KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — A record-breaking 580 Pellissippi State Community College graduates are about to take the next step in their lives.
At least 450 of those graduates took the walk across the stage the night of December 13 during the commencement ceremony at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Compared to December 2018, the college said the number of graduates has grown by more than 100 this year.
"We have summer graduates participating in December's Commencement as well, and we had a record number of summer graduates, too," records manager Terri Strader added. "In summer 2018, we had 217 graduates, and this summer we had 262."
Leighanne Touzeau, the assistant vice president of enrollment, believes enrollment will continue to grow. She said the large boost in graduates will have a big impact on East Tennessee's economy.
"It's important because it adds to our ability to get businesses to come and start businesses here. We have to have a well-educated workforce, and Pellissippi plays a major part in providing those workers," she said.
Assistant professor Tracy Rees, who won the Roger Crowe Excellence in Teaching Aware in 2019, spoke at the commencement. She encouraged graduates to take care of themselves and exercise their minds in new ways,.