Athens State has a 200 year old history of providing an education for students in North Alabama and beyond.

When becoming a part of the state system in 1975, Athens agreed to be an upper-level university serving only juniors and seniors. To this day they continue to serve only upper-level students who transfer from other colleges and universities, as well as graduate students.

While Athens State has a history of providing graduate education, even when it was a part of the Methodist Church, the College petitioned the Alabama Department of Higher Education to add Master’s degree programs in 2015.

“ADHE allowed us to have three master’s degrees and then we had to provide two years of enrollment data following that,” explained Dr. Keith Ferguson, Vice President for University Advancement. “Before we can get what they call the change of instructional role that would allow us to add additional master’s degree programs.”

In 2018 the university submitted the data and were approved to add additional master’s degree programs.

“What we have done over the course of the last three or so years is meet with companies in in North Alabama, industry people, workforce development to find out what what programs were needed in this area,” Ferguson said. “That’s why we’ve added programs like a master’s degree program in business analytics, accounting, things like that.”

The ADHE wants to avoid the market being flooded with duplicate programs at area colleges, “they want programs that the industry needs but not just duplicates of what everyone else is doing,” Ferguson explained.

Beyond Athens State’s commitment to expanding its degree catalog, it also strives to maintain being an anchor institution.

“I think for us, it’s continuing to invest in the community. I mean, if you’re going to talk about what an anchor institution is, as an institution, we need to invest in the community,” Ferguson said.

In recent months Athens State has founded the LaunchBox entrepreneurial center at the Center for Lifelong Learning, began the STEAM Roller initiative at area Title 1 schools, hosted Governor Kay Ivey and other state and federal officials at various community events, and more.

“Athens and Limestone County are full of talented and innovative thinkers,” LaunchBox Director Andrew Dollar told The News Courier in June. “This project aims to harness the local talent to build an ecosystem throughout Limestone County and encourages creativity, risk-taking and growth. The LaunchBox will serve as a source of economic and community engagement to help generate growth and investment in our area.”

In October, Dollar told The News Courier, “the STEAM Roller project is rooted in research and statistics that demonstrate there is an opportunity access gap between underserved youth and their peers within the Limestone County community.”

As universities across the nation approach a proverbial cliff anticipating a drop in enrollment caused by the 2008 economic slowdown, that doesn’t necessarily mean Athens will be as heavily impacted as other institutions.

“I think one of the things that people don’t really focus on and if you look at the national statistics and things about the demographic cliff and enrollment trends across the country, and you read where enrollment trends are down nationwide and things like that,” Ferguson explained. “That doesn’t mean North Alabama, because North Alabama is growing so fast, and especially Limestone County is growing so fast. We’re seeing increases in enrollments.”

He went on to say, “we just have to continue to talk business with the industry people to find out what the needs are, because obviously we have such a low unemployment rate in North Alabama, and needs continue to evolve and as more companies come here.”

With places like Mazda Toyota and the FBI and others moving into North Alabama, universities can’t put out enough graduates in logistics and acquisition and contract management.

“As government contractors continue to increase in this area, we just have to focus on the demand in the industry and our role in meeting that demand,” Ferguson said. “I think for the for the future of Athens State University, I think we have to continue to develop new programs.”