Maxine Bowden Remembered

Maxine Bowden worked in many different offices during her fifteen years at Vol State. She was a secretary in the Center of Emphasis, Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Distance Learning Office. She died recently after a long illness.

“Maxine was a joy to work with and brought a smile to everyone who crossed her path,” said former co-worker Mary Nunaley. “She was passionate about her work and her family and always had a kind word to say, even on days when she was not feeling well, she always thought about how everyone else was feeling and doing. She was not just a colleague but a friend.”

Maxine was an inspiration to me,” said Laurette Nuckols. “I admired her courage and strength through all the battles she had.  She was a dear friend and I will miss her.”

Laurette and Maxine attended Gallatin High School together. Maxine was a cheerleader. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. She went through many rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Maxine finally received a stem cell implant at Duke University.

“When I was in the hospital with my heart surgery, I knew it was nothing next to her illness,” said Laurette. “I’m heartbroken, but I know she is in a better place.”

A Memorial Service will be held for Maxine on Saturday, November 2 at 1 p.m. The location is the Zion Upper Room Apostolic Faith Church, 365 N. Blakemore Street, Gallatin, TN  37066

615-452-5704.

EMS Outreach

Our partners at Guns and Leather (Spectre Defense) conducted a Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, October 26. Vol State provided a display of medical equipment, trauma manikins, simulation manikins, and medical supplies (NAR IPOK kits and CAT tourniquets)) for over 100 customers. We began enrolling students in our Heartsaver/AED/First Aid and Trauma First Response courses. Amanda Smith of Spectre Defense provided several photos featuring my staff using the CAT tourniquet on a manikin. By far, Bernie (Sim Man 3-G) was the celebrity everyone wanted to meet. 

-Robert Davis, Vol State EMS Program

Dr. Faulkner: We Are Learners

Many thanks go to Hilary Marabeti and her team and the professional development committee for the excellent PD day.  I have heard many positive comments on Dr. Ruby Payne’s presentation on the mind-set of different economic groups.

Also, thanks to Louise Kelly and the Library team for making the One Book – One Community event possible.  Having large numbers of people across the county reading The Ballad of Frankie Silver created much positive buzz in the community and the culminating event with author Sharyn McCrumb was well attended and highly praised by those in attendance.

And not to forget Dr. Kenny Yarbrough and the team in Student Life and Diversity for bringing Tim Wise to campus to further raise awareness on issues of diversity.  Big kudos to them.

We really didn’t sit down together and plan this, but it has amazed me at how all three of these events are working synergistically to focus us on the diversity of our internal community, our student body, and the community around us.  My big “light bulb” moment was realizing that not everyone thinks like me and that those mindset patterns are chiefly set in place by the environment in which people have existed.

In the book that we read, Frankie Silver was from a different culture and economic class than the genteel folk of Morganton who ultimately tried and hanged her.  Had she been from this wealthy group or had she been tried by her true peers, she likely would not have been convicted.  Likewise, because she did not understand the unwritten rules, she couldn’t really participate in the proceedings to her advantage.  This was a great example of what Dr. Payne shared with us on PD day.  Tim Wise has developed the same theme in helping us to see how persons of white privilege don’t view the world in the same way as people of color.

As we continue with formal and informal discussions generated by these events, our goal is not just understanding and accommodation but true inclusion.  We are all learners but if what we learn doesn’t change us, where is the value?

-Dr. Jerry Faulkner

Pioneer Basketball Kicks-off this Weekend

Vol State...it's time to get revved-up for Pioneer Men's and Women's Basketball. The home season kicks-off this weekend with the Pops Hudson Classic. Friday Vol State games are 6pm and 8pm. The Women play first and the Men second for these double headers. Game times Saturday are 5pm and 7pm. Come out and cheer on the Pioneers to victory. Check out the complete season schedule and get over to the Pickel Field House this season. It's free with your Vol State ID.

November Events

1, 2, and 8, 9	Play: "A Servant of Two Masters", Wemyss Auditorium in Caudill Hall, 7:30pm
3 and 10	Play: "A Servant of Two Masters", Wemyss Auditorium in Caudill Hall, 2:30pm
6	Comedian Michael Kent, Cafeteria, 12:30pm
6	"Dr. Who", Laura Black, Honors Lecture Series, Thigpen Library, Rochelle Center, 12:20pm
7	Veterans Recognition, State Rep. Harold Love, Jr., Nichols Dining Room, 12:30pm, RSVP required: lori.miller@volstate.edu
11	Homecoming Video Game Day, Nichols Dining Room, 10:30am-1:30pm
12	Homecoming Board Game Day, Cafeteria, 10am-1:30pm
Nov. 12- Dec. 13	Yvonne Petkus and Matt Tullis Art Exhibit, Thigpen Library Gallery, 7am-9pm Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday
13	Homecoming Evening Board Games, Cafeteria, 5pm-6pm
13	Ben Job "Common Threads" book-signing, Vol State Book Store, 1:30-3:30pm
13	"Advertising and Popular Culture" Clay Scott, Honors Lecture Series, Nichols Dining Room, 12:20pm
14	Homecoming Minute to Win It game, Cafeteria, 12:30pm
15	"The War on Drugs", Michael Lenz, Honors  Lecture Series, Nichols Dining Room, 12:20pm
16	Homecoming Day- Tailgate at Noon, Women’s basketball game 2pm and Men’s basketball game 4pm, Pickel Field House
17	"Pass Time with Good Company" Renaissance and Baroque period music, Vol State Singers, Good Shepherd United Methodist, 4pm
18	International Education Week Kick-off event, Ramer Great Hall, 12:30pm
20	International Education- Around the World in a Day, Nichols Dining Room, Noon-2pm
20	Commercial Music, songwriting students and the Bluegrass Ensemble perform, Whippoorwill in Gallatin, 6pm
21	"Killing Kennedy", Peter Johnson, Honors Lecture Series, Nichols Dining Room, 12:45pm
28, 29, 30	Campus closed for Thanksgiving holiday

The Vol State Family Campaign

Over the last few years we have been showing ways in which we exhibit "The Vol State Difference." You've seen it in our advertising. It's also part of a new social media campaign. People have always mentioned "The Vol State Family." It's a concept that goes beyond those who work here and extends to our students, alumni, donors, trustees and the wider community. Over the next year, we'll be highlighting that relationship in a series of Facebook photos. We're starting with students, faculty and staff. We'll continue with alumni and others in the future.

The idea is to have the person in the photo share it with their friends and family. We put it up on the Vol State Facebook pages and that starts the sharing trend.

Here are a few recent examples. We look forward to expanding the campaign in the future.

Vol State in the News

The passing of long-time faculty member Ginny Thigpen received quite a bit of attention in the local media. Here is the story from the Tennessean.

The Tennessee Small Business Development Center has had another successful year. They celebrate with naming one client as a "Rising Star" in the small business world. The Hendersonville Star News has a story on this year's recipient.

A new articulation agreement with the online Western Governors University also provides some benefits for Vol State employees. The Gallatin News Examiner has this article.

Fond Memories of Ginny Thigpen

There have been many people who have contributed to the success of Volunteer State Community College over the years. But some of those supporters go above and beyond. That was the case with Virginia “Ginny” Thigpen. She and her family have given so much to Vol State and in so many different ways. She passed away earlier this week. People here on campus, and across the community, paused to remember her life.

“She was just amazing,” said Karen Mitchell. “She loved education and everything about education. She was one of those rare human beings who you always loved to be around.”

“I remember when I came to work at the College, Ginny was so nice to me,” said Betty Gibson. “She made everyone around her feel special.  I got to know her and her husband Walter much better through the years.  They loved Vol State and made many contributions to the College through their talents and expertise.  Even after Ginny’s retirement, she has continued to support the College through her work with the Foundation.  Walter has been missed greatly and now we will miss Ginny so much. A lovely lady.”

Where does one start? Ginny was hired by Dr. Hal R. Ramer in 1972 as an instructor of English. She was a long-time faculty member, giving 36 years of service to Vol State, as an associate professor of English and Communication Department chair. She also started the Honors Program at the College. That dedication didn’t end when she retired from full-time work in 2000. She worked as a part-time adjunct instructor for another eight years. She continued to be active in the College Foundation, both as a generous donor, a board trustee and a tireless volunteer.

The people that knew her and loved her understood that she was involved in the community. But it seems that whenever you thought you knew her activities, you would find another stack of accomplishments. Ginny was involved in organizations and efforts across Sumner County. A few years ago former colleague and state Representative Mike McDonald honored her birthday with a resolution in the Tennessee Legislature. This covers just some of her involvement:

“WHEREAS, a dedicated civic leader, Ginny Thigpen has compiled an impressive record of community service, including being elected in 1978 as Sumner County’s first female County Commissioner, serving on the Sumner County Election Commission, and standing as President of the Tennessee Women’s Political Caucus; and WHEREAS, she also served as the President of the Gallatin Arts Council; the President of the Board of the Cumberland Mental Health Association; a charter member of the Junior Service League of Gallatin; a member of the Sumner County Ad Hoc Economic Strategy Committee; a member of the Health, Education, and Housing Facilities Board, a member of the Community Chorus, PEO, and Delta Kappa Gamma; a member of the Board of Trustees of the Volunteer State Community College Foundation; and a member of the board of Sumner Academy; and WHEREAS, no stranger to awards and accolades, Ginny Thigpen was named as the 2000 Tennessee Educator of the Year and was honored, along with her late husband, at the unveiling of the Thigpen Library at Volunteer State Community College.”

Ginny was married to long-time librarian Walter Thigpen. He died in 1997. The Thigpen Library, named in his honor, will always be a testament to their love of the institution. Their portrait hangs in the main entrance to the first floor. The Thigpens will be watching over students for many years to come.

“During her many years of service as a member of the English faculty, Mrs. Thigpen dedicated herself to the college and to the success of her students,” said Dr. Faulkner. “Even after her retirement from the college she continued to be an ardent Vol State supporter and benefactor.  She was very active with the Volunteer State Foundation serving as a trustee and on committees supporting many of the foundation events.  It was my great pleasure to get to know her since arriving at Vol State and I know she will be greatly missed by us all.”

Ginny was a global traveler. She enjoyed exploring other cultures and meeting new people. She began that love as a student at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and traveled to countries across the globe with her husband and then with friends and family. While her heart and home were in Sumner County, she was a true citizen of the world.

Do you have a story you would like to share about Ginny? Feel free to post in the comments section here to share with the rest of the campus and community.

A Big Change in the Smoking Policy on Campus

Smoking on campus at Vol State will be much more limited after the New Year. The College is instituting a new smoking policy that will restrict smoking, and the use of other tobacco products, and tobacco-like products, to parking lots 50 feet from buildings. Students are just starting to react the news. Thus far it appears to be a mostly positive response with, needless to say, some who are not happy with the news. Here is the actual policy:


Effective January 1, 2014, Volunteer State Community College is a Tobacco-Free Campus, with smoking and all other tobacco/tobacco-like products usage permitted only in parking lot areas 50 feet from all buildings. Receptacles will be provided in parking lots to assist with proper litter disposal. Disposal of tobacco waste, i.e., cigarette butts, chewing tobacco, herbal chew products, etc., in any device other than a waste receptacle will result in a littering citation. This policy applies to all college buildings and grounds and any buildings owned, leased or rented by Volunteer State Community College. Tobacco use is also prohibited in all state vehicles. This tobacco-free policy is in effect 24 hours a day year-round and applies to all forms of tobacco products including, but not limited to, cigarettes, pipes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, herbal chew products, as well as smokeless electronic cigarettes and other similar devices.


VSCC promotes a healthy, sanitary environment free from tobacco smoke and tobacco-related debris. The VSCC community acknowledges that long-term health hazards may exist for people who use tobacco products or who are subjected to second-hand smoke. The failure to address the use of tobacco products on campus constitutes a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and Tennessee law.


It is the responsibility of all members of the VSCC community to comply with this Tobacco and Smoke-Free Campus Policy. Violations of the policy will be dealt with in a manner that is consistent with campus procedures. There shall be no reprisals against anyone reporting violations of this policy.

Fall Fiesta 2013

The Hispanic Fiesta had to move inside this weekend, due to the weather. There was still plenty of fun to be had. Thanks to Teresa Corlew and her husband, David, for these great pics:

A Look Inside the New Allied Health Building

The new Wallace Health Sciences South Building is nearing completion. Recently, some members of the President's Cabinet had an update tour. As you can see from these pictures, the furniture has been moved in and labs are being finished. It's important to note that while the building is nice, it's these labs that will truly make the difference for our students. For some programs it will provide specially designed lab space for the first time. Notice the bed in the shots below. No, it's not the faculty/staff lounge. It's one of the new Sleep Diagnostics labs. There will be specialized equipment and space for EMT and several other programs. The building is on track to be finished this semester and open for classes in the Spring semester.

Vol State in the News

The Ramer Society welcomed new members and those who moved up levels in giving. The annual dinner recognizes some of the most supportive donors to the College Foundation. The Hendersonville Star News had this story.

The Vol State Fiesta received coverage in the Gallatin News Examiner.

A classic Italian comedy will be presented by students starting November 1. The Tennessean has this story.

Dr. Faulkner: Once in a Lifetime

How often have we heard that title phrase?  Almost every time I turn on the TV, someone tries to convince me this is a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to buy something – a car, a set of knives, a diet supplement.  You know the pitch.  The phrase is so overused it has become trite.

A recent passage I read awakened me to how little we pay attention to once in a lifetime experiences.  It is from an introductory symposium article by Tony Middlebrooks titled New Perspectives of Leadership in the Journal of Leadership Studies (2013, Vol. 7, Number 2.)  The passage says, “I once considered writing a book that would be titled something like The Time of Their Life, where I would profile individuals who worked in professions where their every day was a once-in-a-lifetime day for the rest of us: funeral directors, maternity nurses, fire fighters, wedding photographers,  etc.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that we all do jobs that are quite often a single experience, and perhaps quite an important one, for others.”

We all encounter students on our campus that we may never encounter again.  Walking across campus, at the business office counter, or in student services are all places we may meet students for the first and last time.  In those situations, we are doing what we routinely do, but for the student it is a once in a lifetime encounter and so while we may have delivered the same message to 50 other students, it is the first (and maybe the last) time we will interact with them.

Even when we have repeated interactions with students, we never know when a particular incident will be a life changing once in a lifetime encounter.  Though they may sit in our class day after day and week after week, we never know how the words and actions of a single instance may have a lifelong impact.

And so every day we have once in a lifetime opportunities, not to sell knives, but to impact the lives of those around us, especially our students.  I don’t want to miss any once in a lifetime events and I hope you don’t either.

-Dr. Jerry Faulkner

Hispanic Heritage Month Honors

Vol State is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with dancing, food and, of course, the Vol State Fiesta. Recently, Student Life recognized some Vol State folks who have worked with the Hispanic community in outreach and Vol State Hispanic students in student clubs and most importantly, in the classroom. The occasion was the Hispanic Heritage Luncheon.

Oky Arguello was honored for her work on a successful TBR Access and Diversity grant program. As the Family Outreach Specialist, Oky worked with potential students and their families to navigate the college process. Education about higher education is quite important for the Hispanic community, especially because the American higher education system is much different than the systems in many Latin American countries. Oky organized and lead classes to inform families about college-going and took them on visits to colleges and universities.

Karen Hutson was recognized for her many years of dedicated service to English for Speakers of Other Languages, or ESOL. The program is the fundamental stepping stone for people who need to build their English skills to prepare for traditional college courses. Karen teaches students from many different countries and who speak many different languages. It isn't easy work. It requires plenty of patience and understanding.

Michelle Vandiver teachers Spanish. Through her commitment to the cause, her students have assisted at the many Vol State Hispanic events and festivals. Most recently she hosted the Hispanic Heritage Month quiz bowl for students in the cafeteria. She has also been a liaison at the college for Spanish speaking and ESOL students.

Dalila Duarte, a graduate student assistant at Tennessee State University was the keynote speaker this year. She reminded the audience why Hispanic Heritage Month is important and how being a Latino in America is almost as much a growth project for some people as it is an intrinsic part of their culture.

Congrats to all and we hope to see everyone at the finale of our Hispanic Heritage celebration- the Vol State Fiesta on Saturday, October 19 from 10am-4pm in the center of campus. It is free and open to everyone.

Highland Crest Fall Carnival

Vol State at Highland Crest holds events throughout the year to bring the community to campus. On Saturday, they held a Fall Carnival. It featured games for kids, a science show, magic and even a barbecue competition. It was a great success. Here are some photos.

Dr. Faulkner: Adapt or Die

In the last two days, two articles and a blog entry have crossed my desk that emphasize the need for us as a college to be flexible, nimble, and willing to change.  The first is a commentary from The Chronicle of Higher Education titled, “Take It From an Ex-Journalist: Adapt or Die.” You can see where I got my title.  In this article, Byron P. White, a former journalist and now a Vice President at Cleveland State University, compares the current state of higher education to the newspaper business as it existed a few years ago.  He recounts that the conversations in higher education today are much the same as those heard in newspaper offices.  He lists the many forces that forced newspapers into bankruptcy, drastic changes in delivery, or even worse ceasing to publish.  White says, “To this day, I believe the newspaper industry could have avoided such a steep decline had we made a serious commitment to adapt to change.”

The second article by Bruce Leslie, Chancellor of Alamo Colleges is from Community College Week. The title is The End of the Community College, Again.  It is an update of an article that appeared in the publication in 1996.  It is essentially a brief SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the state of community colleges.  It is remarkable how little change has occurred since 1996.  But what is scary is that we have made only limited progress in addressing the threats that were evident even more than a decade ago.  Leslie states, “To prevent the End of the Community College, its leaders must redesign our mini-university model and become the assertively responsive, transformative, and community-engaged design that is our very own so that we are leading, engaging and accelerating actions necessary to competitively flourish and teach for the 21st century.”

The final piece to cross my desk was a Greg Smith post from the blog Higher Ed Tech Talk. “Higher education must continue to offer the foundation that fits the community it serves. We focus on the development of the mind, body and soul but we also fine tune our academic product to meet customer and market demand. And we neutralize the threat from technology by embracing it. The threat to higher education is the avoidance of change.”

The point is that we can’t assume that we are too big to fail or that our heritage will be enough to sustain us in a changing environment.  We have to be ready and willing to adapt.  In the last few years, scores of newspapers have either ceased publication or have gone to a purely on-line format.  Yes, change is uncomfortable but it is inevitable if we are to survive and thrive. 

-Dr. Jerry Faulkner

Vol State in the News

The CIS grant that brought Governor Haslam to campus recently received coverage in several newspapers, including this piece in the Tennessean. Here is the story on News 2.

The One Book, One Community project has been receiving attention. The author of this year's chosen book, Sharyn McCrumb, will be appearing here on campus October 24. The Hendersonville Star News has the story.

A Vol State alum is one of the finalists in a video contest sponsored by the National Disability Institute. Dr. James Perdue has written a book about his challenges and road to education, which prominently features Vol State, that we covered here a couple of years ago. Check out the videos and consider voting for your favorite.

Instructor Releases Book about Family History and Slavery

Vol State adjunct faculty member Ben Jobe has been looking into his family history. It’s an activity many of us consider. It’s what Ben found, and the other Ben Jobe, that make this story interesting. After several years of writing, Ben is ready to share that story with the world. He has just published a book titled “Common Threads: My Family’s Journey from Slave Owner to Abolitionist.” It’s a family history with a twist.

“I’m dedicating the book to my parents, but it’s a tribute to all of my family. The friendship with Coach Jobe made the story a lot more interesting.

As we relayed in an Insider story several years ago, the story begins with recent history: a series of mistaken phone calls.

“They said is this the Coach Ben Jobe?” said teacher Ben Jobe.

The calls continued for many years and slowly Jobe began to realize that they were referring to a famous African-American basketball coach. Coach Jobe started his college career as a standout player with Fisk University. He is most famous for leading the Southern University Jaguars to four NCAA tournament appearances, five Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and 11 Southwestern Athletic Conference championships. He is currently a scout for the New York Knicks and lives in Montgomery, Alabama.

“A friend of mine gave me an article about him called Trials of Jobe. I thought this is pretty interesting. I wonder why we have the same name?”

Finally, in 2008 the two talked for the first time.

“When Ben told me his name I almost hung up. I had been getting so many prank calls,” said Coach Jobe. “Now I’ve told him how upset I was that he didn’t contact me earlier.”

Over the years, and with the help of a cousin who researched the family history, the two men discovered that the common name told much more about the past then they had realized.

“The Coach was born and raised in Smyrna. My great, great grandfather was from Smyrna. He owned two black men who were brothers. He was a furniture maker and they were skilled craftsman.”

Frank Jobe and Scott Jobe were slaves who worked in the shop. Scott Jobe was the great grandfather of Coach Ben Jobe. Taking the name of their owner was not an uncommon practice. The two Ben Jobes were connected by slavery.

“One day the Coach asked me, why do you think we kept the name Jobe? He believes there was a genuine bond of affection there.”

“I never believed I would meet anyone that had a connection like this to my family,” said Coach Jobe.

It’s a side of Southern history that may not be discussed much. Ben Jobe, the Vol State instructor, says he thinks the closeness was due to the spirit of craftsmanship. Now, 150 years later the two families are again connected and under greatly different circumstances.

“We have a lot in common. He and I are on the same page,” said Vol State Ben Jobe. “We have a lot of common points of view. Because of growing up in the Jim Crow era I don’t have a lot of black friends. It’s taken me most of my life to figure out how all of this baggage has affected me.”

Coach Jobe has seen parts of the book and the two men still talk often. Ben is looking forward to sending him an autographed copy of the book.

For Ben, this examination of slavery is connected to a current passion- the move to end human trafficking. Trafficking is the slavery of modern times. People are used for forced labor and prostitution, often moving from one country to another and finding themselves without rights or the ability to flee. He volunteers with End Slavery Tennessee, an action and awareness nonprofit dedicated to ending human trafficking in Tennessee. The founder of the group, Derri Smith, was the first one to point out the connection between the slavery in the Jobe history and Ben’s work to end human trafficking.

“I’m glad to be part of the modern abolitionist movement, Jobe said.

Ben spent many months getting the book design and marketing just right. A service called Create Space helped him to design the cover and format the text. It is being distributed by Amazon in paperback. He plans to have it in bookstores later this fall.

The Vol State Bookstore is having a book signing event from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13th.  You can buy a copy there, as well.

Here’s a link to End Slavery Tennessee.

Vol State Receives State Grant Money for CIS

Governor Haslam made a visit to Vol State to announce a grant to the College for a new Computer Information Systems lab and program. Congrats to John Espey, Rob Morris and Samuel Said for developing the grant program, and, of course, to Saranne Winfield for writing the grant. The announcement brought together more than a hundred Vol State students, faculty and staff. Several students had the opportunity to meet the Governor, as did Samuel Said.

Here's the news release from the Governor's Office and some pictures from the event:

HASLAM ANNOUNCES VOL STATE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANT  

Grant of $259,700 for laboratory for new computer information science program

GALLATIN – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam today announced a workforce development grant of $259,700 for Volunteer State Community College for establishing a networking laboratory for a new computer information science program.

The governor proposed and the General Assembly approved $16.5 million in this year’s budget for equipment and technology related to workforce development programs at Tennessee colleges of applied technology and community colleges, part of Haslam’s “Drive to 55” effort to increase the number of Tennesseans with post-secondary credentials.

These strategic investments resulted from the governor meeting with businesses and education officials across the state last fall to better understand workforce development needs.  One of the most common themes he heard was the lack of capacity and equipment at Tennessee colleges of applied technology and community colleges to meet job demand, so these grants are aimed at addressing those gaps.

“Currently, only 32 percent of Tennesseans have certificates or degrees beyond high school, and studies show that by 2025 that number must be 55 percent to meet workforce demands,” Haslam said.  “We must have qualified Tennesseans to fill those positions, and these grants are going to have an immediate impact because these programs have high placement rates in fields that are looking to fill jobs now.”

The equipment at Volunteer State Community College will provide computer science training that includes cyber-security, data analysis, mobile application programming, Voice Over Internet Protocol and virtualization training. Volunteer State will develop a program designed to reduce the cost and time it takes IT students to obtain high-wage professional jobs.  The program will provide hands-on skills training as well as critical thinking ability. 

According to the University of Tennessee Center for Business and Economic Research, occupations in computer and information systems security are among the state’s most under-supplied career pathways. A Georgetown University study estimated about 7,000 computer and mathematical science jobs in Tennessee will require at least an associate degree by 2018.    

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