Thornley pushes for new building

Trident Technical College President Mary Thornley doesn't give up when she wants something she thinks will help her students, the campus and the Lowcountry economy.

And she wants a new $30 million nursing and science building.

The state Legislature didn't fund her request in 2007. So she's asking Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester county councils to contribute to the project, which will serve residents from all of those counties.

Thornley said the building is desperately needed, especially to train more nursing students. In the fall, 652 students were enrolled in the nursing program, she said. But another 985 have been admitted and are scheduled to begin, as space becomes available, between now and the fall of 2011. And 1,550 students are taking pre-nursing courses.

South Carolina has a huge demand for nurses, she said. "Seldom do you have many students wanting to go into a field where there's a huge demand."

The school already has training programs in the works for Boeing, she said. If Trident can train for Boeing and meet the area's demand for health care workers, it can help lead the Lowcountry out of the recession, she said.

Thornley said she feels a sense of urgency about finding money for the building.

She's not yet sure how the councils will respond, she said. She's making presentations, and meeting with some members one-on-one.

She's requested $7.5 million from Berkeley, $18 million from Charleston and $4.5 million from Dorchester, she said. The requests are based on the number of students enrolled from each county.

Dorchester County Councilman Chris Murphy said he can't support the request right now because "Dorchester has more pressing needs" such as an emergency operations center, EMS stations and judicial services building.

Dorchester Council Chairman Jamie Feltner said Thornley has demonstrated the need for the building and the request will be considered in the upcoming budget process. "If Charleston and Berkeley come through, the last thing I would want is for Dorchester not to," he said.

Thornley is hoping they all come through. "It's not about a building. It's about jobs," she said.

Berkeley County Supervisor Dan Davis said Thornley has not yet presented the information to County Council.

Charleston County Council Chairman Teddie Pryor could not be reached for comment Friday.

Trident's nursing program did, however, receive some good news from the federal stimulus program Friday.

The college was awarded $2.6 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to increase the number of continuing education health care program graduates, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses entering the workforce.

Thornley said the stimulus money isn't for the building. "This is not a bricks and mortar grant," she said. The money will be used to pay staff members.