Chattanooga, TN (February 5, 2016) --- Suzanne Elston, Director of Adult Education at Chattanooga State Community College, was recently named the recipient of the 2015 Gail Chasin Shulimson Founder’s Award named after a longtime UTC educator. “The award was created in 2010 to recognize those who support the mission of the Center for Community Career Education at UTC with the same passion and commitment provided by the founder who served the center for 20 years,” shares Sandy Cole, Executive Director, UTC Center for Career Education.

According to Cole, Ms. Shulimson started the Center in 1980 with a small grant to serve displaced homemakers and single parents. From those early beginnings the Center has grown to 10 programs serving 3,000 elementary, middle, high school, college students and adults. The Center’s mission is dedicated to educate, support and inspire individuals to achieve their potential. The majority of the work of the Center today is collegiate access and success. 

The Educational Opportunity Center (EOC), one of the 10 programs within the Center, nominated Elston for the award due to the collaborative relationship between EOC and Adult Education (AE). The EOC serves the adult population and has interfaced with Chattanooga State since 1998. Elston has been Director of Adult Education since 2005, and since that time the relationship has strengthened. The referral process between the agencies works both ways, with EOC referring clients to AE to complete their High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma, and AE referring students to EOC for assistance with college applications and financial aid. The encouragement that both Chattanooga State’s Adult Education office and the EOC provide to their adult customers provides these individuals with significant services that ultimately lead to a better quality of life for them and their families.

 “We congratulate Suzanne and her staff for the many tireless hours they spend in the region building economic security for thousands of families,” expresses Ms. Cole.

For more information on Adult Education at Chattanooga State, call 423-697-2529.