Southwest Tennessee Community College awarded 1.5M GIVE Grant to launch Southwest Entertainment Production Collaborative

For more information, contact Diana Fedinec, Southwest Tennessee Community College Director of Public Relations and Media, at 901-333-4247 or dfedinec@southwest.tn.edu.

The SEPC will transform Memphis’ entertainment workforce by offering career and technical education partnerships, along with a new state-of-the-art production studio, to enhance career and workforce readiness.

Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission have announced that Southwest Tennessee Community College has been awarded a $1.5 million grant through the Governor’s Investment in Vocational Education (GIVE) program. 

The GIVE program, established soon after Gov. Lee took office in 2019, is designed to address skills gaps in Tennessee's workforce by supporting the development of career pathways that connect postsecondary institutions with local K-12 school systems and local employers. This is the third round of GIVE grants to be awarded and will foster regional partnerships between Tennessee’s community colleges, Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), and local industries. 

The GIVE Grant allows Southwest to establish the Southwest Entertainment Production Collaborative (SEPC), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at meeting the rapidly growing workforce demands of the Memphis entertainment industry. The SEPC is strategically designed to cultivate a new generation of professionals, propelling the Memphis entertainment sector to the next level. Currently, the Memphis area does not have a program that addresses the diverse entertainment production industry needs directly.

"We are thrilled to receive the GIVE Grant funding, which will enable us to address the growing workforce needs of Memphis’ booming entertainment industry,” said Tracy D. Hall, president of Southwest Tennessee Community College. “This initiative reflects our commitment to providing students with cutting-edge education and hands-on experience so they are fully prepared to succeed in this industry. With this program, we’re not only opening doors for our students but also supporting the economic and cultural vibrancy of our community.” 

The SEPC will serve as a community space, where the Memphis entertainment industry and academia can collaborate to bridge the current workforce gap. In partnership with the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce, University of Memphis, Stax Music Academy, and Millington Central Middle High School, SEPC will offer students real-world experience, networking opportunities, and industry insights.

Students will have access to a wealth of resources and training, including the opportunity to pursue an Entertainment Production Associate of Applied Science degree with specialized pathways in music, theater, TV, film and video production, and graphic arts/video editing. Additionally, students can earn short-term, stackable credentials—such as the Commercial Music, Film and Video Production, and Entertainment Production Technical Certificates—designed to meet industry workforce needs. These credentials will be fully embedded into the associate degree program with transfer options to the University of Memphis and other four-year institutions. First-semester classes are scheduled to be offered in Fall 2026. 

The SEPC will also establish a state-of-the-art Entertainment Production Studio on the College’s Union Avenue Campus by Spring 2026. The studio, along with existing facilities like the Theater, TV Studio, and Graphic Arts Lab, will give students hands-on experience in an industry-standard environment, ensuring they are well-prepared to meet the evolving needs of the entertainment industry. 

Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor Flora W. Tydings said, “The programs and projects funded by this latest round of GIVE Grants will create many new opportunities for Tennesseans to learn career-building skills to compete and advance in today’s technology-based economy, benefitting their families across generations and building strong communities.

“Our community and technical colleges are the front-line providers of academic, career, and technical education. We’re grateful to Governor Lee and the General Assembly for recognizing the need to bridge the skills gap and establishing the GIVE program to help close it,” Tydings said.

More information on the Governor’s GIVE initiative can be found here.