Columbia State Community College has announced the near completion of improvements at its Lewisburg Campus, funded through a $500,000 award through a Tennessee Department of Health grant initiative provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The funds were awarded through the CDC’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) grant initiative. The initiative, part of the largest investment in communicable disease preparedness in the nation's history, was created to support COVID-19 mitigation and strengthen infrastructure to combat future public health threats.

ELC funding went to state and local health departments nationwide to serve as the foundation for public health infrastructure and to increase the country’s ability to tackle infectious disease threats on both a national and local level.

“Investing in our campus facilities reflects our commitment to fostering a safe, accessible and resilient learning environment for all students and community members,” said Allie Carpenter, Columbia State Lewisburg Campus director.

Columbia State received the maximum award available to improve safety, accessibility and emergency preparedness at its Lewisburg location — upgrades that help support both students and the Marshall County community.

“Due to the investment of the state of Tennessee and the CDC, Columbia State has made upgrades to achieve our mission as well as ensuring that the college is well-positioned to support Tennessee in combating any future public health threats,” said Dr. Tim Hallmark, Columbia State associate vice president of facility and safety services.

The ELC grant, administered by the Tennessee Department of Health, was designed to help educational institutions prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases through improved air quality, infrastructure for public health events and safer physical environments.

The funds helped provide the following campus upgrades:

• Replacement and upgrades of the HVAC system to support improved air quality, circulation and filtration, reducing the airborne transmission of respiratory pathogens.
• Multi-user restrooms were converted to single-user, ADA-compliant restrooms to reduce person-to-person contact and better support infection prevention.
• Resurfacing, restriping and sidewalk improvements to the parking lot for future drive-through testing or vaccination events. The resurfaced lot can also serve as a rapid response site for the community during public health emergencies.

While these renovations offer long-term facility improvements, each element was chosen for its role in creating a safer, more hygienic environment for students, faculty and the community now and in the event of future infectious disease threats. 

“Through this grant from the Tennessee Department of Health, Columbia State has enhanced facilities that align with both the state’s mission and the college’s commitment to being community-ready in support and service,” said Dr. Janet F. Smith, Columbia State president. “These upgrades position us to provide a safe and responsive environment in the event of a public health emergency, though we hope such a situation never arises.”

Columbia State extends its sincere appreciation to the Tennessee Department of Health for this investment and to the Marshall County community for its continued support of the college’s goals across its nine-county service area.