LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — As the home county to the best-selling whiskey in the world, it only makes sense that Motlow State – land-granted by a Jack Daniel descendent, Senator Reagor Motlow – should offer a Distilled Spirits degree program. And now it does.

Motlow State Community College recently hosted the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) at the Moore County Campus for their quarterly meeting in partnership with the Shelbyville, McMinnville, and Murfreesboro Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs). Actions at that meeting included approval of Motlow’s Associate of Applied Science degree in Distilled Spirits at the Nearest Green Academy of Distilling.

While at Motlow for the board meeting, Regents also visited the Nearest Green Distillery and Jack Daniel’s. Their trip included visiting Motlow’s Virtual Reality Labs where they participated in curated virtual reality experiences to learn more about how the College uses VR to enhance instruction. Motlow is a leader in building high-impact learning experiences which include developing high-tech learning labs such as simulated hospital environments, immersive aviation simulators, robotics labs that feature equipment from the world’s leading robotics manufacturers, and mechatronics workspaces where Motlow trains multi-craft automation specialists.

“Our board thrives on visiting our campuses, meeting faculty and staff, and most of all, seeing our students,” stated
Board Vice Chair Emily Reynolds. “The Motlow (Moore County) Campus is unique in its setting and beauty, and our Regents who were visiting for the first time were most impressed. Being on our campuses gives us a better understanding of the impact of our decisions and brings a spring in our step as we see the good work happening on our TBR campuses.”

The board convened in the Powers Auditorium in Eoff Hall at Motlow’s Moore County Campus. The agenda included the approval of Motlow’s proposed Associate of Applied Science in Distilled Spirits. Now that the Distilled Spirits program has TBR approval, Motlow will submit the new academic plan for accreditor review. Motlow is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

To learn more about the new degree program, follow this link. •

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