Dr. Ashley Stowe, ORAU Chief Growth and Partnerships Officer, (left) welcomes Dr. Chris Whaley, Roane State Community College president, to ORAU’s consortium.
For the first time in its nearly 80-year history, Oak Ridge Associated Universities is expanding its consortium to include community colleges, marking an important step toward broadening how we think about workforce development and innovation in the United States.
ORAU’s consortium has long been central to the organization’s mission and identity. Today, it includes more than 170 member institutions collaborating to advance research, education and workforce development. (Learn more in our previous blog, ORAU’s consortium—What’s that?)
Among the newest members is Roane State Community College, an institution whose mission and regional impact make it a strong fit for ORAU’s collaborative network.
As industry, the economy and national priorities continue to evolve, so does the conversation around preparing the workforce of the future. Growing demand for skilled trades, technical expertise and applied workforce training has made it increasingly important to include community colleges in national discussions about education and workforce readiness. This shift reflects a broader recognition that high demand careers increasingly depend on technical and hands-on training pathways. (Related reading: Beyond the degree: The rising demand for skilled trades and technical workers.)
Community colleges play a critical role in preparing students for these careers while also serving as economic anchors in their communities.
Roane State stood out as a natural addition to the ORAU consortium because of its proximity to Oak Ridge and its strong alignment with key priority areas, including nuclear technology and rural health. The college has built programs that respond directly to regional and national workforce needs, helping prepare students for careers that are essential to the future of energy, healthcare and public service.
During a recent visit to the Knox Regional Health Science Education Center, ORAU representatives toured the Roane State’s 11,000-square-foot simulation center, an immersive training environment designed for nursing, EMT and Advanced EMT students. The facility gives students the opportunity to train in realistic settings that include hospital rooms, home care environments, ambulances and outdoor emergency scenarios. The hands-on approach reflects the kind of practical, career-focused education that community colleges uniquely provide.
Representatives from ORAU’s Strategic Growth and Partnerships office tour Roane State Community College’s emergency health simulation center at the Knox Regional Health Science Education Center.
The visit reinforced the value that institutions like Roane State bring to the broader research and workforce ecosystem. ORAU is excited to explore opportunities to connect Roane State with business, industry, government agencies and other educational institutions to help address emerging challenges and develop workforce solutions.
By expanding the consortium to include community colleges, ORAU is widening the circle of collaboration and recognizing the essential role technical and applied education pathways play in strengthening the nation’s future. The other community colleges that have been added as affiliate members into ORAU’s consortium include Central Carolina Community College, Chattanooga State Community College, Montgomery College and Pellissippi State Community College.
ORAU welcomes 13 new members to its consortium in 2026. Five of the new members are community colleges.