Cleveland State Community College

Home
United States
Cleveland, TN
Cleveland State Community College

Define Your Tomorrow at Cleveland State Community College! The college operates within the governance of the Tennessee Board of Regents.

Cleveland State Community College is an accredited public comprehensive community college committed to quality education and open access.

09/03/2026

Campus got a bit of a face lift before classes started this fall!

New signage at high traffic points, campus maps, and wayfinding is making campus naviation much easier!

09/02/2026

The All Clubs Fair is always a great time! Students were able to learn plenty from various club representatives!

09/01/2026

🩺 Greg Edwards, Associate Professor of Nursing, was recently selected to serve on the Tennessee Academic Advising Network, a statewide organization dedicated to advancing student success through effective academic advising.

A retired firefighter and paramedic, Edwards became a nurse later in life and understands the challenges students face.

TAAN brings together professionals from Tennessee’s community colleges to collaborate, share resources, and develop best practices in academic advising. As Faculty Advisor-at-Large, Edwards will serve a one-year term with representatives from institutions across the state.

A Georgia native, Edwards began his career of public service after graduating from high school and joining the United States Air Force, where he served for four years.

In 1990, he joined the fire service in College Park, Georgia, as a fire fighter. Over the next 25 years, he advanced through the ranks, becoming an emergency medical technician, paramedic, driver, lieutenant, and battalion chief. He retired from the fire service in 2015.

While working in the fire service, Edwards pursued a nursing degree from Excelsior University in New York. At the time, they had one of the largest bridge programs for EMT and paramedics going into nursing.

After retiring from the fire service, Edwards worked full time as a neuro nurse on a stroke unit at an Atlanta-area hospital. He continued his education and earned a Master of Nursing Leadership and Management degree from Western Governors University in 2017.

After relocating to Tennessee in 2019, Edwards joined us as an adjunct nursing instructor. What began as a part-time teaching opportunity soon became a second career.

After seven years with us, Edwards’ classroom reflects the impact he has made. A bulletin board filled with photographs showcases former students who are now working in hospitals, clinics and healthcare facilities throughout the region.

“The best part of the job for me is walking into a hospital with a student clinical group and hearing, ‘Mr. Edwards,’” he said. “I turn around and see a nurse who is a former student. That is the biggest kick that I get. Second to that is when a nursing student asks me to pin them at graduation. That is a big deal.”

08/31/2026

🎉 Our annual Back to School Bash was one for the books! What better way to start the semester, than with food, games, and fun?!

08/28/2026

🩺 Nursing Convocation was a blast! New students were able to ask questions and receive guidance and advice from current students, followed by some fun games to help prepare for a successful career in nursing!

08/27/2026

☀️ What a joy to see new faces at orientation! Have a great semester everyone!

08/26/2026

🦋✨🪽💖 Today we mourn the loss of Dolly Parton, an icon and lifelong champion of education whose impact will be felt for generations.

Since 1995, her Imagination Library has gifted over 300 million free books to children around the world, sparking a love of reading before they even set foot in a classroom.

Through the Dollywood Foundation, she worked to help students succeed in school and increase graduation rates, and her scholarship program has supported students for over two decades.

Here in east Tennessee, Dolly's belief that every child deserves access to books and opportunity helped shape a culture of literacy that continues today, including Tennessee's statewide Governor's Books from Birth Foundation, which expanded her Imagination Library statewide.

We are grateful for leaders like Dolly Parton who remind us that education is one of the greatest gifts we can give.

"Find out who you are and do it on purpose." -Dolly Parton

08/25/2026

👏 Congratulations to four of our faculty members who recently earned tenure!

Winona Christiansen, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, and Chad Laxton, Assistant Professor of Advanced Technologies, began teaching at the college in 2021.

Not pictured: Desiree’ McCarthy, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Jerri Looper, Assistant Professor of Communications.

08/24/2026

🩺 Alumna Spotlight

Chattanooga native, Jennifer Owens, earned two degrees with us- the first right after high school, and the second five years later when she discovered her passion for nursing. Now, she serves as an Oncology Nurse Navigator specializing in breast cancer care at Erlanger.

Growing up, Owens wanted to be a teacher. After graduating from Chattanooga Central High School, she followed her best friend here, enrolling in all the same classes. She earned her associate degree in 2008 and transferred to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to pursue a degree in education. It didn’t take long for her to realize that teaching was not the right fit for her.

Without a clear career plan, Owens began working in healthcare as a medical assistant at an OB-GYN clinic. There, she discovered a call to help others.

“As I worked with doctors and learned so much, I found that I have a heart for taking care of people, especially on some of their hardest days” she said. “I wanted to take those next steps and go into nursing. I had a great experience at Cleveland State the first time, so I really didn’t consider any other options when I decided to go back for nursing.”

At the time, we were launching an evening nursing program, allowing Owens to continue working during the day while taking classes at night.

Owens credits our nursing instructors and the simulation lab for preparing her for a successful career.

After graduating from the nursing program in December 2013, Owens joined Erlanger in February 2014. She began her career in medical oncology before transitioning to gynecologic oncology, where she cared for women facing cancer diagnoses. Almost two years ago, she stepped into her current role as an Oncology Nurse Navigator for breast cancer patients.

As a navigator, Owens guides patients and their families through treatment and recovery helping coordinate care while serving as a source of support throughout their cancer journey.

“I have strong faith in the Lord, and I have absolutely loved taking care of oncology patients,” Owens said. “Working inpatient, you see them on their hardest days. I try to be a light and care for all their medical needs along with their emotional needs. Whatever they need- holding a hand, wiping their tears.”

Owens’ career in nursing has allowed her to prioritize time with her husband and two sons. “I love spending time with my family, and this job allows me the opportunity to be available for my kids and whatever our family needs. I really love working for Erlanger. I’ve been here over 12 years, and I don’t have any plans of going anywhere.”

Our next nursing evening sequence begins in January: for more information, email [email protected] or call (423) 478-6228.

08/20/2026

This past Tuesday, in partnership with Tennessee College of Applied Technology - Athens, the Accelerate Program was launched!

The Accelerate Program provides students who graduate from TCAT Athens in eligible programs the opportunity to enroll with us and receive 30 hours of credit toward their associate degree in General Technologies. Eligible programs are automotive technology, collision repair, computer information systems, cosmetology, diesel/medium heavy equipment, industrial maintenance, machine tools, or welding.

Students in the Accelerate Program can finish their associate degree in as little as nine months or less. Financial aid is available for qualified students including Federal Pell Grants, Tennessee Reconnect scholarship, and other scholarships.

The program is funded through a TN Accelerate grant from the Tennessee Board of Regents. This is one of only three college partnerships in the state to receive the grant.

The two colleges already partner on articulation agreements, apprenticeships, and the LPN to RN bridge program in nursing. By working together to increase student achievement, we plan to transform the delivery of programs and serve as a model for other institutions throughout the state.

For more information about the Accelerate Program, email [email protected] or call (423) 473-2414.

Address

3535 Adkisson Drive NW
Cleveland, TN
37312

Telephone

+14234727141

Website

http://www.clevelandstatecc.edu/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cleveland State Community College posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to Cleveland State Community College:

Want your university to be the top-listed University in Cleveland?