The University of Tennessee at Martin and Nashville State Community College are partnering to offer students a streamlined pathway to a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business. The partnership was announced and an agreement was signed May 6 at the Humphreys County Higher Education Center in Waverly. Nashville State President Shanna Jackson and UT Martin Chancellor Yancy Freeman were joined at the center for the announcement by elected officials, community members and representatives from both colleges.
The Humphreys County Higher Education Center is located off Highway 70 West on Holly Lane and includes a 22,000-square-foot classroom and administration facility and 10,000-square-foot technical facility that supports the center’s Industrial Process Control Technology Program. The 21st Century Educational Foundation supports the center’s mission.
Students will begin by completing one year of coursework at Nashville State, following a set curriculum. They can then transfer to UT Martin, where they are guaranteed admission to pursue a Bachelor of Science in agricultural business.
Upon completing UT Martin courses that fulfill their associate degree requirements, students can transfer their UTM credits back to Nashville State to receive an associate degree in general studies, all while continuing their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree.
The new program will be available beginning with the fall 2025 semester.
Before the signing, Jackson told the audience that she contacted Freeman in 2023 a short time after he was named UT Martin chancellor. Instead of competition between the two institutions, she discussed the potential for a partnership that would create educational opportunities that benefit more students.
“That’s the beauty of the community college,” Jackson said. “We are a great fit for students who know they want to pursue a four-year degree.
“But this one is special because we’re working together to wrap our arms around the student and make sure that they’re on a good pathway, and then they will transition seamlessly to UT Martin.”
“And she’s absolutely right,” Freeman said in response to Jackson’s opening remarks. “We can’t afford to be in competition with each other. We are partners, and the more we can partner, that’s a hint that we want to continue to find ways to partner together and to expand this relationship as we go.
“The more we can partner, the better it will be for this county, for the residents of Tennessee, for the citizens who are here that want to earn a degree, and for higher ed overall, and so I am thrilled to be here, thrilled to have an opportunity to sign this agreement.”
Dr. Joey Mehlhorn, UT Martin professor of agricultural economics, said that students will benefit from the program’s flexibility, which includes the option to complete UT Martin courses online.
“So, in theory, a student could come here (Waverly) for a year,” Mehlhorn said. “They could complete the online ag business program and … really never come to (the UT Martin) campus. … It’s a great option.
“It’s going to be a wonderful experience for these students.”
Learn more about the program through Nashville State at www.nscc.edu, by emailing the UT Martin Office of Regional Centers and Online Programs at outreach@utm.edu, or call 731-881-7089.
PHOtO: Pictured following the announcement and signing are (l-r) Dr. Johannah Williams, vice president of academic affairs and workforce development, Nashville State; Telaina Wrigley, Humphreys County campus and Dickson campus director, Nashville State; Dr. Shawn Wild, dean of the School of STEM, Nashville State; Dr. Shanna L. Jackson, Nashville State president; Dr. Yancy Freeman Sr., UT Martin chancellor; Erica Bell, executive director, UT Martin Regional Centers and Online Programs; Dr. Joey Mehlhorn, UT Martin professor of agricultural economics, dean of graduate studies and Gilbert Parker Chair of Excellence in Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Dr. Wes Totten, UT Martin professor of plant and soil science and chair, Department of Agriculture, Geosciences, and Natural Resources.
