Spartanburg Community College celebrates “impact” of higher education and workforce training on students, careers, and community
March 20, 2022
Announces $35 billion economic impact to South Carolina since 2007
Today, Spartanburg Community College held the inaugural SCC Impact celebration event at the Spartanburg Marriot. Hosted by the SCC Foundation, the celebratory event is a reimagined version of the College’s longstanding annual “Economic Visionaries” event, and featured guest speakers who enumerated on each of the three key areas where the College has an impact: Students, Careers, and Community.
The event concluded with a surprise announcement unveiling a new economic impact study showing SCC has had a cumulative, $35 billion impact to the state of South Carolina since 2007.
“It is a distinct honor to celebrate the immense impact Spartanburg Community College has on our community and South Carolina as a whole,” said Dr. Michael Mikota, President of Spartanburg Community College. “The SCC Foundation’s annual event historically has served as a showcase of local companies and their respective contribution, however the events and undertakings over the last two years have shown us all the impact of coming together as a community and forming partnerships to invest in people and create opportunities; generating an impact that reverberates through our local economy today.”
In prepared video remarks, local business leader George Dean Johnson Jr. stated that “Spartanburg Community College can make a very quick difference in people’s lives…and has the courses, the skills, and the organization to do things for industry that no other entity has in our community. Spartanburg needs to think big, and the community college can lead the way in that.”
Since graduating from SCC with honors in 2018, Ryan Collins has worked as both a Mechatronics Technician and a PLC Controls Engineer with AWL Automation, LLC and was appointed to the Steering Committee of the Greater Upstate Manufacturing Sector Partnership in 2020. He knows first-hand the impact SCC has on the lives of its students:
“I am proud to share the story of my path to career success with students and discuss their plans. I get to tell them ‘Yeah, that’s me in the slick corporate video…yeah, I programmed that colossal welding machine. No, this wasn’t my first plan and no, I don’t always know what I am doing, but I know how to find the ambassadors that do. At Spartanburg Community College, they taught me, and they’ll teach you too.'” said Collins.
Having spent much of her career working to improve the lives of South Carolinians through education policy, no one is more attuned to the impact education and workforce training can have than South Carolina State Representative Rita Allison. In her remarks, Rep. Allison stated: “The future is bright for Spartanburg, Union, and Cherokee counties. Education is the engine that drives economic development and quality of life for our citizens. SCC holds the key for unlocking the talents of our young and mature citizens.”
The final featured speaker of the evening, OneSpartanburg, Inc President and CEO Allen Smith, highlighted the impact SCC has on the communities it serves.
“While we lead the region and state in new investment and new jobs, we cannot lose sight of the fact that our current and future success is completely reliant on our ability to develop, attract, and retain talent. Spartanburg Community College is the anchor of that effort, and we all benefit by supporting the institution’s work,” stated Smith.
Following the featured speakers, SCC President Dr. Mikota recognized the recipients of the 2022 Impact awards to local companies and organizations — Global Transplant Solutions, Spartanburg Water, and the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System — for their many contributions to their respective fields and the community over the last year.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Mikota unveiled a new economic impact study showing Spartanburg Community College had an economic impact of $35.4 billion to the state of South Carolina since 2007 with the innovative Spark Center playing a crucial role in the creation of more than 109,000 jobs over that same time.
In Spartanburg County, SCC contributed $132 million and created 897 jobs in 2021 alone.
Over the course of five years between 2017 and 2021, SCC alone has contributed:
- $577.8 million to the economy and created 4,018 jobs in Spartanburg County
- $43.4 million to the economy and created 811 in Cherokee County
- $17.8 million to the economy and created 263 jobs in Union County
Over that time span, the Spark Center alone has contributed:
- $30.4 billion to Spartanburg County
- $235 million to Cherokee County
- $198 million to Union County.
Broken down, the Spark Center provides a yearly average of $6 billion to Spartanburg County, $47 million to Cherokee County, and $39.6 million to Union County.
“Numbers and data speak volumes, and in all of these examples I have shared, the obvious fact is Spartanburg Community College – in collaboration with our many partners — is one of the most significant drivers of our local economies,” stated Dr. Mikota.
About Spartanburg Community College
SCC offers more than 70 academic program offerings including associate degrees, diplomas and certificates, plus University Transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities. SCC provides flexible class scheduling including day, evening, weekend classes with multiple start dates and more than 100 online classes through SCCOnline. Offering the lowest tuition in the region, convenient locations, and regional/national accreditations, SCC offers educational opportunities leading to high-growth, high-demand jobs. The SCC Corporate & Community Education Division provides job and career enhancement, workforce development and personal enrichment courses and training programs. For more information, visit www.sccsc.edu.
