Haywood Community College is celebrating 60 years of impact in Haywood County in the 2025-2026 academic year. To acknowledge this milestone, HCC will host a special event and conduct various recognitions throughout the year.

The kick-off celebration event will occur on Thursday, September 18, from 2:00-5:00pm in the Hemlock building on campus. This event will feature presentations recognizing our past and looking forward, a viewing of college artifacts and treasured images, the 60 Years of Impact video premiere, light refreshments, and the unveiling of the Art Trail.

Dr. Shelley White, President of HCC shares, “There is no doubt that HCC is a special place to explore, learn, and grow. We invite all to attend this special day of celebration as we honor our past and look ahead to a bright future.” This celebration is open to the community, with remarks beginning at 2:30. To experience the Art Trail, there will be coordinated walking tours of campus held every 15 minutes starting at 3:45.

 The new Art Trail on campus will showcase six pieces of art. These include a mural painted by Billy Smith, a large dahlia sculpture by Grace Cathey, a wire Bobcat on a bench by Josh Cote, a harmonic gong by Stefan Bonitz, the Waynesville Rotary Centennial Peace Pole, and a special wooden bench created by Professional Craft Wood instructor Brian Wurst and his students. These pieces are part of the campus trail system and can be viewed and enjoyed whenever the campus is open.

The Campus Development team has installed beautiful banners on campus and is working towards a momentous goal of planting 60 trees or plants during the academic year. Plantings have already begun, beautifying campus and providing additional educational opportunities for students.

To prepare for this celebratory year, the event committee has been working to gather stories from those who have been impacted and made an impact on Haywood Community College. These stories will be featured in the 60 Years of Impact video that will be shared on the College’s YouTube page following the event.

Additionally, a commemorative book has been created to ensure these stories are available to reflect upon in the future and serve as a memento of this special year.

This event would not be possible without the generous support from the Haywood County Arts Council, the Haywood County Community Foundation, and the Haywood Community College Foundation of the Art Trail.

Source: Haywood Community College.