Email |

Kingsport recognized again for higher education initiatives

Published July 11th, 2009 | 0 Comments

KINGSPORT — Kingsport again has been recognized for its higher education initiatives.

The downtown Academic Village and Educate and Grow scholarship program were among things showcased at the Education Commission of the States 2009 National Forum on Education Policy in Nashville this week.

“It’s quite amazing what Kingsport has accomplished in just a very few years to provide new higher educational opportunities to residents, young people and employees of Kingsport businesses,” Kingsport Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Miles Burdine said in a news release. “And now other cities and academic entities across the nation are recognizing what we have done and are asking us to share this amazing story.”

At the invitation of the Education Commission of the States, Burdine represented Kingsport on a panel discussion with educational leaders and top policy experts focused on the importance of education in boosting the economy.

Other panel participants included Suzanne Walsh, senior program director for the Lumina Foundation for Education; Dennis Jones, president of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems; John Morgan, Tennessee deputy governor; Shirley Raines, president of the University of Memphis; and David Wright, associate executive director of policy, planning and research of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

According to the ECS, Tennessee ranks 44th nationally in the percentage of its working-age adults with an associate degree or higher and has significant gaps in participation.

“The recognition that Kingsport and Sullivan County continue to receive is a testament to the belief that the city and Northeast State Community College have discovered the answer to successful economic development. And the answer is improving the educational attainment of its citizens,” retiring Northeast State President Bill Locke said.

Since 2001, the Educate and Grow scholarship program at Northeast State has provided tuition for eligible students in Sullivan County and Kingsport, and the program has grown throughout Northeast Tennessee.

The city is a finalist in Harvard University’s Innovations in American Government Award. The top six programs will be announced in September.

Since 2000, Kingsport has recorded a 4.8 percent increase in the percentage of the city population with at least some college education, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Kingsport’s Academic Village includes the Regional Center for Applied Technology, Regional Center for Health Professions, Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing to open this fall, and the Pal Barger School of Automotive Technology to open in 2010.

Managed by Northeast State, the Kingsport Higher Education Center will offer baccalaureate and higher degrees through Carson-Newman College, King College and Lincoln Memorial University. KHEC will open for classes in mid-August.

Discuss This Story

Be the first to comment: Sign In or Create Profile .

To comment, you must register.

Comments are the sole responsibility of the registered user participating in online discussions. You agree not to post comments off topic, abusive, obscene, defamatory, vulgar, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned.

Click here to review our complete user agreement.