Jefferson State Community College to celebrate 50th anniversary on May 7
Jefferson State Community College, one of the original 12 junior colleges authorized by the Alabama State Legislature, held its first classes on Sept 30, 1965.
On May 7, the institution known as “Jeff State” will celebrate its 50th anniversary of educating students with a special reception and dinner at its Shelby-Hoover campus, 4600 Valleydale Road in the Health Sciences Building.
“It will be a great event looking back at our history with a 50th anniversary commemorative” video, said David Bobo, spokesman for Jefferson State Community College.
Tickets for this event are $25 each can be purchased online at www.jeffersonstate.edu/celebrate50. Money raised from the event will help fund the Thomas and Judy Merritt Scholarship Fund.
Jefferson State’s Graduation will be held the next day, May 8, at the historic downtown Alabama Theatre at 1:30 p.m.
Jefferson State Community has grown substantially since opening as a single campus near Center Point in 1965 with 1,100 students. It now serves approximately 12,000 students on its four campuses and is one of the largest community colleges in the state, Bobo said.
Jefferson State currently offers more than 120 university transfer programs, 33 career programs, and numerous certificate programs at four campuses: Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Chilton counties. In addition to its four campuses, Jefferson State has established an extensive online presence to allow flexible learning from any location.
The college also serves high school students across Alabama through dual enrollment programs. Jefferson State has earned numerous accolades, including being twice named in the top 10 digital community colleges in the nation in recent years.
The nursing program receiving “superior” evaluations nationally, and the culinary and hospitality program receiving “exemplary” accreditation ratings. Jefferson State’s accredited online veterinary technology program, the only one of its kind in Alabama, was named as a top seven program nationally.
Jefferson State ranks first in Alabama and 38th in the nation in the number of associate degrees awarded in Registered Nursing. The college’s child development program was the first in Alabama to be accredited nationally.
Graduates of the radiologic technology program consistently pass the certification exam at or near 100 percent, and its building and construction program won first place in the National Association of Home Builders’ Residential Construction Management Competition.