Passionate People, Compassionate Care
THRIVE
Roane State Foundation Campaign for the Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center
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About 1 in 4 Healthcare Positions
turned over in the past year.
Roane State health sciences currently graduates about
300
From credit programs annually and nearly
5000
From continuing education programs annually
A growing problem before the pandemic has severely worsened. East Tennessee has a critical lack of well qualified healthcare professionals to meet our region’s shortage.
As one of East Tennessee’s preferred healthcare workforce pipelines, Roane State Community College is doing everything it can to fill the gap, serving 10 counties across our region.
But it is not enough.
With an aging population and growing demand for healthcare services, Roane State is educating skilled healthcare professionals and growing our region’s healthcare workforce. However, Roane State cannot serve more students in our current health science facility. Absent increased space, the college will be unable to continue meeting the area’s critical healthcare workforce needs.
Our state’s education, government, and business leaders have united with a solution. With your help, we will create a healthcare campus to accommodate many more students who seek to enter the healthcare workforce, providing the training, tools, and technology they need to succeed.
Will YOu Join Us?
Knox Regional Health Science EDUCATION and Simulation Center
$7.5 million Thrive campaign
The Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center will teach and equip students pursuing health science careers through classroom-based learning and hands-on, multi-disciplinary, and collaborative training scenarios.
Led by Roane State Community College (RSCC), in partnership with the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville, the 130,000-square-foot facility will serve the entire region—including rural counties—from its location adjacent to, but separate from, Parkwest Medical Center in West Knoxville.
When you invest in this project, you will help bring world-class
educational opportunities to East Tennessee health science students so that together, we fortify our region’s healthcare workforce. You can also support health science scholarships, ensuring every student who wants to pursue a health science education can do so.
Your bold investment will change the lives of students and prepare more compassionate healthcare workers for our region—keeping Knoxville and East Tennessee a healthy community for all to thrive.
See the Possibilities:
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See the progress
Construction on the new Knox Regional Health Science Education Center is underway! Check out the live feed below to monitor the progress at the site. To view a video of all the activity so far, click “Live” and choose “Time-Lapses” from the drop-down menu. The “Standard Time Lapse” is the most detailed version.
When you invest in the THRIVE CAMPAIGN FOR THE Knox Regional Health Science EDUCATION and Simulation Center, you help build a future for our region that:
About 1 in 3 emergency responders and healthcare workers in our region are educated by Roane State.
When you invest in the THRIVE CAMPAIGN FOR THE Knox Regional Health Science EDUCATION and Simulation Center, you help build a future for our region that:
About 1 in 3 emergency responders and healthcare workers in our region are educated by Roane State.
1
Expanding Student Access to Health Science Education
The Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center will teach and equip students pursuing health science careers through classroom-based learning and hands-on, multi-disciplinary, and collaborative training scenarios.
Led by Roane State Community College (RSCC), in partnership with the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville, the 130,000-square-foot facility will serve the entire region—including rural counties—from its location adjacent to, but separate from, Parkwest Medical Center in West Knoxville.
When you invest in this project, you will help bring world-class educational opportunities to East Tennessee health science students so that together, we fortify our region’s healthcare workforce. You can also support health science scholarships, ensuring every student who wants to pursue a health science education can do so.
Your bold investment will change the lives of students and prepare more compassionate healthcare workers for our region—keeping Knoxville and East Tennessee a healthy community for all to thrive
2
Meeting Critical Workforce Needs in Our East Tennessee Communities
Roane State is honored to be joined by our education partner, TCAT Knoxville, to expand healthcare programs to local students through the new Regional Health Science Education Center. TCAT Knoxville is also at capacity, with no room to expand its reputable programs for high-demand professions such as licensed practical nursing (LPN).
Through the Regional Health Science Education Center, Roane State will offer a bridge to the Registered Nurse (RN) program for TCAT Knoxville students completing their LPN at TCAT—providing a seamless way to advance their careers and benefit our region. By 2027, up to 700 more high-quality professionals will serve our East Tennessee communities, including rural counties, and join the local workforce. Increasing the number of certified and credentialed healthcare professionals will do much more than fill open positions. Your support will change students’ lives, strengthen local and regional healthcare, bolster our regional economy, and provide the consistently excellent graduates our industry partners expect and value.
“This new campus will produce a well-qualified workforce and be a pillar in our community, elevating the quality of life for generations. The partnership between the two colleges demonstrates our unwavering commitment to our students and employers that we stand ready to train the workforce of tomorrow.”
Kelli Chaney, President, Tennessee College of Applied Technology Knoxville
3
Elevating THE quality of Patient Care across Our Region
The Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center will be a cutting-edge facility rarely available in community college academic environments.
TCAT Knoxville and Roane State will offer complementary healthcare education programs and each occupy a floor with dedicated classrooms, lab space, and faculty offices. The facility’s ground floor will include the Simulation Center, shared by both institutions.
As the facility’s main feature, the Simulation Center will occupy a 10,000-square-foot space on the ground floor and include the following simulation spaces: ambulance bay (with ambulance), EMS living quarters, ER/trauma room, ICU room, decontamination room, electronic medical record workstation, medication room, briefing rooms, student lockers, storage space, and more.
The Simulation Center will also include multipurpose rooms that can be set up as an apartment, exam room, surgical suite, and other healthcare training settings.
In these realistic settings, live-actor and simulated scenarios will effectively prepare students from all disciplines for real-world situations as they work in teams to learn how to provide care.
Roane State and TCAT Knoxville graduates will know how to communicate and coordinate with other medical care team members to improve the quality of patient care.
“The new Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center will rapidly increase the number of qualified caregivers—such as registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and phlebotomists—to impact healthcare’s challenges and the lives of our families and neighbors.
Now is the moment to bring it to life.”
Dr. Lynn Massingale, Co-Founder and Chairman, TeamHealth; Campaign Co-Chair
You Can Help East Tennessee Communities
THRIVE
Roane State, its campaign volunteers, its Foundation, and TCAT Knoxville invite you to join with generous community members and ensure our region will thrive, now and into the future. Your generosity will help bring this shared vision to life.
Roane State Foundation has established two priority funding areas to ensure the Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center realizes a bold vision for impacting our region’s students and residents: 1) building, equipping, and outfitting the Center; and 2) expanding student access and success through health science scholarships and aid.
While this campaign focuses on building and equipping the Regional Health Science Education Center, endowed scholarship support will invest in health science students at Roane State long term. With your help, we will expand access to quality healthcare education and reduce barriers for each motivated student with financial need to complete their education and advance their career.
With the new Center, our region is projected to gain:
- up to 700 additional graduates from RSCC and TCAT
- $78.6 million in new earnings annually
- $5.3 million in tax revenue annually
- 1,056 additional jobs supported by graduates
Five years after graduation: more than 80% of RSCC health science graduates work in-state, staffing hard-to-fill jobs at rural and Knoxville Metro hospitals and providers.
Source: Lightcast Analyst Input-Output and Wage Analysis for Hospitals in Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, and Roane Counties. Assumes a median salary of $41,740 for graduates.
THRIVE
For Tomorrow
Roane State Community College is ready to expand its healthcare education programs to help meet the vital need for more passionate, skilled workers who stay in our region and strengthen their own families through stable employment.
Together with TCAT Knoxville, other partners, and you, we will rise to provide more opportunities for students to become the skilled, compassionate professionals on whom we and our family, friends, and neighbors rely. We can’t do it without you.
Please consider making a generous gift to support the Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center campaign. Your gift will invest in students, the workforce, and East Tennessee’s future—so our community and all who live here can thrive.
Community-wide impact that will last for generations
- More than 50% of RSCC health science graduates are from low-income families whose certificates and degrees put them and their families on a firm path to economic security.
- Five years after graduation, the average annual income of RSCC health science graduates is about $60,000 for degree holders and $50,000 for certificate holders; these incomes are much greater than the $33,000 annual income of the average Tennessee resident.
"Good Healthcare is good for everyone.
That’s what makes this a community project. This initiative is important to me as a husband, parent, individual community member, and leader.”
Jim VanderSteeg, President and CEO, Covenant Health; Campaign Co-Chair
Campaign
Cabinet Members
Lt. Gov. Randy and Jan McNally, Honorary Co-Chairs | Dr. Lynn Massingale, Co-Chair | Jim VanderSteeg, Co-Chair | Mike Belbeck, Vice Chair | Greg Gheen, Vice Chair | David Bradshaw | Wade Creswell | Dr. Jan Hahn | Michelle Hardin | Hon. Jim Henry | Rhonda Longmire | Andy Page | Dr. Shirley Raines | Barry Stephenson | Mike Swain | Sharon Templeton | James Frank Wilson | Kelli Chaney (ex-officio), TCAT Knoxville President | Dr. Chris Whaley (ex-officio), RSCC President | Scott K. Niermann, CFRE, (ex-officio), Roane State Foundation Executive Director
Roane State proudly serves the counties of Roane, Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Cumberland, Fentress, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, and Scott.
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“Every day, we see the power education has to transform lives—whether through a degree, a certificate, or workforce development. We serve many adults who have kids.
When I hand them their degree, it is not just a piece of paper—it is an accomplishment.
They are walking taller and prouder. They are building a legacy they will establish with their families. Your generous support of the the Knox Regional Health Science Education and Simulation Center will extend this generational impact to more people in our region.”
Dr. Chris Whaley, President, Roane State Community College
276 Patton Lane
Harriman, TN 37748
Phone: (865) 882-4507
Fax: (865) 882-4689
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Roane State Foundation is coordinating the
Knox Regional Health Science Education and
Simulation Center campaign in collaboration with
Roane State Community College and TCAT Knoxville.