The College focuses on executing this mission through the following core values:
-
Opportunity: We aspire to be the College of Choice for area dual enrollment, traditional, and adult students, regardless of technical or transfer pathway.
-
Student Success and Exceptional Student Service: We are invested in ensuring that our students have the best opportunity for academic, career, and personal success through which they can achieve their full potential and life goals. Students are why we exist.
-
Academic Excellence and Innovation: We ascribe to the tenets of academic rigor and development of instructional modalities that promote student success and instructional and academic creativity.
-
Integrity: We believe in building trust with students, staff, and the community through responsible actions and honest relationships. We stand for honesty and truth.
-
Unity and Compassion: We strive to work together as a team with our employees, students, and community partners because we realize we are all stronger together.
-
Impactful Communication: We endeavor to communicate with external and internal constituencies in a clear, concise, and timely manner to tell the story of the College, its students, and the DSCC community in a manner that values the contributions of all who are engaged and encourages all members to share openly and honestly.
DSCC remains committed to the education of a non-racially identifiable student body and promotes diversity and access without regard to race, gender, religion, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.
Accreditations
Dyersburg State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees at the associate level. Dyersburg State Community College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Dyersburg State Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
In addition to accreditation through SACSCOC, DSCC has several academic programs that are accredited by nationally-recognized accrediting agencies. The agencies are as follows:
The Associate of Applied Science degree program in Surgical Technology is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, www.caahep.org), 9355-113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775.
The Associate of Applied Science degree program in Health Information Management is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), 200 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601-5800 (www.cahiim.org).
The Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing at Dyersburg State is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326 (http://acenursing.org).
The Associate of Applied Science degree in the Business Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), 8101 College Blvd #100, Overland Park, KS 66210 (www.acbsp.org).
The Associate of Applied Science degree in Early Childhood Education is fully accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), 1401 H Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20005, 202-232-8777, 800-424-2460 (www.naeyc.org).
The Dyersburg State Community College Paramedic Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP, www.coaemsp.org). Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 9355-113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775 , 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org. The Associate of Applied Science degree in the Emergency Medical Services major with a concentration in Paramedic is approved by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP), 8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312, Rowlett, TX 75088 (www.coaemsp.org) and collaborates with the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), 9355-113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775 (www.caahep.org).
Two courses of study, Emergency Medical Technician and Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, are approved by the Tennessee Department of Health and Environment; successful completion of these courses of study and a passing score on the state examination lead to state certification as an Emergency Medical Technician. The Associate of Applied Science degree in Emergency Services major with a concentration in Advanced EMT and/or Paramedic is approved by the Tennessee Department of Health, Division of Emergency Medical Services.
Students or prospective students who wish to file a complaint related to accreditation or regarding violations of state law may submit a Letter of Complaint to Dyersburg State Community College, Dean of Students, 1510 Lake Road, Dyersburg, TN 38024. All complaint records are kept on file and maintained in the Dean of Students’office. Complaints are reviewed immediately by the President and the appointed complaint committee. An appropriate response and action will take place within 30 days from the receipt of the complaint.
Students or prospective students who wish to file a complaint related to accreditation or regarding violations of state law not resolved at the institution may submit a Student Complaint Form to the Tennessee Board of Regents at 1 Bridgestone Park, Nashville, Tennessee 37214 or may go online and fill out the form electronically at https://www.tbr.edu/contacts/general-complaint . Under Tennessee’s open records law, all or parts of complaints will generally be available for review upon request from a member of the public.
Complaints regarding accreditation may also be made by contacting the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, telephone: 404-679-4500 (www.sacscoc.org).
Memberships
Dyersburg State Community College holds membership in the following national, regional and state organizations:
Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
American Association of Community Colleges
Association of College and University Auditors (ACUA)
College and University Professional Association
Committee on Accreditation for the EMS Professors
Institute of Internal Auditors
National Collegiate Honors Council
National Institute for Staff & Organizational Development
National Junior College Athletic Association
Tennessee Alliance for Continuing Higher Education
Tennessee Association on Higher Education and Disability
Tennessee College Public Relations Association
Tennessee College Association
Tennessee Community College Athletic Association
|
