Offering 12 general education classes and an array of nursing program courses, Tyler Junior College’s satellite location in Lindale is paving the way for higher education opportunities. “That’s only the beginning,” said the President of Lindale Independent School District Board of Trustees General James K. “Red” Brown. TJC Lindale is supported by LISD, which has the largest dual-credit program in the East Texas area. Students have the opportunity to earn up to 30 hours of college credit before graduating from high school.TJC provided the equipment for the location, while the Lindale Economic Development Corporation provided the facility. Classes began in fall 2008.”We have to look at not only what do we want to do in Lindale, but what does TJC want to do in Lindale in the future? What opportunities are out there that TJC has,” Brown said.Equipped with a full-time staff, TJC Lindale’s attendance is steadily increasing.”We’re continuing to see growth in our enrollment numbers,” said Heather Stokke, site director at TJC Lindale.From fall 2008 until this spring semester, the number of enrolled students has gone up from 53 to 123. The first semester saw a 100 percent increase. Classes have been added simply to meet the demand. “Now you’ve got a more diverse population where they may be working and going to school, and higher education has adapted to that and that’s where facilities such as this are so much more successful in today’s economy then what they may have been 20 years ago,” said Stokke.According to http://www.lindaletx.gov, Lindale’s population is projected to increase significantly in the near future and therefore clearly able to support this type of infrastructure. “We have been scheduling like crazy,” said Dean of Continuing Studies and Executive Administrator of TJC Lindale Dr. Aubrey Sharp. “People see us and think, maybe I could take something…”Although the TJC site in Lindale is fairly new, the idea is quite the contrary.”The idea of TJC putting a campus or site in Lindale is as old as dirt,” Dr. Sharpe said. At this time, business strategists are creating market and finance outlines to hone TJC’s future objectives.”The ultimate future plan is that we’d like to have a permanent north campus on I-20 in Lindale,” said- see lindale page 8 – Sharpe. “If you could give us $30 million dollars we’d start tomorrow.”Instead of offering more classes in the current facility, the not-so-distant goal will continue to progress if demand allows.”So… if the demand is there… and the growth continues… I look at it as… beneficial,” said Kim Brody, TJC dual-credit English professor at Lindale High School.”My son, a couple years ago, we were talking about college… and I said, so where would you like to go? He said, Mom, I wish TJC had a campus in Lindale… because I never want to leave!” Brody said.
