Groundbreaking set for art and media building

Pellissippi State breaks ground tomorrow, September 26, on a 27,000-square-foot facility that will house the College’s Media Technologies program, as well as fine arts.

The 9 a.m. ceremony takes place at the site of the future facility, adjacent to the Educational Resources Center. The event is open to the public, and students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.

The Media Technologies program includes four concentrations: Communication Graphics Technology, Photography, Video Production Technology and Web Technology. Students who complete the program earn an Associate of Applied Science degree and are prepared to enter a variety of media-related careers.

The featured speaker at the groundbreaking is Dee Haslam, CEO of Knoxville’s RIVR Media, which produces video entertainment programming. Haslam will address the need for highly qualified employees in the area’s booming media field.

“Knoxville is one of the largest and fastest growing markets in media production in the nation,” said Rhonda Rice of the Knox Area Chamber Partnership. “In fact, it’s often compared to cities such as Los Angeles and New York. Pellissippi State is key to producing high-quality students who meet the growing needs of these media operations.”

Also scheduled to speak at the groundbreaking are Charles W. Manning, chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents; Bill Haslam, mayor of Knoxville; and Susan Packard, president of international development for Scripps Networks.

The target date for completion of the two-story structure is July 2007. A major fundraising campaign is under way by the Pellissippi State Foundation to equip the facility once it’s built.

“We received $6.25 million in state funding for the Art and Media Technologies Building,” said Allen Edwards, president of Pellissippi State. “But since the state dollars will only pay for the building, we still have to raise at least $2 million more to furnish it.”

For more information about the groundbreaking, call 694-6616. To learn more about the fundraising campaign, call 694-6528.

"Inside Pellissippi" is a bi-monthly electronic publication produced by the Community Relations Office for the faculty and staff of Pellissippi State Technical Community College, 10915 Hardin Valley Road, P.O. Box 22990, Knoxville, Tennessee 37933-0990. All suggestions and comments should be sent to Julia Wood (jwood@pstcc.edu).

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