TriStar Bank Community Room Brings Connection to Columbia State's Southern Regional Technology Center

On the first floor of Columbia State Community College's new three-story Southern Regional Technology Center (SRTC), the TriStar Bank Community Room carries the bank's name — a visible reminder of its commitment to students and the community they will one day serve.

The Community Room offers an open design giving it an inviting sense of possibility, seating and tables allows the space to easily adapt for meetings, studying, collaboration or community gatherings. It is one of several named spaces made possible through community support for the new SRTC, which opened with an August ribbon-cutting celebration. The modern facility gives Columbia State additional space and technology to prepare students for careers that are in demand across the region.

The center is also a part of the state's $2.5 billion investment in public education.

For TriStar Bank President Ted Williams, supporting the Community Room was not just about putting the bank's name on a space. "We are honored to be part of this project and to help provide a place where the community can come together and students can meet to work on the skills that will uplift our community," Williams said. "This is our way of showing our support, and we're vested in the future leaders of our communities."

"It's their support that made this all possible," Columbia State Community College Vice President for Advancement Bethany Lay said, making special note of the donors and organizations whose contributions are recognized in named spaces throughout the three-story facility.

That purpose fits naturally within the larger vision for the Southern Regional Technology Center. The facility serves as a hub for workforce development, providing students with educational opportunities connected to technology, healthcare and industrial careers while helping meet the needs of employers throughout the region.

Columbia State President Janet F. Smith said the new facility reflects the college's commitment to giving students the knowledge, skills and sense of purpose they need to build meaningful careers. For Smith, the opening represents more than additional classrooms and new technology. Preparing students for careers in healthcare, industry and other growing fields strengthens the workforce and contributes to the economic vitality of the communities Columbia State serves. She also emphasized the importance of partnerships in making those opportunities possible. Support from organizations such as TriStar Bank demonstrates to students and the wider community that education is a shared commitment — and ultimately an investment in people.

That commitment extends across the region. Columbia State's work complements the career and technical education provided through Tennessee College Applied Technology in Pulaski and Hohenwald, with dedicated educators working to prepare students for the needs of today's workforce and the careers of tomorrow.

For students, the value of the new space is already easy to see. Addison McCormack, a first-year radiology student, said the TriStar Bank Community Room give...