Roane State Community College

January 29, 2026

Roane State’s Knox Regional Health Science Education Center is now open for spring semester as students prepare for their first full week of classes in the all-new location known as the Covenant Health Campus.

The college hosted a celebration there on January 20, 2026, to kick off the term and welcome students for their first day. Roane State staff greeted students and answered questions as they explored all three floors of the more than 130,000-square-foot facility.

“Seeing students walk the halls of this new campus and be so excited to learn means the world to us as educators,” Roane State President Chris Whaley said. “The added convenience of having two colleges under a single roof, directly across the street from a major healthcare provider, means students can seamlessly explore academic and career opportunities. We are so grateful for our continued partnership with TCAT Knoxville and Covenant Health.”

The new campus is expected to educate more than 8,000 students each year across expanded Roane State and Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Knoxville health science programs. Roane State classes and labs are on the third floor, with courses offered by TCAT Knoxville housed on the second floor. The first floor features spaces utilized by both colleges, healthcare industry partners, and the community.

The Covenant Health Campus designation honors the largest donation in the history of both colleges – 10 acres of land along Sherill Boulevard, gifted by Covenant Health in 2023. Covenant’s Parkwest Medical Center sits on the opposite side of the street.

“We couldn’t have been more pleased to donate the land for the new health science and simulation center, which is bringing innovative resources to a greater number of students and preparing them for success in their healthcare careers,” said Jim VanderSteeg, Covenant Health president and CEO. “Educating the healthcare professionals of tomorrow is a vital part of caring for our communities, so this is truly a perfect partnership for Covenant Health.”

The facility’s flagship Roane State Simulation Center – the first of its kind in Tennessee – was on full display during the recent welcome celebration, which offered some of the first public tours to showcase the new technology in action. Roane State’s EMS Education simulation ambulance was unveiled as part of the event with a push-in ceremony outside center’s ambulance bay.

The first Roane State classes in the new location include nursing, EMS, and medical laboratory technology. Polysomnography and respiratory therapy courses will be offered soon along with Roane State’s continuing education courses that will assist healthcare professionals with maintaining professional licensure.

With the added space, Roane State is also planning to launch diagnostic medical sonography (ultrasound), echocardiography, and neurodiagnostic technology programs.

On January 20th, students were able to visit information tables to learn more about all the health science programs, clubs, and resources. Covenant Health hosted a mini job fair and sponsored lunch for students. Roane State Foundation also held a random scholarship drawing, awarding a total of seven $500 scholarships to health science students.

Nursing student Kayla Teter was able to call a few of her Roane State classmates and surprise them with the news after their names were drawn.

“They didn’t believe me at first, they were so shocked that they won,” Teter said. “As a former scholarship recipient, I know exactly how they feel. Sometimes a little help can make all the difference for a student. We are so grateful to Roane State and everyone else involved for making this possible for us.”

The State of Tennessee contributed more than $67.5 million toward this $75 million project. Roane State Foundation has raised nearly $5 million of the additional $7.5 million needed to equip the campus and sustain operations.

With the campus now open, the Foundation’s THRIVE Campaign has shifted focus to raising funds for scholarships that will help health science students complete their education.

The street address of the facility is 9575 Sherrill Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37923. For more information on the new campus, the fundraising campaign for student scholarships, and the expanded programs that will be offered, visit thrive.roanestate.edu.