Community College Partners
Community college partners provide a critical bridge between early career exploration and advanced healthcare education, offering stackable credentials, accelerated pathways, and workforce-ready training aligned with regional healthcare needs. Through dual enrollment opportunities, associate degrees, and industry-recognized certifications, students can enter the healthcare workforce or transition seamlessly into bachelor’s and graduate-level programs. These partnerships strengthen the healthcare talent pipeline by combining academic preparation, hands-on training, and industry mentorship within flexible, accessible learning pathways.
Community Colleges
Walters State Community College
Walters State Community College enrolls approximately 6,000 students annually across multiple campuses in East Tennessee. The college offers associate degrees, technical certificates, and workforce training programs, with a strong emphasis on healthcare education and transfer pathways to four-year institutions.
Roane State Community College
Roane State Community College serves more than 8,000 students across several campuses and teaching locations in East Tennessee. The college provides associate degrees, healthcare training programs, dual enrollment opportunities, and workforce-focused education designed to support regional industry needs.
Leadership
Kim Bolton, EdD
Vice President of Workforce & Economic Development and Dean of the Claiborne County Campus
Dr. Kim Bolton serves as the Vice President of Workforce & Economic Development and Dean of the Claiborne County Campus at Walters State Community College, where she has worked since 2001. In this role, she leads regional workforce development initiatives, oversees academic programming, and strengthens partnerships between the college, local industries, and community organizations to expand educational and career opportunities across Northeast Tennessee.
During their tenure at Walters State, Bolton also served for more than a decade as Head of the Biology Department, helping guide curriculum development, faculty leadership, and student success initiatives in the life sciences. Her work has focused on connecting academic programs with workforce needs, ensuring students gain both the scientific foundations and applied skills necessary for careers in healthcare, education, and emerging technical fields.
Earlier in her career, they served as Assistant Curator of Education at the Knoxville Zoo, where they developed and delivered science education programs
that connected the public with biological sciences and environmental stewardship.
Bolton holds a Doctor of Education (EdD) from East Tennessee State University, a Master’s degree in Science Education from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Bachelor’s degree in Organismal and Systems Biology (Zoology) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
With more than two decades of experience in higher education and community engagement, they remain committed to expanding access to education, strengthening workforce pathways, and supporting the economic vitality of rural and Appalachian communities
Diane Ward, PhD
Vice President for Student Learning,
Roane State Community College
Dr. Diane Ward is currently the Vice President for Student Learning and Chief Academic Officer at Roane State Community College. During her tenure at RSCC, she has served as Professor of Education, Chair of the Education Department, Dean of the Social Science Division and in July of 2013 she became the Chief
Academic Officer.
Dr. Ward developed Roane State’s Middle College Program in 2014 and continues to
provide leadership in all areas of academics.
Dr. Ward has a Doctor of Philosophy Education in Instructional Design for Online
Learning from Capella University. She also has a Master of Arts Degree in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee and a Bachelor of Science degree from West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia in Secondary Science Education.