Greenville Technical College

Established in the early 1960s, Greenville Tech has grown from a small institution to a thriving four-campus system where over 14,000 students prepare for today’s and tomorrow’s career opportunities or gain the foundation for a four-year degree and beyond. Greenville Tech owes much of its growth to innovation with priorities such as flexible scheduling choices and convenient locations that make the college accessible to anyone interested in pursuing a college education.

Greenville Tech is home to many unmatched offerings including the only University Transfer Honors program at a two-year college in South Carolina and the only two-year campus to build garden-style apartments where students can live and learn.

Campuses

Greenville Tech currently has six locations in Greenville County:
*Barton Campus (main location), in Greenville, South Carolina
*Brashier Campus, in Simpsonville, South Carolina
*Donaldson Industrial Air Park (aircraft maintenance and truck driver training), at the former Donaldson Air Force Base
*Greer Campus, in Greer, South Carolina
*McKinney Auto Center (automotive technology), in Greenville, South Carolina
*Northwest Campus, in Berea, South Carolina

Additionally, Greenville Tech offers continuing education training through the Buck Mickel Center, where over 54,000 registrations took place this year for training opportunities in healthcare, information technology, computers, industrial fields, manufacturing, environmental safety, human resources and management, allowing people to improve personally and professionally. The Admissions and Registration Center is housed at McAlister Square in Greenville.

History

The history of the colleges dates to 1960, when the state technical education system was initiated by then South Carolina Governor Ernest F. Hollings, who felt that if South Carolina could offer a well-trained work force, the state could attract more business and industry. The Training was to be provided by a statewide system of 13 technical centers (now 16 technical colleges). In September 1962, Greenville Technical Education Center opened its doors to students.

The college's beginnings were modest: one building, eight acres and 800 full-time and part-time students. Greenville Tech grew quickly. By November 1965, an additional 122 acres of land surrounding the original eight acres were acquired. In 1968, the college was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. The Greenville Higher Education Consortium was approved in 1987 by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education. The name was changed in 1992 to the University Center of Greenville. Now housed in McAlister Square, the center is a partnership among eight colleges and universities: Clemson University, Furman University, Greenville Tech, Lander University, the Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, the University of South Carolina, and University of South Carolina Upstate. In 1996, campuses were established in Greer and the Golden Strip, and a Berea Campus opened in 2007. Today, Greenville Tech offers over 160 programs tied to some of the strongest opportunities in the job market. Dr. Thomas E. Barton served as the college's president for 46 years. In 2008, Dr. Keith Miller became Greenville Tech's second president, bringing years of experience in community college leadership at Black Hawk College and Spoon River College in Illinois. Miller also serves as chair of hte board of directors for the American Association of Community Colleges.

External links

* [http://www.gvltec.edu Greenville Technical College] official website
* [http://www.scteched.tec.sc.us South Carolina Technical College System] official website
* [http://www.gtbmc.com Buck Mickel Center]
* [http://www.donaldsoncenter.com Donaldson Industrial Air Park]