A building that hosts thousands of Northeast State students each semester recently received approval for a structural renovation project.
The R. Wade Powers Science and Mathematics Building at Northeast State’s Blountville campus serves as the hub for hundreds of science and mathematics courses required for students from most every academic major. Named for the College’s third president, Dr. Wade Powers, the building will undergo foundation stabilization after the project request received approval from the state in June.
The College’s director of Plant Operations, Pete Miller, said settlement of the building’s foundation had been an ongoing concern. The new project mirrors a similar project done three years ago to stabilize the foundation of the building’s east side. The new project expects the same stabilization plan for the south and west sides of the building.
The R. Wade Powers Science and Math Building hosts thousands of students each semester.
Like that project, steel pipes were placed to channel concrete underground and solidify the foundation. Miller said the project’s design and bid process would get underway later this year. He said the project may not begin until the spring semester of 2021 concluded to avoid classrooms disruptions.
The Mathematics and Science Hub at Northeast State
“Every student seeking a degree must come through the Powers Building sooner or later,” said Chris Hitechew, dean of Science division housed in the Powers Building. “Most everyone who takes core courses in science come through our building before they graduate.”
The Mathematics and Science classes taught there serve as the bedrock for many students’ majors, particularly in health-related fields. Students pursuing degrees or certificates in Advanced Technologies also visit the Powers Building to take required courses.
“The building itself is in a perfect spot on campus,” said Malissa Trent, dean of the College’s Mathematics division.
The Science division staffs 18 full-time faculty members and 22 part-time faculty members including lab assistants at all Northeast State campuses. Hitechew said more than 220 science classes meet in the building every fall and spring semester.
Microbiology and Anatomy & Physiology I & II are prerequisite foundation courses for all Health Professions degree and certificate programs at Northeast State. Students planning to pursue their four-year degrees in health-related transfer degree programs earn prerequisite credit hours at Northeast State. The Colleges features a variety of health-driven curricula including Pre-Pharmacy; Pre-Physical Therapy; Pre-Radiography; and Pre-Rehabilitative Science among others.
“We cover the gamut from Nursing to Allied Health to those students seeking doctoral degrees in need of science courses,” said Hitechew. “We are helping prepare a lot of students for the future.”
The Science and Math Building.
The Mathematics faculty teach classes at the Powers Building. The mathematics division includes 20 full-time instructors and adjunct faculty members. Students pursuing STEM-driven associate degrees and technical certificates spend many course hours of lab and lecture in the Powers Building.
“We have some truly excellent students in STEM so it is important that we provide them with high quality instruction but also a learning space that meets their needs,” said Trent. “We have students who do well and spend many hours a week in that building.”
Mathematics faculty prep those pre-engineering students seeking to transfer to four-year institutions to pursue engineering degrees. The pre-engineering associate degrees include chemical, civil, computer, electrical, general, industrial and systems, and mechanical concentrations. Trent said the feedback from public and private four-year institutions praised Northeast State transfer students.
“The pre-engineering courses tend to be small and works beautifully for those classes,” said Trent. “It is the right size space for the small classes.”
Northeast State’s Dr. Wade Powers
The building’s namesake, former Northeast State President Dr. Wade Powers, oversaw the building’s groundbreaking, construction, and welcoming of students. Powers noted how the state government, private benefactors, and Tennessee Board of Regents formed a long-term master plan to develop the College’s campus and role in the region.
“We had undergone a transition from a technical institute to a community college,” said Powers. “We began developing courses we had not been able to teach before.”
Dr. Wade Powers at the Science and Math Building groundbreaking ceremony.
Powers said Northeast State staff and faculty knew they needed to strengthen the offerings of science and mathematics courses to benefit students. He recalled how Northeast State’s then dean of Sciences, Dr. Lana Hamilton, prepared the curriculum and identified the needed lab equipment. The new science and math building opened up lab space and capacity to a new generation of community college students. Construction of the 25,000 square-foot building was completed in 1995.
“It helped us focus on what we needed to get to let them know we were serious about those courses,” Powers recalled. “We were a community college, and we wanted them to know that we were legitimate in their minds.”
As the College prepares to open the Technical Education Complex (TEC) later this year, the Powers building renovation marks a legacy of learning. The new TEC building links the next step forward to the Powers building and the College’s dedication to science and mathematics opportunities for students.
“That building it is so amazing to me with its possibilities,” said Powers of the TEC facility. “It has been amazing to me that almost everything we put in the master plan has now been built.”
A building that hosts thousands of Northeast State students each semester recently received approval for a structural renovation project.
The R. Wade Powers Science and Mathematics Building at Northeast State’s Blountville campus serves as the hub for hundreds of science and mathematics courses required for students from most every academic major. Named for the College’s third president, Dr. Wade Powers, the building will undergo foundation stabilization after the project request received approval from the state in June.
The College’s director of Plant Operations, Pete Miller, said settlement of the building’s foundation had been an ongoing concern. The new project mirrors a similar project done three years ago to stabilize the foundation of the building’s east side. The new project expects the same stabilization plan for the south and west sides of the building.
Like that project, steel pipes were placed to channel concrete underground and solidify the foundation. Miller said the project’s design and bid process would get underway later this year. He said the project may not begin until the spring semester of 2021 concluded to avoid classrooms disruptions.
The Mathematics and Science Hub at Northeast State
“Every student seeking a degree must come through the Powers Building sooner or later,” said Chris Hitechew, dean of Science division housed in the Powers Building. “Most everyone who takes core courses in science come through our building before they graduate.”
“The building itself is in a perfect spot on campus,” said Malissa Trent, dean of the College’s Mathematics division.
The Science division staffs 18 full-time faculty members and 22 part-time faculty members including lab assistants at all Northeast State campuses. Hitechew said more than 220 science classes meet in the building every fall and spring semester.
Microbiology and Anatomy & Physiology I & II are prerequisite foundation courses for all Health Professions degree and certificate programs at Northeast State. Students planning to pursue their four-year degrees in health-related transfer degree programs earn prerequisite credit hours at Northeast State. The Colleges features a variety of health-driven curricula including Pre-Pharmacy; Pre-Physical Therapy; Pre-Radiography; and Pre-Rehabilitative Science among others.
“We cover the gamut from Nursing to Allied Health to those students seeking doctoral degrees in need of science courses,” said Hitechew. “We are helping prepare a lot of students for the future.”
The Mathematics faculty teach classes at the Powers Building. The mathematics division includes 20 full-time instructors and adjunct faculty members. Students pursuing STEM-driven associate degrees and technical certificates spend many course hours of lab and lecture in the Powers Building.
“We have some truly excellent students in STEM so it is important that we provide them with high quality instruction but also a learning space that meets their needs,” said Trent. “We have students who do well and spend many hours a week in that building.”
Mathematics faculty prep those pre-engineering students seeking to transfer to four-year institutions to pursue engineering degrees. The pre-engineering associate degrees include chemical, civil, computer, electrical, general, industrial and systems, and mechanical concentrations. Trent said the feedback from public and private four-year institutions praised Northeast State transfer students.
“The pre-engineering courses tend to be small and works beautifully for those classes,” said Trent. “It is the right size space for the small classes.”
Northeast State’s Dr. Wade Powers
The building’s namesake, former Northeast State President Dr. Wade Powers, oversaw the building’s groundbreaking, construction, and welcoming of students. Powers noted how the state government, private benefactors, and Tennessee Board of Regents formed a long-term master plan to develop the College’s campus and role in the region.
“We had undergone a transition from a technical institute to a community college,” said Powers. “We began developing courses we had not been able to teach before.”
Powers said Northeast State staff and faculty knew they needed to strengthen the offerings of science and mathematics courses to benefit students. He recalled how Northeast State’s then dean of Sciences, Dr. Lana Hamilton, prepared the curriculum and identified the needed lab equipment. The new science and math building opened up lab space and capacity to a new generation of community college students. Construction of the 25,000 square-foot building was completed in 1995.
“It helped us focus on what we needed to get to let them know we were serious about those courses,” Powers recalled. “We were a community college, and we wanted them to know that we were legitimate in their minds.”
As the College prepares to open the Technical Education Complex (TEC) later this year, the Powers building renovation marks a legacy of learning. The new TEC building links the next step forward to the Powers building and the College’s dedication to science and mathematics opportunities for students.
“That building it is so amazing to me with its possibilities,” said Powers of the TEC facility. “It has been amazing to me that almost everything we put in the master plan has now been built.”
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