Midlands Technical College breaks new ground on Harbison campus
Contributed by Midlands Technical College

(L-R) Participating in the Midlands Technical College Harbison Campus Classroom and Theater Building Groundbreaking are Lexington County Councilman Smokey Davis; Lexington County Councilman Jim Kinard Jr.; Richland County Council Chair Joe McEachern; Midlands Technical College Commission Chair Ronny Burkett; MTC President Sonny White; Lexington County Councilman Johnny Jeffcoat; Irmo Town Councilman Hardy King; Irmo Mayor John Gibbons;MTC Foundation Board Chair Jack Goettee; Fairfield County Council Chair David Ferguson; Irmo Town Councilman Barry Walker Sr.; and (not pictured) MTC Senior Vice President for Business Affairs Ron Rhames.

Midlands Technical College broke ground on a 27,000- square- foot classroom and theater building that will allow the college to expand its educational offerings at its Harbison Campus.

"This facility will be a tremendous asset to the college and the local community," said MTC President Dr. Marshall (Sonny) White Jr. "We are appreciative of our county councils and local officials for helping fund such an important addition to the Harbison Campus. This new building will help the college expand access to education to the Irmo and Harbison communities."

Lexington County Councilman Smokey Davis and MTC President Sonny White

Scheduled for completion in late 2009, the MTC Harbison Campus Classroom and Theater Building will include five classrooms and a 400- seat auditorium and theater. The new building will make it possible for the college to offer a larger variety of credit courses at the Harbison Campus.

Demand for MTC college credit courses at the Harbison Campus has steadily increased over past years. The college began offering credit courses at the Harbison Campus in 2004. MTC now offers nearly 100 credit courses at the campus each year.

The college will make the facility available to the local community. Local organizations such as the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission have expressed an interest in using the new facility.

Joining college officials in breaking ground on the Harbison Campus Classroom and Theater Building were Lexington County Councilman Smokey Davis; Lexington County Councilman Jim Kinard, Jr.; Richland County Council Chair Joe McEachern; Lexington County Councilman Johnny Jeffcoat; Irmo Town Councilman Hardy King; Irmo Mayor John Gibbons; Fairfield County Council Chair David Ferguson; and Irmo Town Councilman Barry Walker, Sr.

Irmo Mayor John Gibbons

Midlands Technical College is a comprehensive, multi- campus, public, two- year college serving the primary region of Richland, Lexington, and Fairfield counties of South Carolina. The college enrolls approximately 15,000 credit students annually and provides continuing education to hundreds of area businesses. MTC is the largest provider of transfer students to the University of South Carolina.