Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Crossville has officially changed its name to Tennessee College of Applied Technology Upper Cumberland, recognizing its broader service area.
“While TCAT Upper Cumberland will still provide the highest quality services and programs to our students, the new name allows us to pave the way for future program expansions and offerings in the region we serve,” said the college’s President Cliff Wightman.
The name change, which went into effect Friday, May 3, is the next step in the college’s planned merger with TCAT Livingston in fall 2025, all under the TCAT Upper Cumberland name. The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) approved the merger in September 2023, pending final approvals by the colleges’ accrediting agency, and the name change in March 2024. TCAT Livingston will keep its name until the merger is complete. All the existing campuses and teaching locations will maintain their operations and continue fully serving students and industries across the region. The administrative merger of the colleges will continue the move toward more efficient service and operations, clearing the way for training program expansions.
The history of TCAT Crossville began in 1967 when it was established as the State Area Vocational Technical School, one of 26 Vo-Techs located across Tennessee at the time. Governance of the Area Vocational Technical Schools transferred to the TBR in 1983. Tennessee General Assembly passed legislation changing the name of the schools to Tennessee Technology Centers in 1994 and then Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology in 2013 to better reflect their mission and the additional and more comprehensive career and technical programs offered.
TCAT Crossville enrolled over 864 full and part-time postsecondary students during the 2022-2023 academic year, with 284 dual enrolled students and 277 total certificates and diplomas earned.
President Wightman began his career at the Crossville campus and with the TBR system in 2007 as a machine tool technology instructor, following an 18-year career as a machinist and engineering technician in the private sector. He served as TCAT Crossville’s marketing and industrial training coordinator from 2012 to 2015, when he was promoted to assistant director. He was appointed president of the TCAT Crossville in 2017 and of TCAT Livingston in 2023.
The new name effectively communicates its service region, promising more efficient and streamlined methods for serving its students, and business and industry partners. “We are leveraging the latest round of funding for career and technical education made possible by Governor Bill Lee and the General Assembly to expand program offerings for our students,” said TBR Chancellor Flora W. Tydings. “The renaming of these two thriving colleges not only accurately reflects their scope but also fosters potential growth at both campuses.”
The college will update its website, signage, and materials over time.
TCAT Upper Cumberland offers 23 separate career and technical education programs for students:
- Administrative Office Technology
- Aesthetics Technology
- Automotive Technology
- Building Construction Technology
- Collision Repair Technology
- Computer Information Technology
- Cosmetology
- Criminal Justice: Correctional Officer
- Diesel Technology
- Diesel Powered Equipment Technology
- Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration
- Industrial Maintenance
- Industrial Maintenance and Electrical Systems
- Machine Tool Technology
- Masonry Technology
- Patient Care Technology/Medical Assisting
- Pharmacy Technology
- Power Line Construction and Maintenance Technology
- Power Sports Technology
- Practical Nursing
- Surgical Technology
- Truck Driving
- Welding Technology
The College System of Tennessee is the state’s largest public higher education system, with 13 community colleges, 24 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving approximately 120,000 students. The system is governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents.