Get to Know Blount County’s Colleges and Universities
Blount County offers a wealth of educational opportunities for students and professionals at every stage of their career journey.
Maryville College and Pellissippi State Community College provide degree and certificate programs in several high-demand areas, such as hospitality management, health care, manufacturing and engineering. The Blount County Extension Office, a unit of University of Tennessee Extension and Tennessee State University Extension, offers a large menu of programs and resources to assist with education, training and guidance for beginner farmers.
Culture, Cuisine and Promising Careers
Maryville College offers some 90 undergraduate and graduate degree programs including the recent addition of a new hospitality and regional identity program, designed to meet demand for skilled hospitality managers who also possess a deep understanding and appreciation of regional culture.
“With the surge in tourism postpandemic and notable growth in the local hospitality sector, we realized the necessity for Maryville College to launch a hospitality program. We also recognized the need to create a program that reflects the uniqueness of our area with its distinct guest experiences,” says Angela Sebby, associate professor of hospitality and regional identity for Maryville College.
Sebby says the program brings to focus the region’s vibrant Southern Appalachian cuisine, history and traditions. It also emphasizes sustainable management of natural and scenic resources, thoughtful preservation of cultural heritage and an elevated guest experience.
The newly opened Maryville College Downtown Center test kitchen will serve as both classroom and lab space and benefit multiple stakeholders, from the Restaurant at RT Lodge staff to local dining partners and students enrolled in various related programs.
Growing Good Farm Practices
Likewise, the UT-TSU Blount County Extension plays a crucial role in community education that benefits both workforce and economic development efforts. For example, the organization offers on-farm field days to showcase new technologies and best practices of farm production. It also provides in-person and virtual classes, in addition to one-on-one consultations, to assist new farmers with deciding which farming enterprise is the best fit and resources for financial assistance.
“We have numerous subject-matter specialists on faculty at both the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and Tennessee State University available for consultation as well as farm management specialists available through our office and the UT Center of Farm Management,” says John Wilson, agent and director of the UT-TSU Blount County Extension. “Our Center for Profitable Agriculture is also a great resource for beginner farmers to assist with evaluating the feasibility of value-added farm Enterprises.”
While the extension office education resources are for both seasoned and novice farmers, Wilson says many of the courses address specific challenges faced by those new to the industry, such as a lack of knowledge about how to manage the land and how to decide what farming enterprise is a best fit.
Getting Ready for Work
With five campuses in Knox and Blount counties, Pellissippi State Community College is the largest community college in the state. The college offers associate and certificate degree programs in more than 20 fields of study, many of which allow students to transition directly to the workforce after graduation. Apprenticeships, internships and hands-on training further prepare students for successful career entrance.
For example, an innovative learn-and-earn program in electrical engineering and water quality gives students invaluable paid, on-the-job experience while they continue their classroom studies. The college also partnered with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers to launch a new manufacturing program, through which students can earn essential industry certifications.
Thanks to the Tennessee Promise, which guarantees Tennessee residents two years of free community college tuition, these opportunities are even more accessible.
“Dual enrollment and Tennessee Promise make Pellissippi State a great local affordable option that can take your student anywhere in the world. I see this as an opportunity to help families build generational wealth,” says Anna Graham, dean of Pellissippi State Community College’s Blount County campus. “Not only do we have great training opportunities here at our Ruth and Steve West Workforce Development Center, but having strong post-secondary options like TCAT, Pellissippi State and Maryville College attracts businesses, and those businesses in turn support our community.”
Get to Know Blount County
Want to learn more about living and working in Blount County? Check out the latest edition of Livability Blount County.