Years in the Making TRAIN SALINE STAY SALINE Through partnership, campus becomes a reality OPENING FALL 2021 Saline County Supporting Students What used to be Shane Broadway has worn many hats when it comes to education, from working as the director of higher education for the state and now working as the vice president for University Relations with the Arkansas State University System. By Sarah Perry, The Saline Courier focus on. "We decided that was going to be our champion, Cornwell said, adding that the group decided for this project to be successful a partnership would have to be created. Many people will describe the Saline County Career Technical Campus in many different ways, but to Lamont Cornwell, executive director of the Saline County Economic Development Corporation, the campus is a partnership between various entities. Broadway's experience with career education began in the late 1990s when he was serving at the Arkansas legislature. At the time, students wanting to pursue career education courses had to attend classes in Little Rock. The group then hired the Stantec Corporation, which spend 18 months determining a plan for the center and selecting the location. If any of the pieces of the puzzle were missing, the project would not have worked, he said. "It is truly a partnership- a partnership between Saline County, the six school districts, ASU Three Rivers, the business community, the Saline County Economic Development Corporation and the students," he said. "We Exit 114 LLC sold the land to the group for would not be where we are today if any parts of below market value. that partnership had fallen away." The campus is located off of Exit 114 in Benton. This location was selected because of the pricing of the land, the access to the Interstate, the fact that it could be purchased from one owner and it was easily accessible by all of the school districts. In 2001, Broadway worked with Eddie Black and Judge Lanny Fite to secure a $1 million grant. to renovate a building at the old Reynolds Plant to create a career and technical education center. The process with the Stantec Corporation was also a joint effort. The dream of the campus began when the SCEDC and members of the business community worked with a consultant from. Atlanta to survey local residents to ask how Saline County would look in 2020. Cornwell said that the SCEDC was the largest financial contributor toward the hiring of the corporation and business leaders made donations both monetary and in-kind to support the project. "We started with three programs, Broadway said. "And they filled up rather quickly. We were out of space in a matter of a couple years." From those responses, the group had six ideas for improvements including opportunities involving education, job creation and economic development. During this process, county leaders hadi the opportunity to visit a career and technical education center in Frisco, Texas. Officials with Toyota were looking at various cities in Texas and decided to open a site in Frisco because of the center there. After a discussion about career education between Cornwell and former Benton Superintendent Jeff Collum, the two decided to bring the idea of a career and technical education center to the group, who decided the creation of this center would be an item to Broadway mentioned that it was tough to keep the programs going financially. He said he would use general improvement money he received as a legislator to keep the programs going. "It was the only differentiating factor," Cornwell said. Continued on page 6 Continued on page 6 Years in the Making TRAIN SALINE STAY SALINE Through partnership , campus becomes a reality OPENING FALL 2021 Saline County Supporting Students What used to be Shane Broadway has worn many hats when it comes to education , from working as the director of higher education for the state and now working as the vice president for University Relations with the Arkansas State University System . By Sarah Perry , The Saline Courier focus on . " We decided that was going to be our champion , Cornwell said , adding that the group decided for this project to be successful a partnership would have to be created . Many people will describe the Saline County Career Technical Campus in many different ways , but to Lamont Cornwell , executive director of the Saline County Economic Development Corporation , the campus is a partnership between various entities . Broadway's experience with career education began in the late 1990s when he was serving at the Arkansas legislature . At the time , students wanting to pursue career education courses had to attend classes in Little Rock . The group then hired the Stantec Corporation , which spend 18 months determining a plan for the center and selecting the location . If any of the pieces of the puzzle were missing , the project would not have worked , he said . " It is truly a partnership- a partnership between Saline County , the six school districts , ASU Three Rivers , the business community , the Saline County Economic Development Corporation and the students , " he said . " We Exit 114 LLC sold the land to the group for would not be where we are today if any parts of below market value . that partnership had fallen away . " The campus is located off of Exit 114 in Benton . This location was selected because of the pricing of the land , the access to the Interstate , the fact that it could be purchased from one owner and it was easily accessible by all of the school districts . In 2001 , Broadway worked with Eddie Black and Judge Lanny Fite to secure a $ 1 million grant . to renovate a building at the old Reynolds Plant to create a career and technical education center . The process with the Stantec Corporation was also a joint effort . The dream of the campus began when the SCEDC and members of the business community worked with a consultant from . Atlanta to survey local residents to ask how Saline County would look in 2020 . Cornwell said that the SCEDC was the largest financial contributor toward the hiring of the corporation and business leaders made donations both monetary and in - kind to support the project . " We started with three programs , Broadway said . " And they filled up rather quickly . We were out of space in a matter of a couple years . " From those responses , the group had six ideas for improvements including opportunities involving education , job creation and economic development . During this process , county leaders hadi the opportunity to visit a career and technical education center in Frisco , Texas . Officials with Toyota were looking at various cities in Texas and decided to open a site in Frisco because of the center there . After a discussion about career education between Cornwell and former Benton Superintendent Jeff Collum , the two decided to bring the idea of a career and technical education center to the group , who decided the creation of this center would be an item to Broadway mentioned that it was tough to keep the programs going financially . He said he would use general improvement money he received as a legislator to keep the programs going . " It was the only differentiating factor , " Cornwell said . 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