The University of Tennessee at Martin Springfield Regional Center was approved in February by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, or SACSCOC.
This officially gives UT Martin six regional centers, with Springfield joining regional centers in Jackson, McNairy County/Selmer, Parsons, Ripley and Somerville.
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission voted for approval of the UT Martin Springfield Regional Center last year on May 22. This center is housed on the Volunteer State Community College-Springfield campus.
The addition of this regional center comes after a successful partnership between Vol State-Springfield and UT Martin. In November 2023, the campuses entered an agreement that allowed students to pursue post-secondary education in agriculture, education, health care and technology sectors onsite.
“We are providing agriculture business, farm and ranch management and the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree at the Springfield Center,” said Erica Bell, executive director of the Office of Regional Centers and Online Programs at UT Martin.
“We also have a dual-enrollment partnership that began with Robertson County Schools last fall. That allows students who are interested in ag business or farm and ranch management to start their general education curriculum at Vol State and their concentration degree-specific courses with UT Martin.”
Bell added that students enrolled in dual-enrollment courses through Vol State could complete the remaining year of those general education courses the year after they graduate high school and then move on to degree-specific courses through UT Martin.
“Basically, it cuts off an entire year,” she said. “In three years, they can walk away with a Bachelor of Science degree from UT Martin without ever leaving Robertson County.”
UT Martin is also working in partnership with the University of Tennessee Highland Rim Ag Research and Education Center in Springfield.
Dr. Wendi Tostenson (pronounced “TOSS-ten-son”), president of Volunteer State Community College, said the addition of UT Martin is a boon for people in and around Robertson County who want to earn a four-year degree.
“It’s all at Vol State, so I think the addition of the UT Martin courses and having the availability of a four-year degree at the Springfield Center is a game-changer for Vol State and the community,” she said. “The partnership provides our students with seamless pathways to continue their education from dual enrollment to an associate’s degree to a four-year bachelor’s degree, and they don’t have to leave the region. That’s really important.
“This partnership directly addresses the workforce needs in our area and it provides educational offerings at home, which make that very appealing to our Springfield and Robertson County students and, really, for all of Vol State. We have students on the Gallatin campus who could then transfer and continue to take those courses at the Springfield campus because of the proximity of those locations.”
Tostenson added that UT Martin’s dual-enrollment agreement with Robertson County Schools is another asset for the Springfield Center.
“Our dual-enrollment students finish high school in Robertson County, they have a clear pathway with Vol State and then, with UT Martin and the Springfield Center specifically, those students are able to get an associate’s degree and transfer seamlessly,” she said. “And, there’s not that fear in the transferability. Often, students who get an associate’s degree and seek a four-year degree have some concern when they try to navigate a new system, a new school, a new process.
“I believe that the work we’ve done with UT Martin provides that stability for those students, where they don’t have to be concerned or scared. They just know that they’re taking the next class. Any time that we can make pathways in education easier to navigate and maneuver, the better it is for our students. By keeping students local, we not only support their academic and career goals but also strengthen the workforce pipeline for Robertson County, ensuring that our region continues to grow and thrive.”
Tostenson said that the agreement with UT Martin and Vol State goes beyond an educational opportunity.
“For the Springfield Center, this expansion strengthens its role as a higher education hub in Robertson County,” she said. “It will attract more students, increase engagement with local businesses and industries and support regional economic growth by developing a more skilled workforce.”
For more information about the UT Martin Springfield Center, contact the university’s Office of Regional Centers and Online Programs at 731-881-7089.
PHOTO: Shown prior to a meeting on the UT Martin main campus March 14 are (l-r) UTM Chancellor Yancy Freeman; Erica Bell, executive director of the Office of Regional Centers and Online Programs at UT Martin; and Dr. Wendi Tostenson, president of Vol State Community College.
