Date Posted: December 22, 2021
With a large crowd of supporters and friends of the College in attendance, Southern Crescent Technical College (SCTC) hosted a groundbreaking celebration on December 9, 2021 for the new Center for Education and Entrepreneurship at the SCTC Henry County Center in McDonough.
Architects from Jericho Design Group recently redesigned the nearly 26,000 square foot facility located at the entrance to the SCTC Henry County Center. The building, formerly known as the Lakemont Chattels Shopping Center, consisted of an empty strip mall and is now being repurposed to house academic and economic development programs primarily centering around Business Management and Culinary Arts.
The Business Management programs will focus on entrepreneurship and small business development with some technical certificates of credit exploring entrepreneurship and the role of a small business owner as well as assisting students with the development of a business plan. To support the entrepreneurship focus, the College is a member of the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE). NACCE is the nation’s leading organization focused on promoting entrepreneurship through community colleges and provides leadership and sustainable, scalable resources to foster entrepreneurial thinking and action. To offer further support for existing businesses in Henry and surrounding counties, SCTC is eager to offer customized training in topics such as Leadership and Small Business Development.
The Culinary Arts program plans to establish a baking program in this location, complete with a cafe and coffee shop that will be open to the public.
These programs generated a great deal of excitement in the Henry County community and groundbreaking attendees heard comments from McDonough Mayor Billy Copeland, Mayor-Elect Sandra Vincent, and Henry County Manager Cheri Hobson-Matthews. Each shared their enthusiasm to see the planned progress for the building and the upcoming opportunities for Henry County residents.
Funding for the project was made available in Governor Kemp’s 2021 budget, although work began to acquire the property in early 2019 through the diligent efforts of the Henry County legislative delegation. Former State Representative Andy Welch and State Senator Brian Strickland spearheaded the efforts and worked tirelessly to make this project a reality. Both spoke of the importance of the day’s events and remarked of the lasting impact of this project.
Senator Strickland stated, “This is a great day for Henry County and a great occasion to celebrate the progress and partnerships that make Southern Crescent Technical College a key player in the continued advancement of our community. As this project moves forward, we are excited to see what the future holds.”
Dr. Alvetta Thomas thanked the community and legislative leader that helped to make this project possible and stated, “During early plans for the project, Southern Crescent Technical College administrators met with key stakeholders including representatives from the Henry County School System, the Chamber of Commerce and the Development Authority and elected community and state leaders. They overwhelmingly supported the College’s plans to create a space focused on small business development. Thus, the idea for the Center for Education and Entrepreneurship came to life. With this project, Southern Crescent Technical College will continue working to build strong students, strong careers, and strong communities.”
Ajax Building Company is scheduled to begin the remodel in the coming months with construction planned to be completed near the end of 2022.
