Heatherly, FHS grad/South College Lonas Drive president, shares unique school facts, history
Eighty-five percent of South College’s enrollment, which is more than 7,500, is in health professions, “which is in great need in our community.”
That’s according to Neil Heatherly, South College president of its Lonas Drive campus, who was featured speaker during Rotary Club of Farragut’s regular noon-time Wednesday meeting in Fox Den Country Club June 14.
Offering doctorate degrees, ”We were the first accelerated PT doctoral program in the country,” said Heatherly, a Town native and Farragut High School alumni. “Now, there are 17 of them because the model has proven to work in terms of outcomes.
“We have a number of new delivery models of course, online and hybrid programs are prevalent now, post COVID, and seems to be a delivery method of choice for many of our students,” he added. “We have many degrees now at all levels up to doctoral; a huge focus on healthcare. ...”
The college also offers programs for business administration, engineering technology, information technology, investigation and security, pharmacy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, network administration, education and legal studies.
“We’ve got about 40 new programs we’re evaluating as we speak,” Heatherly said. “Many of those in healthcare, but many (also) outside healthcare .. as well as new delivery models.
“We’re focusing on a lot of hybrid programs,” he added.
But the bottom line, he said, is “preparing our students for the workforce.”
South College has two campuses in Knox County – the 3904 Lonas Drive campus and the Turkey Creek location at 400 Goody’s Lane – as well as campuses in a number of states.
Heatherly noted it has the same regional accreditation as major universities, such as University of Tennessee.
“Our roots are deep — 1882,” he said. “The school ultimately became Knoxville Business College … up until Mr. Steve South purchased it in 1989 and changed it to South College.”
After the acquisition, South College added programs and campuses.
Last year, it added campuses in Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Orlando. In 2015-16, it added campuses in Nashville and Atlanta — and it acquired a school in Nashville.
“So, we’re now in six states with eight different campuses plus online,” Heatherly said. “One of our internal goals is to be 10,000 students by next year and 20,000 students in five years.”
Along with that, he said leaders expect the college to add new campuses and programs and expand existing programs.
Heatherly started with the institution as executive vice president for healthcare strategies, overseeing the health care curriculum then recently was promoted to his current position.
For more information about South College, visit online at www.south.edu
