TCL New River Campus Now Open!

"The Technical College of the Lowcountry has a long-standing commitment to ensuring each student has access to a quality higher education," says Anne S. McNutt., President of Technical College of the Lowcountry. "The TCL New River Campus enables this College to heighten its mission by locating this TCL campus in the seat the fastest growing portion of the TCL service area, offering even more learning opportunities to current and future students."

The TCL New River Campus at Bluffton is a state-of-the-art educational facility with a 60-seat tiered-classroom, four advanced technology classrooms, a fully equipped computer lab, an executive conference room, five specialized laboratories, as well as traditional teaching spaces, student services, student lounge and learning resource areas. This 31,000 square foot facility is a cornerstone representing the first of a community of buildings on the Bluffton campus for the Technical College of the Lowcountry. As such, it now functions as a complete campus within one building. Teaching spaces are extensively equipped with distance learning capability and designed with flexibility in mind. This inaugural building conveys a design signature of high-technology education, which sets the tone for the upcoming development of the TCL New River Campus community.

“The TCL New River Campus faculty and staff take great pride in serving the southernmost portion of our four-county service area. It’s important to us that the facility is a dignified space to learn, teach, work and visit,” says Mark Adelman, Associate Vice President for the New River Campus. “The TCL New River Campus straddles both Beaufort and Jasper counties, which is a bit of a novelty as the only campus in our system to do so. For me, that geography is more than just interesting trivia – it symbolizes our commitment to both counties’ residents and businesses to be a magnet for higher education and a more powerful economic engine than ever before.”

The Technical College of the Lowcountry received federal funding to extend its distance learning capabilities at the TCL New River Campus. The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded funding from the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) to assist public radio, public television and distance learning projects across the country. In 2005, eleven projects were designated to receive funding for the construction of distance learning systems. TCL was one of the eleven entities awarded funding and received $126,600 which was matched with local funding for a project total of $253,200. Through this federal grant, TCL can now interconnect our primary campus in the City of Beaufort with both the TCL New River Campus and the TCL H. Mungin Center in Hampton County, thereby maximizing Distance Learning access.

 “I have been intrigued with distance learning systems throughout my career in higher education – particularly with its ability to serve individuals in rural areas and smaller communities,” says Dr. McNutt. “TCL has been delivering educational options through distance learning since 1984. I am pleased that we will now be able expand these programs and services to our constituents.” 

Designed by Watson Tate Savory Architects, Inc., the building is a contemporary design utilizing “Lowcountry” materials with crisp geometries massed out in “tabby” stucco highlighted by expanses of metal, glass, and wood arbors. With Phase I now completed, ongoing plans to expand TCL’s campus facilities began in 2001 when Beaufort County pledged $7 million from a tax increment financing district to finance the project. As well, Jasper County contributed $331,000 toward the development of the TCL New River Campus. 

The economic boom that has been heralded for years for the Southern Beaufort County and Jasper County areas is imminent. The TCL New River Campus is smartly positioned to provide the necessary access to Higher Education and Workforce Development that will play a crucial role in preserving the Lowcountry quality of life. For quality higher education and workforce development, think the TCL New River Campus.