Academics
Gadsden State Community College is a public, opendoor college comprising five campuses or educational centers in Calhoun, Cherokee, and Etowah counties in Alabama. There are over 70 programs on offer that require two years or less to complete, either to prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce, or to help them transfer to a four-year university (the school has transfer agreements with every public four-year institution in Alabama). Academic divisions include Language and Humanities; Business, Legal Studies and Computer Science; Social Sciences; Sciences; Math and Engineering; and Health, PE and Recreation. Pre-professional degrees are available in programs such as Dental, Engineering, Forestry, Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, and Veterinary Medicine. The school also offers a variety of Career Technical and short-term, non-credit Skills Training divisions for students going directly into the workforce, as well as Adult Education courses. The 15 to Finish Program is a flexible option allowing students to complete credits via ""Mini Terms"" in order to earn an associate degree in two years; classes can be taken via the online program, or in the evening (including up to five in-person classes per semester).
Career
There are more than 40 clubs and organizations for students to get involved in, and the college is especially proud of its performance art groups: the Gadsden State Show Band is one of the top two-year college bands in the southeast, and the Gadsden State Singers and the Gadsden State A Capella Choir are also very popular. The Gadsden State Jazz Festival is an annual event hosted by the Division of Fine arts and Music Department, and it includes clinics, regional jazz ensemble performances, and concerts. Beyond providing classes and enrichment opportunities to its campus's surrounding communities, the Gadsden State Cherokee campus houses an Economic Development Center, which enables the school to partner with local communities to promote development.
Culture
Many Gadsden students are attending the college with the intent of training for a specific job immediately out of college, and the vast number of skills and technical training courses run the gamut from court reporting to nursing assistance to truck driving. Gadsden State and the Alabama Technology Network also work cooperatively to identify needs of local industries and deliver technical assistance and customized training to the existing workforce. Notable alumni include country music singers Drake White and Andrew Pope, and former professional baseball player Greg Jelks.
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