Volunteer State Community College 50th Anniversary

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) approved the formation of a college campus in Sumner County in 1969. Groundbreaking for Volunteer State Community College was held on a cold and blustery day in November of 1970. It was culmination of three years of preparation by Dr. Hal R. Ramer, who helped to form the Tennessee community college system as Assistant State Education Commissioner, and then went on to create a community college in Gallatin. He became the founding president of that college in 1970 and served for 33 years.

Vol State opened for classes in October of 1971. At first, classes were held in an old hotel in Gallatin, and wherever else they could find space throughout Sumner County. John Newman and Joni Steinhauer, both of Hendersonville, were the first official students. In the first quarter, 581 students enrolled. The Gallatin campus opened in the winter of 1972. The first commencement ceremony was held on June 9, 1973 with 57 students graduating.

The Classes

Everything at Vol State is centered on the work we do in our classrooms, and in recent years, online platforms. The number of classes taught in 50 years is tough to estimate, but with hundreds of classes held each semester, the number of individual classes would number in the tens of thousands. Our faculty members specialize in teaching and that means assisting people from many different backgrounds and with a range of academic preparation.

Our goal is simple: help students to succeed.

 

College athletics began in 1971 with Men’s Basketball and new sports were added through the 1970s. In 1975 and 1993 the Women’s Basketball Team won the NJCAA Region 7 Championship. The Men’s Basketball Team won the championship in 1982. The Pioneers Baseball Team won championships in 1995, 1999, and 2001. The Softball Team won a championship in 2011.

Vol State has a long history of student organizations. Student clubs and organizations provide ample opportunity for students to participate in campus governance and leadership opportunities to promote their educational, personal, and social development.

The award-winning Settler student newspaper has been publishing since classes began in 1971. The Vol State radio station, WVCP-FM, recently celebrated a 40th anniversary. The station began broadcasting in January of 1971.

Literary magazines published at the college have received numerous national awards over the years. Performing arts have been a hallmark of the college since inception. Dozens of concerts, plays and other performances have been held over the years.

Vol State has played a role in hundreds of community events over the years. It has been home to walk-a-thons, community meetings, job fairs and many other events.

On April 10, 1981 the occasion was a fundraiser featuring the Johnny Cash Show of Stars. The concert featured Johnny, June, the Carter Family, the Gatlin Brothers, and Tom T. Hall. It was held in the gym of the Pickel Field House. These are some ads for the concert from the Tennessean newspaper. Special thanks to the Facebook page Music City Concert History for finding these ads.

Vol State has fostered close ties to the community through annual events such as the Fall Fiesta at Vol State, Easter Egg Hunts, and Movie Nights. In response to the great financial need created by the pandemic, staff members worked with students to provide hundreds of free food boxes over several months. The college has also been a site for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Dear Alma Mater, Pride of Tennessee
We Go Forth to serve humanity,
Pioneers imbued with learning, we
Volunteer State, we pledge our loyalty.

Down through the days, our hearts are filled with cheer.
We recall the joys of college years.
Many times we cheered our colors true.
Singing the praise of red and white and blue.