Columbia State Community College recently hosted a “Topping Out” ceremony for the Southern Regional Technology Center at the Columbia Campus. 

A “Topping Out” ceremony is traditionally hosted to honor the final or top structural beam being added to an important building during the construction process. 

Community members, local officials, Columbia State students, faculty, staff, as well as representatives from the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology, all met at the event to sign the beam and see it be added to the SRTC building.

“The muggy weather can't dampen our enthusiasm today!” said Bethany Lay, Columbia State vice president for advancement and executive director of the Columbia State Foundation. “Many, many people and a lot of work has gone into lifting this beam. It represents opportunity and the future of our communities. It brings the SRTC one step closer to opening!”

This ceremony marks a major milestone in the construction of the SRTC building, a facility that will soon bring expanded educational offerings and help fuel careers that will serve to enrich the local economy.

“As we celebrate today and erect this last beam — it is not just a celebration of the building,” said Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president. “It's not just a celebration that we finally got here, which it did take a bunch of years to get here, but it is a celebration of what the SRTC will be, what it means for you and all the folks in our community, in our region and what it will mean for students. The opportunities, the careers that will be available, all in this state-of-the-art facility. Through programs offered in the SRTC, students will obtain skills and knowledge that allow them to walk out at completion and walk into an industry, a hospital or wherever, they have the skills they need to be successful in their chosen career.”

The approximately 88,000 square-foot building will serve as a regional hub for education and training, addressing the needs of both citizens and employers. It will be a cornerstone of economic and workforce development, offering the latest industry and healthcare training. Emphasizing partnerships through internships, apprenticeships, program development and job placement, educational offerings will include diplomas, technical certificates and Associate of Applied Science degrees.

The SRTC will house programs such as Medical Laboratory Technology, Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Care, Medical Informatics, Engineering Systems Technology (including Mechatronics and Robotics), Veterinary Technology, Practical Nursing (LPN), Automotive Technology, HVAC and Welding.

The SRTC is slated to open for students in fall 2026.

To learn more about donation, partnership and endowment opportunities, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu/SRTC.