Roane State Community College

_{^{Pictured (L-R): RSCC Cumberland County Campus Director DeWayne McGhee, CBI Director Holly Hanson, Ann and Oscar "Pepe" Perron, RSF Executive Director Scott Niermann, RSF Director of Fundraising Operations Dina Jackson, and Campaign Chair Dr. John Sherrill.}}

July 24, 2024

This fall, Roane State will welcome students to a brand new wing of its Cumberland County campus that is focused on health science education. The expansion has been made possible by a number of community leaders and supporters, most recently Ann and Oscar “Pepe” Perron.

The Perrons gifted $150,000 to the campus expansion project earlier this summer. The health science wing is nearing completion and the college is planning a grand opening celebration to welcome students, staff, visitors, and supporters to the new space.

The added labs and classrooms will allow the college to meet increased demand for health science education and address a shortage of healthcare professionals in the area. The Cumberland County campus will welcome its very first nursing program cohort this fall thanks to the expansion.

“We wanted to show the importance of these programs - as knowledge is power - to help students receive a quality education that will benefit them and our community,” Ann Perron said. “We donate because we believe in the mission of Roane State Community College. Every student should have educational opportunities regardless of their financial status.”

Previously, due to limited space, Cumberland County students seeking health science degrees and certificates from Roane State had to commute to Roane County, Oak Ridge, or Knox County campuses to complete labs and other course requirements. The addition of the new health science wing will allow students to learn where they live, saving them time and money.

“I believe that we will renourish our own health care system with well-trained, caring, and familiar nurses that will provide us with comfort in our time of need,” said Dr. John Sherrill, fundraising campaign chair for the expansion project.

“The Perrons are known and appreciated in the community for their generosity, but this gift is particularly impactful,” added Scott Niermann, executive director of Roane State Foundation. “The Perrons are matching every dollar raised toward this project up to $50,000 until the end of the year, and thereby challenge other community members to invest in the Cumberland County region's future health professionals.”

The total cost of the project is estimated to be $2.5 million, with the State of Tennessee contributing $1.7 million. Roane State Foundation aims to raise the remaining $800,000 to complete the project and fund scholarships for the new and expanded programs offered to local students. The Foundation is more than halfway to that goal as of mid-July 2024.

For more information on this project’s background, or to make a direct donation, visit roanestate.edu/cccdonate.