White House HBCU Initiative members visit GSCC’s Valley Street campus

Greg Bailey, The Gadsden Times
·2 min read

Members of theWhite House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities paid a visit last week to Gadsden State Community College’s Valley Street Campus as a part of a tour that took them to four Alabama community colleges with the HBCU designation.

The Valley Street Campus is the area’s only HBCU.

“We feel privileged to have the opportunity to meet with such a great group of workforce development leaders,” Ricky Tillis, Valley Street Campus director., said in a news release from the college. ”We are proud to show them the valuable and important programs we have on our campus, and we are appreciative of the feedback and advice they have provided.”

Kelsey Ruiz, a Gadsden State student in the Dental Assistant Program, speaks to members of the White House Initiative for HBCU during their visit to the Valley Street Campus.
Kelsey Ruiz, a Gadsden State student in the Dental Assistant Program, speaks to members of the White House Initiative for HBCU during their visit to the Valley Street Campus.

The 15-person delegation included representatives from the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Jobs for the Future, the Alabama Office of Apprenticeships and the Alabama Department of Commerce.

Representatives from the City of Gadsden, Gadsden Career Center, Gadsden City Schools and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Board of Directors also were in attendance.

Visitors received a historical overview of the Valley Street Campus, according to the release, which opened in 1960 as a private vocational training school for Blacks.

A campus tour included stops in the Dental Assisting, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Certified Nursing Assistant, Construction Technology and HVAC Technology programs.

Ricky Tillis, director of Gadsden State Community College's Valley Street Campus, speaks to members of the White House Initiative for HBCU and students in the Construction Technology program.
Ricky Tillis, director of Gadsden State Community College's Valley Street Campus, speaks to members of the White House Initiative for HBCU and students in the Construction Technology program.

“We had student speakers on each tour stop,” Tillis said. “They did a fantastic job telling their story as well as sharing the important role Gadsden State plays in their lives. Our guests were very impressed with what they saw on the tour — both in terms of our equipment and facilities as well as our students.”

There also were breakout sessions that offered information about programs at Gadsden State and federal programs and partnerships available to the school.

“We are grateful and appreciative of the White House Initiative members’ time, knowledge and energy that they provided to us …,” said GSCC President Dr. Kathy Murphy.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Federal officials visit GSCC’s Valley Street campus