Three Rivers announces new plans for Sikeston center

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Three Rivers Community College is on track to expand its offerings in the Sikeston area, thanks to a land donation.

At a news conference Wednesday morning at city hall, the college and the Three Rivers Endowment Trust announced they have received a gift of about 40 acres off U.S. 60 from Scott and Karen Matthews and Mike and Elizabeth Brunt. Scott Matthews and Elizabeth Brunt are siblings.

"This signifies a new day for higher education in the Sikeston area," said Three Rivers president Dr. Devin Stephenson.

Stephenson said no plans are set in stone yet. "However, as we currently rent a facility in Sikeston, the ultimate goal is for the construction of a facility there that's easily accessible that will meet the needs of the area," he said.

"Sikeston is our largest center, and we have more than 300 students there right now," Stephenson said. "I believe we could easily have 600 students right now."

Once a new facility is constructed in Sikeston, it will replace the center off South New Madrid Street.

The new facility will provide extra lab space for the college's popular nursing program and will allow the college to expand its offerings and bring associate degree and certificate programs that aren't currently provided in the Sikeston area, Stephenson said.

"When you look at all the possibilities and opportunities with this gift, it's almost impossible to fathom all the things that can come out of it," Stephenson said.

A majority of the money to build the new facility will come from the Endowment Trust, a new not-for-profit organization that raises funds for Three Rivers. Stephenson said the college may also pursue grants.

Stephenson said the land, just south of U.S. 60 and near Interstate 55, is "the premiere, pristine location for higher education in the area."

In addition to providing degrees, Three Rivers also provides work-force development and training for new employees, as well as retention for longtime workers.

"Right now, we're managing a multimillion-dollar project with Noranda for employee retention," Stephenson said.

And in Sikeston there is a project with Orgill, which opened its doors in August, focused on basic training "to get them up to speed and keep them up to speed."

Having that training offered in Sikeston should be a big attraction for businesses looking to relocate in the area, Stephenson added. He said that while he and the college already have a close working relationship with Sikeston, he looks to see that grow even more over the coming years.

"If we can grow that center to where I think we can, in time there will be a huge economic impact, not to mention recruiting business and industry and bringing jobs to the region," Stephenson said.

That's the attitude, Matthews said, that attracted his sister and himself to making the land donation.

"We've been looking to do something appropriate for our community for a very long time," he said. "We realized that we need a full-fledged community college to make it in the long run and think this will make a direct, positive impact on the community."