From its beginnings as Ansonville Industrial Education Center, South Piedmont Community College has grown into an innovative, nationally recognized institution known for breaking barriers for its diverse student body. Take a stroll through time with us as we recount some of the most significant milestones in South Piedmont’s history.
1962: The State Department of Public Instruction established Ansonville Institutional Education Center in Anson County, a precursor to what would later become South Piedmont Community College.
1967: The Anson County Board of Education and the Anson County Commissioners appointed a Board of Trustees. As a result, Ansonville Industrial Education Center became Anson Technical Institute, a unit of the Department of Community Colleges of North Carolina.
1977: Anson Technical Institute opened a 28,000-square-foot building in Polkton, thanks to growing enrollment and support from the community, especially Polkton Mayor W. Cliff Martin. The building was named Martin Technology Complex in Mayor Martin’s honor.
1979: The Board of Trustees changed the institution’s name to Anson Technical College to better reflect its growing variety of programs.
1981: Anson Technical College was designated by the state to serve Anson County. However, neighboring Union County was not included in the service area of Anson Tech nor that of any other existing community college. In 1981, the Union Technical Education Consortium was created when the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges authorized service in the county by a consortium of Anson and Stanly community colleges.
1987: Another name change. This time, Anson Technical College became Anson Community College.
1999: Gov. Jim Hunt, based upon recommendations of an independent study, dissolved the charter of Anson Community College and Union Technical Education Center. In doing so, Gov. Hunt formed the state’s newest community college. The new college would have two campuses: one in Anson County and one in Union County. A new 14-member Board of Trustees with representation from both counties was formed. After a naming contest that garnered more than 400 suggestions, the new college was named South Piedmont Community College.
A College Defined by Growth
Since its establishment in 1999, South Piedmont has grown dramatically, both in terms of its physical footprint and enrollment
Today, South Piedmont is comprised of the L.L. Polk Campus in Polkton and the Old Charlotte Highway campus in Monroe, the Lockhart-Taylor Center in Wadesboro, as well as the Tyson Family Center for Technology in Monroe. The latter was once known as the Center for Technology and Health Education until it was renamed in recognition of the generous support of Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Tyson and their family.
In 2016, the community once again rallied behind the College, approving a $40 million bond to expand and enhance its facilities in Monroe. The construction of the Main Building, as well as the renovations of Braswell and Building A, all located on the Old Charlotte Highway campus, were made possible by the Union County bond. The Tyson Family Center for Technology was also renovated and expanded in 2020.
In Anson County, the Garibaldi Building has also received extensive renovations and upgrades thanks to the support of the Anson County Board of Commissioners and grant funds.
South Piedmont’s physical expansions have been needed to keep pace with growing enrollment. Drawn by affordable tuition, small class sizes, and flexible course schedules, students of all ages seek South Piedmont’s degrees, diplomas, certificates, and short-term workforce training options. As such, for the last several years, South Piedmont has been one of the fastest growing community colleges in the state.
A Look Ahead
Throughout its history, even as it has grown and evolved, South Piedmont has remained committed to removing barriers to higher education. In 2023, South Piedmont was a Bellwether Award finalist for its efforts to make education more accessible, which included the implementation of HyFlex technology that allows students to determine how and when they attend class.
Now a nationally recognized leader for its innovative approaches to education, South Piedmont looks to a bright future that will bring the opening of two new facilities in 2026:
Aseptic Training Facility, a state-of-the-art building made possible through the support of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and the North Carolina General Assembly, located on the northern edge of the Old Charlotte Highway campus.
Center for Entrepreneurship, a vibrant hub for small business success that will be built at the corner of Rogers Road and Old Charlotte Highway. The Center for Entrepreneurship is made possible through funds from a 2022 Union County bond.
The future will also bring the selection and appointment of South Piedmont’s eighth president, ever-expanding program options that align with workforce needs, and enhanced Student Services.
South Piedmont has achieved much in its 25-year history, but at South Piedmont, the best is always yet to come.